Millburn Historic District
Why it's listed
Millburn is a small unincorporated village in Lake County, Illinois, about ten miles west of Waukegan, where U.S. Route 45 meets Millburn Road and Grass Lake Road. The district holds 18 major structures, most of them houses, plus a church and a former general store. At least 13 date from the 1800s. Scottish settlers led by the Strang brothers claimed the land in 1838, and the place was first called Strang's Corners; a church was organized in 1840. The earliest surviving dated buildings, the John Strang house and Robert Strang's store, were built in 1856. Other notable buildings include the 1867 Robert Strang House in Milwaukee cream brick, the 1880 John M. Strang residence, and the 1862 Pantall-Martin Store, later the last operating general store in Lake County. Railroads built in the 1880s and 1890s bypassed the village, so growth went elsewhere. The district is valued as a preserved example of an early rural crossroads settlement and for its mid-19th-century architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues Millburn is one of very few northeastern Illinois settlements arrested in its first stage and preserved, never incorporated or grown into a suburb. It is a surviving example of the 19th-century rural crossroads settlement type. Four masonry buildings (Nos. 1-4) are also considered architecturally significant, ranging from Greek Revival to Italianate and early Queen Anne.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000851, listed September 18, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 45, Millburn and Grass Lake Rds., Millburn |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | September 18, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000851 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William Mavor, architect (Robert Strang House, 1867) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate and early Queen Anne, with more modest frame vernacular houses |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good; mostly private residences, with one active store, a church and an antique shop in the former general store. |
| Acreage | 27 |
| Coordinates | 42.42693, -88.00180 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000851.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6858638
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.