Near North Historic District
Why it's listed
North of downtown Waukegan, on and west of a bluff above Lake Michigan, lies an irregular residential neighborhood of 449 structures covering roughly 203 acres. Its houses date from 1842 to 1928, and every decade in between contributed notable buildings. Greek Revival homes from the 1840s and early 1850s include the Swartout House, described as one of the finest examples of the style in Illinois. Italianate and Queen Anne houses are numerous, and the Prairie School is represented by the Thomas Snelling House by Purcell and Elmslie and the Joseph Arthur House by Tallmadge and Watson, both from 1913. Sixty-eight buildings were judged especially significant. Former residents include nurseryman Robert Douglas, whose grounds became Upton Park, and educator and judge Frances Clarke. Many houses have been divided into apartments and about 44.5 percent have been resided in modern materials, yet the streetscape remains a visible record of the city's growth from its 1841 founding as the county seat through the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district shows slow, organic growth that produced a varied but consistent streetscape. Nearly every major style popular in Northern Illinois from Greek Revival to Prairie School and 1920s revivals appears, with Greek Revival and Italianate especially well represented. The oldest major building dates from 1842 and the newest from 1928, with significant buildings from every decade between. Its origins visibly coincide with those of the city itself.
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 78001162, listed May 3, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Ash St., RR. tracks, Glen Flora Ave., Waukegan |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | May 3, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001162 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Includes Purcell and Elmslie (Snelling House, 1913); Tallmadge and Watson (Arthur House, 1913); Ben Porter, contractor (Clarke House, 1877) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Prairie School, and other styles, including Romanesque, Stick, Tudor and Classical revivals |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Land use is almost exclusively residential or residential related; many houses have been converted to multi-unit dwellings with little change to exteriors. 22 of 449 structures are intrusions or heavily remodeled. |
| Acreage | 203 |
| Coordinates | 42.37137, -87.82825 (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 78001162.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q78354638
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.