Decatur Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Millikin,James,House
Why it's listed
This residential district on Decatur's near west and southwest sides covers about 258 acres between Eldorado, Church, Haworth and the Sangamon River. Of 722 structures, 95 were judged especially significant, and most of the rest date from 1890 to 1929. Nearly every architectural style popular in Illinois between the Civil War and the Great Depression appears, from Italianate and Gothic Revival to Queen Anne, Classical Revival, Romanesque and Tudor Revival. Three houses on Millikin Place were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his associates. Many architects from Decatur, Chicago and elsewhere worked here between about 1880 and 1929. The district grew alongside Decatur's industries after the railroads arrived in 1854, and several houses belonged to manufacturers and civic leaders such as James Millikin and Adolph Mueller. Parking lots and small apartment buildings intrude in places, especially in the northeast, but the quality and intact character of the remaining buildings supported listing as an architectural district.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it first and foremost an architectural district, noted for the diversity and excellence of its buildings. Many trained architects worked in the area from about 1880 to 1929, including Frank Lloyd Wright and his associates. With the fabric still largely intact, the district conveys a sense of history. It is also tied to Decatur's industrial growth and civic leaders.
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 76000719, listed November 7, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Hayward, El Dorado, and Church, and Lincoln Park Dr., Decatur |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | November 7, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000719 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Many architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright with Marion Mahoney and H.V. von Holst, Hunt, Eager & Burns, R.O. Rosen, Frederick W. Perkins, George F. Barber, Holabird & Roche, Howard Van Doren Shaw, and others |
| Architectural style | Mixed: Italianate, Second Empire, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Classical Revival, Romanesque, Tudor Revival, and early modern (Wright-related) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely residential and occupied; many houses divided into apartments, with some parking-lot clearance and intrusions in the northeast. |
| Acreage | 258 |
| Coordinates | 39.83920, -88.96309 (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 76000719.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19867686
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.