McGrath, John, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1896 on the southwest corner of Mason Street and Barber Avenue in Polo, Illinois, this large Queen Anne house was designed by Dixon architect George W. McBride for John McGrath, a local lumber yard, lime kiln and farmland owner. The two-story wood-frame house has a hipped roof with lower cross gables, a wraparound porch with classical columns, and a three-story northeast corner tower with nine curved windows and a conical roof. Gables are filled with patterned shingles, and Palladian windows light the third story. Inside, quarter-sawn oak woodwork, pocket doors, classical fireplaces with beveled mirrors and an open newel staircase survive. McGrath recorded that the house, estimated at $5,500, cost $7,500 to build. A restoration from 1989 to 1991 repaired the tower windows and porch balusters using replicas of the originals. The house is locally significant as a well-preserved example of towered Queen Anne architecture with classical details. A converted carriage house, now a garage, stands behind it.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant under Criterion C for architecture as a well-preserved example of a towered Queen Anne house with classical ornamentation. It combines a hipped roof with lower cross gables, a wraparound porch with classical columns, patterned-shingle gables and a three-story corner tower with curved windows. It keeps a high percentage of its original exterior and interior materials.
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 96000513, listed May 2, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 403 W. Mason St., Polo |
|---|---|
| County | Ogle County |
| Listed | May 2, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000513 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896 |
| Architect / builder | George W. McBride, architect (Dixon, Illinois); C. A. Stone, builder |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in very good to excellent condition after a restoration carried out from 1989 to 1991; still used as a single-family dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.98574, -89.59374 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 96000513.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6247840
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.