Stone Manor
Why it's listed
Southeast of Lockport in Will County, Stone Manor is an Italianate farmhouse built around 1865 for Elijah Dodge Gorham, who came to Homer Township from Dutchess County, New York, in 1853. The two-story house measures 36 by 40 feet and has symmetrical lines, arched windows, ornate trim and a cupola. Its walls are 19-inch-thick Joliet limestone blocks, obtained in exchange for timber cut on the farmstead. Inside, hand-carved walnut doors and trim and a walnut staircase rising to the attic are the main features. A gable-roofed barn stands behind the house, built with a limestone foundation and hand-hewn beams that are notched and pegged. Original limestone hitching posts remain. The house and landscape have changed little in about 115 years. Gorham later moved to Kansas, and the property stayed with the Frazer family from 1906 until 1977. It was listed for its architecture, its use of local materials and its well-preserved setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest examples of Italianate architecture in the region, with construction quality superior to most of its contemporaries. It shows the use of local materials, including Joliet limestone obtained in exchange for farm timber and local walnut woodwork. The house, barn and surrounding landscape have changed very little since construction.
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 80001420, listed November 26, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Lockport, Lockport |
|---|---|
| County | Will County |
| Listed | November 26, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001420 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1865) |
| Architect / builder | Elijah Gorham, builder |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, occupied and used as a private residence; the house is said to be virtually unchanged since construction. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.57304, -87.93610 (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 80001420.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7618983
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.