Historic House Museums in Illinois

We try to keep this list of historic house museums for Illinois current, but it is best to check directly with the museums for their hours and other information. If you know of a historic house museum in Illinois that should be listed here, please use our submission form to let us know about it.

Bement

Bryant Cottage State Historic Site

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas met in this four room cottage in July 1858 to plan their famous debates. The cottage was built in 1856 and is furnished in period.

Open daily 9-5 • 146 E. Wilson St. • (217) 678-8184

Bishop Hill

Bishop Hill State Historic Site

This 5 acre museum celebrates the pioneer Swedish settlers of Bishop Hill. Restored building contain crafts and antiques.

Open daily 9-5 • 2 miles north of US 34 • (309) 927-3345

Bloomington

The David Davis Mansion

The David Davis Mansion, completed in 1872, is a model of mid-Victorian style and taste. Built for U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Davis and his wife Sarah, the elegant home was occupied by several generations of the Davis family. The mansion and 4.1 acres of the original estate, known as Clover Lawn, were donated to the State of Illinois in 1959 by David Davis IV and his nieces. Today the site is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Open daily Thu-Mon, 9-5 • l000 East Monroe St. • (309) 828-1084

Cahokia

Cahokia Courthouse State Historic Site

Originally built in 1737 as a French residence, the building was used as a courthouse until 1814. It is the oldest building in Illinois.

Open daily 9-5 • west of junctions SR 3 & SR 157 • (618) 332-1782

Cairo

Magnolia Manor

Charles A. Galigher built this showplace in 1869 when the citizens of Cairo were trying to displace Chicago as an industrial center. The home is furnished with Victorian antiques and much of the original furniture.

Open Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun 1-5 Apr-Dec; Wed-Sat 9-5, Sun 1-5 rest of the year • 27th & Washington Ave • (618) 734-0201

Carmi

Robinson-Stewart House

The former residence of John M. Robinson, who served in the U.S. Senate between 1835 and 1843 was built in 1815 and is furnished in period.

Open by appointment • Need information on address and phone number.

Chicago

Glessner House

The 19th century mansion has been partially restored. Combination tours with the Henry B. (widow) Clarke house are available.

Open Wed-Fri 1-3, Sat-Sun 1-4 • 1800 S. Prairie Ave • (312) 326-1480

Henry B. (widow) Clarke House

Built in 1836, the Greek Revival house is the oldest surviving home in the city. The home is furnished in period.

Open Wed-Fri 12-2, Sat-Sun 12-3 • 1800 S. Prairie Ave. • (312) 326-1393

Robie House

One of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces of organic architecture and one of the best examples of his Prairie School style.

Guided tours daily at noon • 5757 Woodlawn Ave on the University of Chicago campus • (312) 702-8374

Hull House

The mansion where Jane Addams, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner lived has been restored and contains original furnishings, paintings, memorabilia and photographs.

Open Mon-Fri 10-4, Sun 12-5 • 800 S. Halsted St. • (312) 413-5353

Clinton

C. H. Moore Homestead

John Bishop built this Victorian mansion in 1863, and it later became the home of Clifton H. Moore, an attorney and law partner of Abraham Lincoln. The house incorporates both Italianate and Second Empire styles and is furnished in period.

Open 10-5 T-Sat. Sun 1-5 Apr-Dec • 219 E. Woodlawn • (217) 935-6066

Danville

Vermillion County Museum

Built in 1855, the house has been restored and furnished in the Victorian style. Abraham Lincoln made a speech from the balcony while campaigning for the U.S. Senate in 1858. He also stayed in one of the bedrooms while visiting friends.

Open Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5 • 116 N. Gilbert • (217) 442-2922

Decatur

The Governor Oglesby Mansion

The restored home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby, located in Decatur, Illinois, is owned by the Macon County Conservation District, and operated by Governor Oglesby Mansion, Inc.

Open Last Sun of the Month 2-4 Mar-Nov • 421 W. William Street • (217) 423-7708

Homestead Prairie Farm

Walk into the past to an exciting place where the days before the Civil War live on. Homestead Prairie Farm is built around the Trobaugh-Good House located at Rock Springs Center. It has been restored to let visitors explore rural life on the Grand Prairie of Illinois in 1860 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Open Sat-Sun 1-4 Jun-Oct • 3939 Nearing Lane • (217) 423-7708

James Millikin Homestead

The Millikin Homestead sits in regal splendor on a large lot at the corner of Pine and Main Streets in Decatur: an ornate mansion in the Italianate style with a French Second Empire roof.

Open last Sun of the month, 2-4 Apr-Oct • 125 North Pine Street • (217) 422-4395

Macon County Historical Society Museum Complex

The three acre complex includes galleries and a historic prairie village.

Open Tue-Sun 1-4 • 5580 North Fork Rd. • (217) 422-4919

De Kalb

Ellwood House

Tours of this 1879 Victorian mansion include all four floors, highlighted by an English-style parlor and three story rotunda. The grounds also feature gardens, a carriage house, and a Victorian era playhouse.

Tours Tue-Fri at 1 & 3, Sat-Sun at 1, 2 & 3, Apr 1-early Dec • 509 N. First St. • (815) 756-4609

Dixon

Ronald Reagan's Boyhood Home

The restored house was the home of the Reagan family from 1920 to 1923.

Open Mon, Thu, Sat 10-4, Sun 1-4 • 816 S. Hennepin Ave. • (815) 288-3404

Edwardsville

Madison County Historical Museum

Housed in a restored Federal style residence built in 1836, the museum contains period furnishings, displays of Indian and pioneer artifacts, and changing exhibits of quilts and costumes.

Open Wed-Fri 9-4, Sun 1-4 • 715 N. Main St. • (618) 656-7562

Ellis Grove

Pierre Menard Home

Built in 1802 the French Colonial style home contains some of the original furnishings. The house also has a small museum on local history.

Open daily 9-5 • 10 miles north off of SR 3, in the Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site • (618)859-3031

Evanston

Charles G. Dawes House

The former vice president's 1894 home has exhibits pertaining to Evanston's history.

Open Mon-Tue & Thu-Sat 1-5 • 225 Greenwood St. • (708) 475-3410

Frances Willard Home

The National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, organized by Frances Willard, is at the rear of the 1865 building.

Tours the first and third Sundays of every month from 1 to 4 • 1730 Chicago Ave. • (847) 328-7500

Freeport

Stephenson County Historical Society

The two story 1857 stone house is surrounded by trees brought west by covered wagon. It is furnished in period. The grounds include a log cabin, an old schoolhouse, a farm museum and an arboretum containing 60 different types of trees.

Open by appointment Fri-Sun 1-4 • 1440 S. Carroll Ave. • (815) 232-8419

Galena

Galena has three home tours a year: Second full weekend in June, the last full weekend in September, and the second full weekend in December. Phone (800) 747-9377 for more info on home tours and self guided walking tours of the historic districts of Galena.

Belvedere Mansion and Gardens

Built in 1857 by J. Russell Jones, a steamboat owner and ambassador to Belgium. The 22 room Italianate mansion contains decorative arts and period furnishings.

Open daily 11-5, late May-Nov. 1 • 1008 Park Ave. • (815) 777-0747

Dowling House

This restored house was built in 1826 and is reputedly the oldest house in Galena. It contains artifacts and household utensils.

Open daily 10-5, Memorial Day-Dec 31; Sat-Sun 10-4 rest of the year • Main and Diagonal Streets • (815) 777-1250

Galena/Jo Daviess County History Museum

A 19th century mansion exhibits clothing, books, guns, flags, and pictures from the Civil War period.

Open daily 9-4:30 • 211 S. Bench St. • (815) 777-9129

Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site

The 1860 house was presented by the people of Galena to Gen. Grant on his return from the Civil War in 1865. He lived here until 1867, and then again from 1879 to 1881.

Open daily 9-5 • 510 Bouthillier St. • (815) 777-3310

Galesburg

Carl Sandburg State Historic Site

A three room cottage contains a museum of Sandburg memorabilia. The museum is devoted to the life and works of the Pulizter Prize winning poet and Lincoln biographer.

Open daily 9-5 • 331 E. Third St. • (309) 342-2361

Browning Mansion

Built 1858 in Italianate style and remodelled after 1886 with the addition of bays, dormers and gingerbread. The restoration began in 1975 by Galesburg Historical Society.

Call for hours • 325 N Kellogg St. • (309) 344-2839

Geneva

Fabyan Villa Museum

The Fabyan Villa Museum was the home of George and Nelle Fabyan from 1905 - 1939. It was initially their summer home, while they lived in Chicago, but as their estate grew into a lavish showplace, complete with fountains, swimming pools, a windmill, private zoo, tennis courts, and much more, they decided to make it their permanent residence. In 1907 they hired Frank Lloyd Wright to enlarge and re-model their home. When you visit the Villa Museum you experience Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, as well as the unique and fascinating Fabyan Story. The Museum contains the Fabyans' private collection of Asian artifacts, natural history specimens, Nelle's original Mission-Style bedroom furniture and some surprises!

May 15-Oct. 15: Wed 1-4, Sat/Sun 1-4:30 • 1511 S. Batavia Ave. • (630)232-4811

Grand Detour

John Deere Historic Site

Meeca for the tractor crowd. This is where John Deere developed the first steel plow that scoured itself clean. The complex includes Deere's restored homestead and furnishings from the 1830s, a visitor center, and archeological exhibition building.

Open daily 9-5 Apr-Nov • Off of SR 2 • (815) 652-4551

Naperville

Naper Settlement

The 13 acre museum village has 25 historic buildings and costumed docents to explain them all.

Call for directions and hours • (630) 420-6010

Nauvoo

Brigham Young Home

The restored home of the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contains the office where their westward expansion was planned.

Open daily 9-7 Memorial Day-Labor Day; 9-5 rest of the year • Kimball St., one block west of Main St. • (217) 453-2269

Heber C. Kimball Home

The restored home of a prime counselor to Brigham Young.

Open daily 9-7 Memorial Day-Labor Day; 9-5 rest of the year • Munson and Partridge Sts. • (217) 453-2269

Joseph Smith Historic Center

The center includes the log building that was the first Nauvoo home of the Smith family.It contains original and antique furnishings. Nearby is the Mansion House, an 1842 home that has been restored to the period that the Smiths were in residence.

Open daily 8-8 Memorial Day-Labor Day; 8:30-5 rest of the year • One block west of SR 96 on Water St. • (217) 453-2246

Wilford Woodruff House

The house, built in 1843, was the home of the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a Mid-west Federal style with arch bricks over the windows.

Open daily 9-6 Memorial Day-Labor Day; 9-5 rest of the year • Corner of SR 96 and Hotchkess St. • (217) 453-2716

Oak Park

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

This extraordinary building was the Wright family residence from 1989 to 1909. The Wright family grew up in this home; Wright had six children with his first wife, Catherine Tobin. The studio annex was completed in 1894, and is one of the most marvelous workspaces to be imagined!

Open Mon-Fri11-3, Sat-Sun11-4 • 951 Chicago Avenue • (708) 383-8873

The Pleasant Home

A grand Prairie style home designed by George Maher in 1887.

Open Fri 10-2, Sat-Sun 1-4 • 217 Home Ave. • (708) 383-2654

Petersburg

Edgar Lee Masters Home

Boyhood residence of the poet. Living room restored to 1870-1875 period. Rest of house is museum of family history

Memorial Day-Labor Day, Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, limited hours • 125 S 7th St • (217) 632-7363

Plano

Farnsworth House

Description

Hours • Address • Phone

Quincy

Governor John Wood Mansion

The home is headquarters for the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County.

Daily 1-4, Jun-Aug; Sat-Sun 1-4, Apr, May, Sep and Oct • 425 S. 12th St. • (217) 222-1835

Rock Island

The Col. Davenport House

Built in 1833 by Col George Davenport, the founder of Davenport, Iowa. Currently undergoing restoration, the house contains period furnishings.

Open Thu-Sun 12-4 May-Oct • Rock Island Arsenal • (309) 786-7336

Rockford

Burpee Museum of Natural History

Housed in a Victorian era mansion, the museum has exhibits pertaining to Indians, animals, fossils and rocks.

Open Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5 • 737 North Main Street • (815) 965-3433

Midway Village and Museum Center

Midway is a late 19th century village on 133 acres with nearly 25 buildings.

Open Mon-Fri 10-4, Sat-Sun 12-4 Mar-Dec • 6799 Guilford Rd. • (815) 397-9156

Tinker Swiss Cottage

The 1865 Victorian mansion built by Robert Tinker contains objects he collected from his world travels.

Tours at 1, 2 & 3pm, Wed-Sun • 411 Kent St. • (815) 964-2424

Springfield

Dana-Thomas House

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for socialite Susan Lawrence Dana. Built from 1902 to 1904, the home is one of Wright's first major Prairie style houses.

Open daily 9-4 Apr-Dec; Wed-Sun 9-4 rest of the year • 301 E. Lawrence St. • (217) 782-6776

Edwards Place Historic Home

The oldest house on its own grounds in Springfield, the home displays 19th century furnishings, sculpture, paintings, porcelains, and Indian objects.

Open Wed-Sun 1-3 • 700 N. 4th St. • (217) 523-2631

The Executive Mansion

The Illinois Executive Mansion is the third-oldest, continuously occupied Governor's home in the nation. Seven Presidents, including Lincoln, have been received here. Three levels are open to the public including four formal parlors; a state dining room; ballroom; four bedrooms, including the Lincoln bedroom; and a library handcrafted from Native American Black Walnut.

Open Tue & Thu 9:30-11, 2:00-3:15, Sat 9:30-11 • 5th and Jackson • (217) 782-6450

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

The only home Lincoln ever owned, it was built in 1839 and purchased by him in 1844.

Open daily 8-8 Jun-Aug; 8:30-5 rest of the year • 8th & Jackson St. • (217) 492-4150

Sterling

Dillon Home Museum

This 1857 home contains the original furnishings and accessories of P.W. Dillon. The carriage house displays local history exhibits. A vintage locomotive and caboose are displayed on the grounds.

Open Tue, Thu, & Sat 10-4, Sun 1-5 • 1005 E. Third St. • (815) 625-1078

Vandalia

The Little Brick House

A simple 19th century Italianate residence decorated with furnishingf from 1820 to 1839.

Call to schedule an appointment • 621 Saint Clair • (618) 283-0024

Wheaton

Cantigny

The restored Georgian residence of Col. McCormick and his grandfather, Joseph Medill. The museum contains antique furnishings, carpets and paintings. Collections of swords and miniature cannons are also displayed. The house is surrounded by 500 acres of grounds, including 12 acres of formal gardens.

Open Tue-Sun 10-5 late May-early Sep; 10-4 Apr, Sep-Jan • 1S151 Winfield Road • (630) 668-5161