National Historic Landmark

Chicago Board of Trade Building

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
June 15, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78003181

About this property

The Chicago Board of Trade Building is a 44-story, 604-foot (184 m) Art Deco skyscraper located in the Chicago Loop, standing at the foot of the LaSalle Street "canyon". Built in 1930 for the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), it has served as the primary trading venue of the CBOT and later the CME Group, formed in 2007 by the merger of the CBOT and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In 2012, the CME Group sold the CBOT Building to a consortium of real estate investors, including GlenStar Properties LLC and USAA Real Estate Company. The CBOT has been located at the site since 1885. A building designed by William W. Boyington stood at the location from 1885 to 1929, being the tallest building in Chicago from its construction until its clock tower was removed in 1895. The Boyington building became unsound in the 1920s and was demolished in 1929, replaced by the current building designed by Holabird & Root. The current building was itself Chicago's tallest until 1965, when it was surpassed by the Richard J. Daley Center. The current structure is known for its Art Deco architecture, sculptures and large-scale stone carving, as well as large commodity trading floors. An aluminum, three-story Art Deco statue of Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture (particularly grain), caps the building. The building is a popular sightseeing attraction and location for shooting movies, and its owners and management have won awards for efforts to preserve the building and for office management. The building was listed as a Chicago Landmark in 1977 and a National Historic Landmark and National Register of Historic Places honoree in 1978.

Location

141 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
40.97722, -87.62353

Categories

COMMERCEAGRICULTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Chicago Board of Trade Building

This page lists Chicago Board of Trade Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Chicago Board of Trade Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

St. Mary's Church
Industrial
2.3 mi
Prairie Dell Meetinghouse
Civil War
10.3 mi
Downtown Momence Historic District
Early Republic
13 mi
Chipman, Edward, Public Library
Industrial
13 mi
Watseka Union Depot
Early Republic
15.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chicago Board of Trade Building listed on the National Register?

Chicago Board of Trade Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Chicago Board of Trade Building?

Chicago Board of Trade Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Chicago Board of Trade Building a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Chicago Board of Trade Building has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Chicago Board of Trade Building?

The period of significance for Chicago Board of Trade Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Chicago Board of Trade Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Chicago Board of Trade Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Cook County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Cook County.

Explore CookCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Chicago Board of Trade Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report