National Register of Historic Places

Motley, John Lothrop, School

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
September 5, 2017
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
100001562

About this property

The John Lothrop Motley School is a historic school building at 739 N. Ada Street in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1884 to serve the growing neighborhood, as an influx of immigrants and Illinois' 1883 Compulsory Education Law had greatly increased its student population. John J. Flanders, who became chief architect of the Chicago Board of Education in 1884, designed the school according to a standardized plan which was used throughout the city. The Renaissance Revival school has an asymmetrical layout and includes several small side entrances, ornamental brickwork on its chimneys, and a metal cornice. Flanders' design was a stark change from the symmetrical Italianate plans of earlier Chicago public schools. The district's student population continued to increase in the following decades, and the Board of Education built an addition onto the school in 1898 as a result. The school operated continuously until closing in 2013. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 2017.

Location

739 N. Ada St.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
41.89521, -87.66128

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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 Motley, John Lothrop, School

This page lists Motley, John Lothrop, School. 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 Motley, John Lothrop, School report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Peabody, Elizabeth, School
Industrial
0.4 mi
Polish Roman Catholic Union of America
Civil War
0.4 mi
Smith, J. P., Shoe Company Plant
Industrial
0.5 mi
Polish National Alliance Headquarters
Industrial
0.6 mi
Peck and Hills Furniture Company Warehouse
Industrial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Motley, John Lothrop, School listed on the National Register?

Motley, John Lothrop, School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 2017.

What type of historic resource is Motley, John Lothrop, School?

Motley, John Lothrop, School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Motley, John Lothrop, School?

The period of significance for Motley, John Lothrop, School is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Motley, John Lothrop, School?

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 Motley, John Lothrop, School 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 Motley, John Lothrop, School will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report