National Register of Historic Places

North Wells Street Historic District

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
May 2, 1984
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
84001021

About this property

The North Wells Street Historic District is a commercial historic district located on the west side of the 1200 block of North Wells Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The district consists of seven buildings: four stores, two factories, and a firehouse. Built from 1871 to 1888, the buildings are an unusually intact block of what was once a much larger commercial district on the Near North Side. The four stores include a two-story frame storefront building, one of only six remaining from the post-Chicago Fire period in the city, and three three- or three-and-a-half-story store and flat buildings. The factories include a three-story loft and a two-story building that resembles the storefronts. The firehouse, known as Engine Company No. 27, is the second-oldest in the city. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1984.

Location

1240-1260 N. Wells St.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
41.90548, -87.63471

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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.

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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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Swedish Club of Chicago
Industrial
0.1 mi
Marshall Hotel
Industrial
0.1 mi
Emmel Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Mark Twain Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi
West Burton Place Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was North Wells Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

North Wells Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1984.

What type of historic resource is North Wells Street Historic District?

North Wells Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for North Wells Street Historic District?

The period of significance for North Wells Street Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near North Wells Street Historic District?

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 North Wells Street Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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