National Register of Historic Places

Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District

Lake Forest, Lake County, Illinois
Listed
March 27, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80001381

About this property

The Vine–Oakwood–Green Bay Road Historic District is a residential historic district in Lake Forest, Illinois. The district contains twenty houses on Oakwood Ave., Vine Ave., and Green Bay Road. Patrick Conlin built a house on a well-drained region of what would become Lake Forest, Illinois in 1856. The next year, the eastern portion of the town was platted by Jed Hotchkiss. The Vine–Oakwood–Green Bay Road community was first planned at this point as part of a simple grid system west of the Chicago and North Western Railways tracks. Eastern Lake Forest gradually became known as a retreat for the wealthy citizens of Chicago, who built estates on the curving, tree-lined streets. The Vine–Oakwood–Green Bay Road region, however, was reserved for individuals of more moderate socio-economic statues until at least the 1890s. A business district developed in the 1910s and the Vine–Oakwood–Green Bay Road neighborhood became ideally located. Houses are generally of modest size and are dominated by historical revival styles. An Italianate house at 481 Oakwood Avenue is among the oldest remaining houses in Lake Forest. It was built in the 1860s for Joseph Barnett. Kate McLaughlin, who would be named Lake Forest postmistress in 1887, built a house in 1883. It was later enlarged in 1919. Her successor, High Smith, built a house in 1891. Early settler John J. McIntyre built a house in 1884 after selling his farm and retiring. John Dean is thought to have built three houses in the district in the mid-1890s. Wallis Simpson, the future Duchess of Windsor, rented a house for about a year at 494 Oakwood Avenue. Lars Nielson built a duplex at 469-471 Oakwood Avenue in 1910 and lived in one of the units. The most architecturally notable house in the district is the William E. Clow, Jr. House at 461 North Green Bay Road, designed by David Adler in 1913. The neighborhood was listed by the National Park Service on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1980, amid concerns that the commercial district would expand south through the neighborhood.

Location

Lake Forest, Lake County, Illinois
42.24850, -87.84127

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
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
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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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
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Deerpath Inn
Industrial
0.1 mi
Bennett, Edward H., House and Studio
Industrial
0.2 mi
Judah, Noble, Estate
Listed
0.5 mi
West Park Neighborhood Historic District
Industrial
0.6 mi
Lake Forest Historic District
Listed
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District listed on the National Register?

Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 27, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District?

Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District?

The period of significance for Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road Historic District?

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