Influenced heavily by Frank Lloyd Wright, Chicago’s architecture can’t be missed on your next group trip
Home to arguably one of the best skylines in the world, Chicago’s architecture will leave any visitor in awe. And Chicago isn’t the only place in Illinois that offers world-class architecture. Here are some fascinating architectural destinations for groups to visit.
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Chicagoland Area
There are plenty of activities and tours to keep your group busy in and around the city.
The Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) features a collection of permanent and rotating exhibitions that highlight architectural creativity, innovation, and the cultural significance of our built environment. Visitors can check out the iconic Chicago City Model and attend workshops and panels hosted at the center. Through the center, your group has over 80 different tours to choose from.
Most famous though is the CAC River Cruise, abroad the First Lady. It was voted the best boat tour in the country by USA Today. The 90-minute cruise reveals fascinating stories behind Chicago’s majestic buildings and isled by the Chicago Architecture Center’s expertly trained volunteers. Even Chicago natives rave about the rich history and stunning views seen from the First Lady.
Just a short train ride away, in a historical Chicago neighborhood, you can find Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio. Located in Oak Park, the CAC also offers a tour of Wright’s former home and studio and around Oak Park, highlighting the rise of his Prairie Style architectural design. Oak Park has the largest collection of Wright-designed buildings. You can take bus tours to four of Wright’s architectural sites, offered daily and seasonally. One of Wright’s well-known designs is located in Kankakee, a bit south of Oak Park. The Harley Bradley House is an iconic example of his Prairie Style.
Oak Park is also the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway. The museum is an ideal place to begin exploring the author’s life and work and itself is an architectural wonder, known as a Queen Anne home and was designed by Wesley Arnold. If you have any literature fanatics in your group, this museum recognizing one of the most influential writers of American literature is a must see.
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Chicago Southland
If your group has more time or is trying to see all of what Northern Illinois has to offer, the southern part of the city and its suburbs hosts a treasure trove of architectural gems.
Blue Island is home to the Joshua P. Young House. This unassuming two-story house was the home for one of the most influential persons in the development of the Southern part of Chicago. Young played key roles in land, housing, and railroad developments. The house was built prior to 1850 by Carlton Wadhams, designer of the American House Hotel in Blue Island in 1844. Exterior viewing only allowed.
After a quick bite to eat, the group can make its way to Pullman, which is home to the Pullman National Monument Visitor Center and Pullman State Historic Site’s Car Works grounds. The monument was designated by President Barack Obama in 2015, making it the first National Park Service unit in Chicago. A story of perseverance, preservation, and pride, the park tells the journey of one of the first planned industrial communities in the United States, the sleeping car magnate who helped create it, and the workers who lived in the carefully designed community surrounding the Car Works.
Pullman is significant for its architectural influence on urban planning and design. Visitors can see the 1881 Pullman Car Works, the heart of this historic planned industrial community, and take part in scheduled tours offered by several historic preservation groups.
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A few more stops in the South Side of Chicago for the architectural inclined group travelers:
- Peotone’s Windmill (Peotone), a full-size Dutch-style windmill built in 1872. This is a free tour for the group that’ll take about an hour or two. Donations are always welcome.
- George R. Thorne Summer House (Midlothian). The architect, Howard Van Doren Shaw, was well known among Chicago’s social elite and was considered a master at adapting historical styles to the design of American Homes.
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Northern Chicago
Still more hidden gems can be found on the northside of the city and just outside of it. In Evanston, you’ll find the marvelous mansion of former U.S. Vice President, the Charles Gates Dawes House. The chateau-like home is located adjacent to Lake Michigan and has been dubbed a National Historic Landmark. It’s been restored to its 1920s origins and has enhanced exhibits focusing on Evanston history.
One of the most fascinating architectural buildings in the Chicagoland area, located in Wilmette, is the Bahai House of Worship, designed by French-Canadian architect Louis Bourgeois, is one of 13 in the world, and the only one located in North America. Construction began in 1912 but due to several delays, the temple wasn’t completed until 1953. To convey the Baháʼ í principle of the unity of religion, Bourgeois (with design feedback from’ Abdu’l-Bahá) incorporated a variety of religious architecture and symbols. The temple is open to the public and is used as a devotional space for people of any faith.
Just north of these two sites, the group will find the Writers Theatre in Glencoe. Founded in 1992, its new center was designed by the Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang Architects. The Theatre’s deliberately intimate performances bring audiences face-to-face with powerful stories from classics to contemporary works.
West, in Skokie, the group can find the third largest Holocaust museum in the world. The Illinois Holocaust Museum was designed by renowned Chicago architect, Stanley Tiger man. You can step into an authentic German railcar, visit galleries and immerse yourself in the interactive, holographic Survivor Stories Experience, and travel through history while exploring life before, during, and after the Holocaust.
If your group has time, in Rockford, Illinois lies another architectural site that is a must see. The Laurent House is the only Frank Lloyd Wright house that is wheelchair accessible and one of 11 hemicycle Usonians in Wright’s portfolio.
Whether you’re touring grand skyscrapers, elegant Beaux-Arts buildings, or Wright’s distinctive organic designs, Chicago and beyond offers an unforgettable journey for group travelers through architectural history.
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By Erin Karasewski
