Architectural Surveys

The City of St. Charles has designated three historic districts (Central Historic, Moody-Millington, and Millington Districts) as well as over 70 individual landmark structures. The Map of Historic Landmarks and Districts Map contains links to information on each designated Landmark.

Central Historic District

Designated by the City in 1995, the Central Historic District encompasses the downtown area and includes the original town of St. Charles as laid out in the 1830s. The District contains the classic Main Street storefront buildings, as well as St. Charles' most notable architectural icons: the Romantic Revival style 1928 Hotel Baker, the Art Moderne style 1940 Municipal Center and the Spanish Colonial Revival style 1926 Arcada Theater, all of which are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Central District Architectural Survey was completed in 1994. Its purpose was to record each of the 380 primary structures and sites within the area. A survey page was created for each structure and site which includes a photograph and information pertaining to architectural style, construction date, integrity of the structure, and significant changes or alterations.

Central District Architectural Survey (1994)

Moody-Millington Historic District

The Moody-Millington Historic District was designated by the City in 2006. The District, made up of 17 properties, is part of two early additions to the original town of St. Charles: the Millington Addition (1842) and the Moody Addition (1846). The predominant architectural styles represented are Queen Ann, Gothic Revival, Prairie, Craftsman, and National, with the earliest structures dating from the 1860s.

A survey of the Near West Side was conducted in 2003. The survey area includes properties directly west of the Central Historic District, bounded by State Street to the north, Cutler Street to the south, and 8th Street to the west. The structures that now comprise the Moody-Millington Historic District are included in the survey.

The Historic District Nomination for the Moody-Millington Historic District(PDF, 349KB) includes the district boundary and history of the area.

Near West Side Survey

Millington Historic District

The Millington Historic District is the City's newest historic district, designated in 2017. An eight-block area located directly west of the Central Historic District, the district comprises the bulk of Millington's Addition to St. Charles, which was annexed into the City in 1842. A total of 51 properties are located within the district, including several of the architecturally significant structures fronting W. Main St. on the western fringe of downtown.

The Millington Historic District structures were surveyed as part of the Near West Side survey conducted in 2003. The survey pages for the Millington Historic District properties were updated as necessary in 2016.

More information on the Millington Historic District can be found in the Millington Historic District Nomination(PDF, 4MB).

Near West Side Survey

National Register Properties

The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is a federal listing of nationally recognized historic places. St. Charles is home to eight National Register landmarks. Detailed histories and architectural information for each of the properties can be found in the National Register nominations:

Pottawatomie Neighborhood

The Pottawatomie Neighborhood was surveyed in 2022 and 2023 and a final report was completed in January of 2024. The historic resources survey was completed by McGuire Igleski & Associates, INC. 

Below are links to the entire document that includes history of the area, survey methodology, architecture of the neighborhood, national register and local landmark evaluation and findings of the survey and a document that is just the architectural surveys from this report. 

*This area is not a Historic District*

Pottawatomie Neighborhood Historic Resources Survey(PDF, 30MB)

Architectural Surveys Only(PDF, 6MB)

Contact

Community Development
(630) 377-4443
cd@stcharlesil.gov

Historic Preservation

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