Why are the suburbs short on national landmarks?

In 1839, the building now known as the Town Club in McHenry was the scene of some of the western frontier's first court cases.

More than 100 years later, in 1955, the first McDonald's opened in Des Plaines.

Despite each location's significance, neither is recognized by the National Park Service as a historical landmark.

They are not alone.

Of the 83 National Historic Landmarks in Illinois, only one -- Fort Sheridan's historic district in Lake County -- resides in the suburbs.

In comparison, most of Cook County's 51 historic landmarks are within Chicago's city limits.

Historical and preservation experts differ on why Chicago overshadows the suburbs when it comes to landmarks.

"Chicago has always had national prominence, while everything out here was farmland until about 50 years ago," said Tom Kay, chairman of the Wheaton Historic Commission.

"Sure, some organizations have taken great steps to preserve certain things and places," Kay added. "But let's face it, we've never had an Abraham Lincoln in DuPage or Lake counties."

However, some experts, including Landmark Preservation Council of Illinois President David Bahlman, suggest the suburbs hide more than a few landmark-able treasures.

The problem, he says, is not enough people are taking interest in preserving sites.

"I see it as a problem that we don't have much of a national culture, aesthetically, outside of entertainment," Bahlman said. "For most people today, it's Hollywood or sports instead of architecture or painting."

Time and money

In order for a site to achieve landmark status, it must be deemed a nationally significant historic place.

The U.S. Secretary of the Interior must determine that it possesses "exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States."

Nationally, fewer than 2,500 historic places, including Chicago's Hull House and Lincoln's home in Springfield, have been granted landmark status by the Secretary of the Interior.

In the meantime, the job of nominating potential landmark candidates falls upon the National Park Service.

Donald Stevens, a regional chief of the park service's History and National Registry Program, said nominated sites are judged on whether they have ties to an historic event or person of national significance.

Traditionally, the process to decide that takes between two and five years.

So even if a site has a good chance of becoming a landmark, the time and money needed for it to attain that status could be enough to keep some "weekend historians" from making the push.

"Those that want to make it happen need to be patient for results while working very hard," said Stephanie Todd, regional adviser for the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois. "Having the funding handy would help. But most often, grants are required to cover those.

"Plus, upkeep on a landmark doesn't often come cheap."

Not all discouraged

Despite the hurdles, some Lake County preservationists are preparing a push to have the home of the late Adlai E. Stevenson declared a national landmark.

Stevenson, Illinois' governor from 1949 to 1953, was the Democratic Party's unsuccessful nominee for the presidency in 1952 and 1956. He served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 1961 until his death in 1965.

For most of his adult life, Stevenson lived in the Mettawa house. Notable visitors to the home along St. Mary's Road included John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Now Lake County Forest Preserve officials say the National Parks Service has indicated the house would be an "appropriate" addition to the National Historic Landmarks list.

Katherine Hamilton-Smith, director of the forest preserve's department of cultural resources and preservation, said considerable effort already has been invested into researching the home's historical legacy.

As a result, the estimated $15,000 cost of trying to get the structure landmark status could be drastically reduced or avoided altogether.

Other candidates?

While time will tell whether the Stevenson House achieves landmark status, local officials and historians point to other sites they would like to see considered.

• Great Lakes Naval Station and the Cuneo Museum and Gardens in Vernon Hills could be candidates, said Lake County historian Diana Dretske.

• Arlington Park deserves consideration, Arlington Heights Village President Arlene Mulder says. The track, which dates back to 1927, was rebuilt on its original site after a 1985 fire.

• Wheaton College and North Central College in Naperville "have very storied histories that run deep into 19th century," says Wheaton Historic Commission's Kay.

As for Fort Sheridan's residents, their community's landmark status is a source of pride.

"The landmark designation gives us the assurance that what's here will stay here for our lifetime in terms of architecture, landscaping and the open beauty of the area," said Bill Lolli, who served on the commission that spearheaded Fort Sheridan's transformation into a residential neighborhood in 1993.

"When I think back on the history of the fort, from its days as a Calvary fort and its purpose to protect Chicago," Lolli said, "preserving that is of great importance and made sense."

Potential landmarks?

Local historians suggest these sites:

Arlington Park

The Arlington Heights race track, which dates back to 1927, was rebuilt in its original location following a 1985 fire.

Building 42 at Great Lakes Naval Station, North Chicago Slated to be used as a museum and archive storage devoted to the history of naval recruiting.

Cuneo Museum and Gardens, Vernon Hills

Home originally designed for utility magnate Samuel Insull who, along with Thomas Edison, co-founded the General Electric Co.

Martin Mitchell Mansion, Naperville

Built in 1883, the mansion is the architectural centerpiece of the Naper Settlement.

McDonald's, Des Plaines

The fast-food giant's first restaurant opened in 1955. No longer serving up hamburgers, it's now a McDonald's museum.

Octagon House, Barrington

Believed to have been built as early as 1860, it's among a few hundred remaining octagonal homes in the country.

Viking ship, Geneva

The 114-year-old replica vessel sailed from Norway to Chicago in 1893 to be put on display during the World's Colombian Exposition.

Source: Daily Herald interviews