Suburban spots among the most endangered state landmarks

SPRINGFIELD — The Fox River County Day School in Elgin and the Blair House in Lake Bluff are among the 10 most endangered historical places in Illinois, the preservation group Landmarks Illinois announced Tuesday.

Fox River Country Day, originally called Chicago Junior School, was founded in 1913 in Michigan as a boarding school for orphaned boys in Chicago. It moved to its Elgin location in 1923 and has remained there since.

While known for its prairie-style architecture and woods that surround the school, it served a small school population and closed its operations last summer due to cost constraints.

The Edward Blair House, built in 1955, is a Modernist house designed by renowned Chicago architectural firm Keck and Keck.

The 7,550 square-foot home sits on 27 acres and has a $9.9 million asking price. As it is not protected by landmark laws, it could be torn down.

The preservation group said it was imperative to protect all the sites on the list.

“By calling attention to them, we hope to encourage solutions for their preservation,” said Interim Executive Director Jean Follett in a news release.