Historic Homes in Wheaton, Illinois
One of the many benefits of living in the Chicago area is the diverse architecture you’ll find as you pass from neighborhood to neighborhood. It’s no secret my favorite places to walk are historic districts with their magnificent homes. I love the details you find on these old and charming beauties. Today’s walking tour features historic homes in Wheaton, Illinois – home of Wheaton College and the famed Billy Graham Center.
This lovely home features gingerbread trim that lends feminine romance, along with a few hanging baskets on the wrap around porch. I just hung hanging baskets of impatiens on my own porch – I need to take some photos.
I love blue houses and this one swept me off my feet with its patriotic bunting.
My parents lived in Wheaton when they were first married. They both attended Wheaton College, although my mom dropped out when dad asked her to be his bride. The college is just a couple blocks east of this Victorian beauty.
This charming front porch reminds me of a house straight out of Mayberry. I love the old fashioned street light and white picket fence.
I love the color on this old gal, along with the oval-shaped window. I wonder if the third floor is finished or left as an attic.
There are so many streets in Wheaton with historic homes. It’s worth a second trip here to get more photos. Lucky for me, the train from my town runs straight to Wheaton before heading into Chicago.
Architectural details on Victorian houses always look so much better when painted with contrasting colors. The only problem is … having to paint the house! I remember when hubby and I painted our old house a couple years ago. It’s a lot of work, but so worth it when it’s done.
This yellow house has been given a contemporary look. I love its deep porch!
Check out the middle window on the second floor of this Victorian home. I’ve always wanted a house where the windows open from the bottom like this.
Even the smaller cottages in town are quaint and charming.
I want one of these charming arbors in my yard! Beautiful, rambling clematis is like the icing on the cake. Roses would be pretty too. Although I’ve never been successful keeping black spot off my roses.
Another beautiful painted lady – this one in softer tones.
Have you ever been to Wheaton, Illinois and viewed its historic homes?
If there’s an area in Chicago you’d like to see, just let me know and I’ll try to go and take photos to post here on my blog!
When our children were young we lived in Wheaton for four years…loved everything about it!! Many members of my family also attended Wheaton College. Love the beautiful and charming architecture there!
Mary Alice
These are all beautiful homes. I really enjoy your blog tours. You should collect all your pictures and make a photo album for yourself.
Hi Jennifer,
When I was in High School my parents owned a home in Wheaton. We were very close to the college campus in a quaint little neighborhood with historic homes. Oh how I loved that home. I hope to move back to Wheaton if Terry gets the job down that way. I would love one of the small quaint little homes there. Happy Friday.
Kris
You did an awesome job photographing these old homes. Not only did you give me a smile but two….I use to live in the Chicago suburbs and still have family there and when I visit I love the long drives around these towns. So different than here in AZ. I usually share your posts when you present stuff like this because now my daughter visits family as well and she loves seeing this!
Thanks for the memories! Have a great day,
Mary
Thank you for sharing these beautiful homes. I’m originally from this area, now in Texas, and always admired this area and wondered how much fun it would be to live in one. Glen Ellyn also has beautiful homes! I really enjoy your blog and it sometimes makes me homesick for my home state, except in winter lol! Enjoy the rest of summer!
Hi Jennifer. I love taking walks along with you (on your blog) and seeing all the beautiful homes that you post. The very first one is my favorite one today. I love the wrap around porch and all their pretty trees and flowers! Thanks for sharing!
Cyndee
My best friend in the whole world live in Wheaton. I guess great people live in wonderful places!! Great post!
I love to see all this houses. The blue ones are so beautiful. Are it wooden houses? Here in the Netherlands our homes are so different 🙂
Thanks so much. I loved seeing these old homes. I’d like to visit Wheaton some day.
So good to see these beautiful homes again. I’m from Downers Grove so am familiar with Wheaton and Naperville, but now call the Pacific NW home. Thanks for your great posts – keeps me in touch with my roots!
I love all the homes. I’m from Oak Park and didn’t realize what lovely homes are there.
I’m new to the area and Wheaton is not too far would love to take a tour.
Wow, so many gorgeous homes! Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a third floor or attic hideaway? There are several homes that would translate very well to modern construction. I would love to live in one. These old houses seem to call for a hedge of bridal veil spirea, tea on the porch and croquette on the lawn. Not only would painting take some skill and patience, but roofing would take a very talented and cautious crew. Alas, I think black spot is a Midwest thing. Some of my roses are already showing signs of the dreaded malady. Saw worms attacked most of the roses this spring, decimating the leaves, leaving little ugly skeletons.
My cousin and his family lived in Wheaton for many years. He was the tennis pro at one of the country clubs in the area. I always enjoyed our visits there.
Stunning, every single one. I’ve always loved a house with a touch of gingerbread trim.
So beautiful. My heart aches for these homes. And I want the screen door with the scalloped window frame towards the bottom. I can’t find scalloped anything to save my life!!!
Beautiful homes! One of my dearest friends, Claudia Volkman, grew up in Glen Ellyn.
Her father in law, Bill Volkman gave a big piece of property to Wheaton College way back. My husband and I visited Glen Ellyn probably 35 years ago. You live in a gorgeous area!
I just love the historical houses. Each house is so special. But it is like a teaser because I want to see the inside of the houses also. 🙂
Beautiful homes I really liked the one with the white picket fence.
You know I love the historical Tours! It’s like reliving my childhood and visiting my girlfriends. Now, trust me, you don’t want windows that open from the bottom. It’s usually the old glass storm windows and it really inhibits a breeze.
Historic homes are one of americas biggest treasures, that’s for sure. Me and my husband have poured our heart and souls into these houses, fixing them up, making them look presentable. We have never been to wheaton, but it is on my bucket list now. Thankks for the sweet pictures!
Life-long Wheaton resident and I know where all of these houses are located. Great pics of our beautiful northside. West Street, Wheaton Avenue and Main Street are represented here. Nice job
Thank you, Bruce! I always love when someone from the area reaches out. My parents went to Wheaton College and then moved to Geneva after graduating. I need to get back to Wheaton to take more photos. It’s such a beautiful town!
The charm of historic homes is always very different.. It seems like a wonderful town
Better get there fast to see these homes. Wheaton is allowing developers like P.J. Murphy to tear down historic homes and build McMansions faster than you can order a cheeseburger.
Wow that is SO true! A travestry. I live in a pre-Civil War home on Madison between Wheaton Avenue and Main Street and terror strikes whenever I see a For Sale sign on the front lawn in the neighborhood. P.J’s an evil magician! And he’s FROM Wheaton! I guess $$s are more important.
I still have an antique platform rocker I purchased at an estate sale in Wheaton in the 80s. Its rocker is a huge buggy spring, and it is low to the ground so just perfect for my short legs. I was late to the sale and almost everything in the house had been sold. I wandered outside and into an outbuilding. Underneath a pile of firewood sat this forlorn rocker. I’ve had it recovered twice and it has traveled from the Chicago suburbs to Phoenix to Missouri and to Colorado. It’s still my favorite chair.
I would love to see the homes of Hinsdale featured. Love the homes featured today.