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Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society413 N. Milwaukee Ave.Libertyville, IL 60048Libertyville’s HistoricMilwaukee AvenueWalking TourContact UsPHONE: 224-513-7426EMAIL: [email protected]: lmhistory.orgFACEBOOK: orical SocietySeptember 2020
This booklet offers abbreviated information on each building. Additional features, such as expanded descriptions,text-to-speech narration, historical photographs, andlinks to related information are available through theonline version of the tour.The free tour "Libertyville's Historic Milwaukee Avenue"is available online at http://www.theclio.com/tour/1501 and through the Clio-Your Guide to History appavailable through the Apple App Store and Google PlayStore. To access the tour in the Clio app, search for 60048and scroll down to Walking Tours and Heritage Trails.Do you have additional information or photographs ofany of the buildings?Please contact the Libertyville-Mundelein HistoricalSociety at [email protected]
325 N. Milwaukee AveCook ParkThis three-story bank and office building located at 325 N. Milwaukee Ave. was constructed in 1991 by architect Kenneth J.Bleck and builder A. J. Maggio. At the time of construction thename of the bank occupying the building was First of AmericaBank Corporation, which later merged with National City and in2008 was bought out by PNC. At one time residences and latera gas station and a car dealership stood on the lots now covered by the bank.339 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Heritage CourtIn the early 1900s, the 300 block of Milwaukee Avenue wasresidential. In the mid-20th century, this spot held the Libertyville Floral Company store and greenhouse. It was torn downfor a parking lot for a nearby car dealer. In 1980, the currentbuilding was constructed as the two-story commercial/officestrip mall with a sideways orientation that maximizes parkingspace. Marvin Johnson was the architect and the builder wasKen Olson & Assoc. Peter Tosto’s insurance agency hasoccupied the building since its construction.Cook Park is the historical and modern center of Libertyville.The site George Vardin’s cabin, the first permanent dwellingin what would become the village of Libertyville, today thepark welcomes visitors on a daily basis. Community eventsheld in and around Cook Park such as the Farmers Market,Car Fun on 21, Lunch in the Park, Festival of the Arts, Libertyville Band concerts, Libertyville Days and the annual treelighting, draw residents and visitors alike to the downtown.413 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Ansel B. Cook HomeOperated by the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society, theAnsel B. Cook Home, an 1878 home listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places, features two floors of Victorianera furnishings and artifacts. The building served as the CookMemorial Public Library from 1921 until 1968.413 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Cook Memorial Public Library345 N. Milwaukee Ave.Built in 1913, this building has housed many different garageand automobile businesses. In 1924 the Main Garage openedfor business and serviced automobiles in Libertyville for over adecade. New car dealers and repair shops came and went untilthe early 1960s when the Independent Register newspapermoved in. The building became office space for Edward D.Jones in 1988. In 2014 Mickey Finn’s renovated the buildingand moved from one block north to open at this location.355-357 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Libertyville HotelThis Queen Anne-style commercial block was erected in 1896by James Triggs. In 1897, the Libertyville Hotel opened featuring a dining room and an adjacent stable. By the 1920s, thebuilding had been divided into first-floor retail, with multiplestorefronts, and second-floor apartments. A Ford agency andauto repair shop operated here through the 1920s, alongside abank and real estate agency. Proctor's Chatter Box was a popular teen hangout in the 1950s. Over the past 20 years, thebuilding has ensured local residents have been well suppliedwith ice cream, baked goods, and coffee.12The Cook Park Library of the Cook Memorial Public LibraryDistrict is tucked away behind the Ansel B. Cook Home at thewest edge of Cook Park. The library building was constructedin 1968 by A. W. Heinsom & Co. and designed by architectsCone and Dornbusch. The original library building was 14,000square feet of usable space on one level, with basement spacefor meetings and future expansion. After renovations and additions, the library is now 46,120 square feet.501-505 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Lake County Bank IBuilt by the Lake County Bank in 1894, this brick buildingoriginally provided two first floor storefronts and a secondstory flat. A varied array of businesses have occupied thenorth storefront and the second level, but the establishments with the longest tenure occupied the corner storefront. In 1923, the bank completed a new state-of-the-artfacility and moved next door to 507 N. Milwaukee Ave . TitusBrothers Electrical Contractors bought the building and began a more than 50-year run in the corner spot. In 1982, the Picnic BasketRestaurant established themselves in the corner store.3
507 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Lake County Bank IIThis temple front commercial building was completed in 1923to house the Lake County National Bank. The bank washoused at this site for nearly 50 years, through mergers andseveral interior renovations, until it moved around the cornerto a larger site in 1968. The next year, Modine Manufacturingtook over the building, replacing the pediment and columnswith a modernist facade. In 1987, new owners restored thebuilding to its former classical appearance, and in 1995, itreturned to its roots as the home of Libertyville Bank & Trust.515 N. Milwaukee Ave.— The Consumer's BuildingThis piece of downtown has been the site of many businessesover the years. A prior building on this spot housed The SodaShop and later Lew Flagg’s barber shop for a time. In July of1931 Leslie Ulrich of Mundelein was hired to build a store atthis location for the Consumer’s Sanitary Coffee and ButterStore. Over the course of the past 89 years, this store hasbeen the home of nearly 10 different commercial enterprises.400-404 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Julian's Menswear/Jays ShoesThis lot stood empty for many years. A frame building wasremoved from the site in 1909, and in the 1940s it had beenlandscaped and was used for an honor roll for military servicemen before the current building was constructed in 1956.The new building provided two storefronts first occupied byJulian’s Menswear and Jays Shoes, Inc.340-354 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Public Service BuildingThe Public Service Building, designed by architect H.V. vonHolst and dedicated in 1928, is listed on the National Registerof Historic Places. Conceived by Samuel Insull as a showcasefor advancements in electric light and modern appliances soldby his Public Service Co., it is an unusual example of the Eclectic movement combining elements of Old English, Moorish andAsian design.322-336 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Bartholomay Building519 N. Milwaukee Ave.— M.B. Colby & Co.M. B. Colby & Co. was one of the earliest businesses to operate in this building which was completed in 1883. W. W. Carroll & Son, another mercantile establishment, followed. Laterenterprises included drugstores, a utility service center and anappliance-variety shop. The building was modernized in 1964,restored to a historic look in 1984 and a two-story rear addition was constructed in 1997. The current tenant is The Tavern, a steakhouse and lounge, which opened in 1983.The Bartholomay Building extended the Libertyville businessdistrict southward when it was constructed in 1929. Frank H.Bartholomay of Lake Forest commissioned the architecturefirm of Anderson & Ticknor to design a mixed commercialresidential property. Architect Xavier Vigeant of Highland Parkalso contributed. A one-story addition was attached in 1945.Over the years, the Bartholomay building has been home to avariety of stores and businesses including a barbershop, TVrepair shop, dentist, realty agency, and a small grocery.121 E. Maple Ave. — St. Joseph Catholic Church521 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Isaac Heath buildingThis two-story brick commercial block building was erected in1883 by longtime Libertyville businessman Isaac Heath. Thefirst floor housed his furniture and undertaking business. Thesecond floor was rented to Libertyville Masonic Lodge #492.Over the years, this business block housed stores selling adiverse array of wares, including dry goods, rugs, outdoorsupplies, phones, and gifts and, mostly recently, a salon .4The first Catholic Church in Libertyville was established in 1886,under the name of St. Peter and Paul. Located on N. FirstStreet, it suffered total destruction by fire in 1904. A new brickchurch was constructed on East Maple Avenue at a cost of 15,000 and named St. Joseph Catholic Church upon its dedication on July 2, 1905. The current sanctuary was built in 1966 toserve the growing population and the 1905 church was torndown.11
426 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Petranek'sAlthough a drug store has operated for almost 150 years on thissame site, it currently occupies its third building. The two previous structures were seriously damaged by fires. When firegutted Petranek’s Pharmacy in 1954, the shop moved to another Milwaukee Ave. storefront while the current building wasconstructed. When the new building opened its doors in thespring of 1956, it featured a restaurant and soda fountain, airconditioning, indirect lighting, and oak paneling. In 1993 exterior architectural changes were made, including a stucco facade and peakedparapet wall, but many of the charming 1950s interior details remain.525-531 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Langworthy'sBuilt in 1940, this streamlined, stone front store replaced theold Heath residence thereby creating an unbroken line ofshops on the west side of Milwaukee Ave. from Cook Ave. toLake St. Two commercial spaces were created here. The southportion was occupied by Langworthy’s Department Store,while the north housed the relocated A&P Grocery Store.Langworthy’s occupied a number of locations since starting in1911 as a general store. This location served as Langworthy’shome from 1940 until the business closed in 2000.535-541 N. Milwaukee Ave.— W. M. Heath/Walrond416 N. Milwaukee Ave.— A & PBuilt in 1949, this structure is one of downtown Libertyville’syounger buildings. It has housed only three businesses in itsseventy-odd years. The 8100 square foot building was constructed for A&P groceries which operated at the location forover two decades. It was followed in 1974 by a thirty-sevenyear run by Arden’s Furniture and Design. In 2015 it was replaced by an upscale Indian Motorcycle dealership that occupied the building until May 31, 2020.The Queen Anne style commercial block is actually two buildings. Today (2020), Charles & Minerva and Touche Salon occupy the Warren M. Heath building while Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory occupies the William Walrond Building. Heath, afurniture maker and undertaker, and Walrond, a proprietor ofa meat and grocery market, constructed these commercialbuildings in 1903. A bowling alley/billiards room, a department store, a shoe store, and art gallery are some of the businesses to fill the storefronts over the years.545 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Rittner Building412 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Hanby BlockThe building at 412 N. Milwaukee Ave. has been a local drinkingestablishment for the past 85 years. The building is currentlypart of O’Toole’s restaurant. The left section of the buildingwith the dining patio is a 1994 addition. The right-hand section,was built around 1905 and was known as the “Hanby Block,”having been built as a business prospect by Lewis Hanby. In1933 it became the Park View Tavern and has served as a restaurant and bar ever since.406-410 N. Milwaukee Ave. — C.H. Kaiser BuildingThis building was commissioned by Libertyville business manCharles Kaiser in 1904. Some tenants came and went quickly,while others became downtown fixtures, such as Ray Furnitureand Paint, North Shore Gas Company, Libertyville Tailors andCleaners, Jordan Shoes, and Parkside Liquors. More recentlythe street level storefronts have housed resale shop Treasures'n' Trash, Neville - Sargent, Leggy Bird Designs, and currently,847 Running and B. Bungalow.10Built by John Rittner in 1905, the building originally had storefront space and second story living quarters. Mr. Rittner andhis wife occupied the building and ran a saloon until Libertyville went “Dry” in 1914. After Prohibition John W. Lesteropened a tavern in the building that stayed in his family for atleast 27 years. Another tavern, Tap N Tote, occupied thespace in the 1970s. A variety of later businesses included astring of music shops from the 1980s to the early 2000s.547-551 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Libertyville BakeryFrederick Louis Jochheim built this structure in 1907 to househis growing bakery business. After World War II the bakeryfaced stiff competition from chain grocers and closed in 1951.Since that time, a variety of small businesses and financialinstitutions have occupied the commercial space. In the 1950sthe building underwent extensive alterations when the original two storefronts were combined into one. Eric Muller purchased and renovated the building in 2003.5
603-605 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Lovinger BuildingThe Virginia Cafe was an early tenant of this mid-1920s building.Since then a variety of tenants have occupied the commercialspaces, including butcher and meat locker shops, a tailor shop,service businesses and restaurants. In 1998 owner Jeff Lovingerrenovated the entire building and completed an expanded addition with a new rear storefront.625-633 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Manchester SquareWith four restaurants in the ground floor and 34 apartmentsabove, the Manchester Square building, begun in 2007, is arecent addition to the Milwaukee Avenue landscape. Threebuildings stood on this property before Manchester Square.Built in 1914, 607 N. Milwaukee Ave. was the new home of theLake County Independent newspaper. 611 N. Milwaukee Ave.,built in 1911, contained an automobile garage and showroombuilding. 615 N. Milwaukee Ave. was built in the early 1930s asan automobile service station.707-711 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Dall BuildingThis structure with 11 storefronts was completed in 1929 bydeveloper Benjamin L. Dall. This mainstay of the town with itslarge illuminated public clock has hosted an assortment of businesses. Multiple dry cleaners have been regular tenants of thebuilding.715 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Town Hall/American LegionThe Libertyville Township building committee, chaired by AnselB. Cook, commissioned architect W.W. Boyington and buildersW.D. and Frank Price to build a new meeting hall. The buildingwas completed in early August 1894. Libertyville American Legion Post #329, founded in 1919, began renting the building in1925 and eventually purchased the building from LibertyvilleTownship in 1973. Libertyville Township used the hall until 1982when they moved to a new building on Merrill Court.6510-514 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Hanby/Butler BuildingThe facade unifies two buildings constructed within months ofeach other in 1896. Lewis Hanby commissioned the southbuilding (now 510-512) and Josiah W. Butler commissioned thenorth building (now 514). The mid-century modernizationtrend struck the Hanby and Butler buildings when the secondstory bay window was removed and the front facade was covered with Lannon Stone cladding circa 1960. Remodeling in1989 brought back a more historic look.508 N. Milwaukee Ave.— H.B. Eger BuildingBuilt in 1895/96 by H.B. Eger to house his hardware store, theoriginal cornice prominently displayed the owner’s name andconstruction date. The building was extensively altered in1963, with a completely new storefront and an aluminum slipcover over the 2nd floor. The cornice was also removed at thattime. The building facade was rehabilitated in 1993. After serving as a hardware store until the 1960s, this building has beenhome to three Libertyville restaurants.500 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Schanck BuildingA hardware store anchored this prominent downtown cornerfor at least 80 years. The home that originally stood on thiscorner was moved by G.H. Schanck in 1882 in order to construct a new building for his expanding hardware business. TheLibertyville Fire of 1895 destroyed that wooden building andSchanck's entire stock, but the business survived. The currenttwo-story brick building was constructed before the turn of the20th century. In addition to the Schanck Hardware store,men's clothing stores, a stationary store, and a music store have occupiedthe storefront over the years.428-432 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Triggs &TaylorRising up out of the ashes of the 1895 Libertyville Fire, theTriggs and Taylor building has become one of the iconic buildings of downtown Libertyville. Built in 1896, it was home to theTriggs and Taylor grocery store for about 40 years. Since then,it has been home to a variety of businesses including othergrocery stores, a shoe store, an ice cream parlor, and a menswear store.9
602-610 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Bulkley BuildingThis red brick block was constructed in 1902 by a member of theLibertyville pioneer Bulkley family. A plumber, a baker, and afemale photographer first rented space in the building. A succession of apparel shops, small grocery stores and restaurantsanchored the block from the 1910s through the 1940s. TheSportsman served the community here for several decades beginning in the mid-twentieth century. Over the last thirty years,this block has hosted a series of restaurants and specialty shops.536-542 N. Milwaukee Ave.— First National BankThis historic three-story brick building was constructed in 1913to house the First National Bank, several other businesses, including the post office, and the Libertyville Auditorium. TheAuditorium became LaVilla Theatre in 1929 and showed moviesuntil the new Liberty Theatre opened in 1937. Over the years,the building has been home to many stores including a longrunning bakery, restaurants, and gymnastics and dance academies.532 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Mackey Jewlery/Morgan'sThe single storefront was constructed in 1905. The structurewas built to house the offices and printing facilities of the LakeCounty Independent newspaper. When the newspaper relocated in 1914-15, the Liberty Theatre, no relation to the freestanding theatre to the north, showed films here until 1923.The Mackey jewelry store began about a forty year run at thisaddress in 1929. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Tap n Totebar served up drinks here. After a refurbishing of both the exterior and interior in 1988, the space was reborn as Morgan’s Barand Grill.708 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Liberty TheatreIn 1937, Frederick William Dobe engaged Chicago architects todesign a theater “befitting a town of Libertyville’s stature.”The Liberty Theatre was the first commercial building in Libertyville with air conditioning, the workplace of a teenage Marlon Brando, and the site of a world movie premiere in 1942.624 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Finstad Eat ShoppeBuilt in 1926-27, the building appears to have always beenhome to a restaurant. The Finstad Eat Shoppe, owned and operated by Miss Gyda Finstad, moved into the new building in1927 and became the first of five restaurants to do business atthis location. With over 90 years of history, the restaurant tradition continued with the opening of The Green Room in 2013.620-622 N. Milwaukee Ave.This structure is an amalgamation of two twentieth centurybuildings. In 1981, the circa 1870 gable front building at 620was demolished and replaced with the current 2 ½ story building in a neo-Tudor design. It is likely the façade of the neighboring building at 622, built in 1952, was altered at the sametime to match the look and feel of the new building. A morerecent remodel of the exterior occurred in 2012.614-618 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Butler Building516-528 N. Milwaukee Ave. — Proctor BuildingThe Proctor Building, also known as the New Castle Hotelbuilding, is a Libertyville Local Landmark also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Chicagoarchitect William G. Kreig and built in 1903 by Proctor brothersRobert J., Charles W. and Richard E. Proctor and cousin ElishaW. Proctor. In 1996, a renovation of the historic building usingthe architect’s original plans included extensive exterior and8The building at 614-618 N. Milwaukee Ave. has been a part ofLibertyville’s fabric for over 100 years. Built in 1912 by JosiahButler, son of early settler Horace Butler, the brick structurehas held many types of businesses over the years. The onewhich has been identified with it the longest by far, is a barbershop. Locals have been visiting this location for a trim andto hear the latest news for around 100 years.7
tyville and concerts, Libertyville Days and the annual tree lighting, draw residents and visitors alike to the downtown. 413 N. Milwaukee Ave.— Ansel B. Cook Home Operated by the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society, the Ansel . ook Home, an 1878 home listed on the National Register of Historic Places, features two floors of Victorian-
