Cook Hall, Illinois State University
Bloomington and Normal have designated, by ordinance, a collection of single addresses because of their special history and their cultural value to the community. You may already be familiar with these by such names as the Normal Theater and Camelback Bridge. In addition, the Twin Cities have landmark buildings and structures designated by the federal government historically significant on a larger scale to the nation, state, or community. These latter are entered on the nation's premier list of important historical sites, the National Register of Historic Places..
Why would I want my property to have local or Federal designation? Inclusion in either acknowledges the historical and cultural value of the property, and its unique contribution to the neighborhood's place in history. Properties listed on the National Register allow the owner to apply for certain preservation and rehabilitation funding programs such as property and income tax reductions. For information see our page on Financial Incentives for Preservation and Rehabilitation. Local designation is stronger than Federal for a property in the sense that designation through municipal ordinance protects the properties and, consequently, their neighborhoods by monitoring changes that are made. Local designation prohibits removal without prior consent by the municipal preservation commission. Conversely, properties on the National Register are not protected from demolition. A recent example is the Holy Trinity Convent in downtown Bloomington, built in 1863, that was recently demolished for a parking lot even though it had been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983 and was in excellent condition.
- Camelback Bridge, on Virginia Avenue
- Commercial building, 102-104 S. Linden
- Office building (former residence of Edwin C. Hewett), 202 West College
- Normal Theater, 209 W. North Street
- Residence at 905 W. Hovey Avenue
- John Gregory House, 607 N. Main Street
- John R. Gaston House, 206 W. Lincoln Street
- Kersey Fell House, 1202 S. Fell Avenue
- Orson Leroy Manchester House, 705 S. Broadway
- William Gooding House, 1212 East Washington Street
- George Hanna House, 605 East Front Street
- Moses Montifiore Temple, 315 North Prairie Street
- Old McLean County Courthouse, 200 North Main Street
- Vrooman-Scott Carriage House, 708 East Jackson
- Eliel Barber House, 709 East Taylor
- Amos B. Means House, 2 White Place
- Stansbury House, 510 South Mason Street
- Carl Vrooman House, 701 East Taylor
- Benjamin, Rubin M., House, 510 East Grove Street, Bloomington
- Camelback Bridge, on Virginia Avenue, Normal
- Clover Lawn, 1000 East Monroe Drive, Bloomington
- Cook, John W., Hall, Illinois State University campus, Normal
- Cox, George H., House, 701 East Grove Street, Bloomington
- Davis, David, III & IV, House, 1005 East Jefferson Street, Bloomington
- Duncan Manor, Southwest of Towanda, IL
- Funk's Prairie Home,10875 Prairie Home Ln, Shirley, IL 61772. Phone: 309-827-6792
- Gildersleeve House, 108 Broadway, Hudson, IL
- Greenlee, Robert, House, 806 North Evans, Bloomington
- Hamilton, John M., House, 502 South Clayton, Bloomington
- Holy Trinity Rectory, North Main Street, Bloomington
- Hubbard House, 310 Broadway, Hudson, IL
- McLean County Courthouse and Square, Main, Washington, Center, and Jefferson Sts. Bloomington
- Miller, George H., House, 405 W. Market Street, Bloomington
- Miller-Davis Law Buildings, 101--103 N. Main Street and 102--104 E. Front Street, Bloomington
- Normal Theater, 209 North Street, Normal
- Patton, John, Log Cabin, Lexington Park District Park, Lexington, IL
- Scott, Matthew T., House, 227 1st Avenue, Chenoa, IL
- Scott-Vrooman House, 701 E. Taylor Street, Bloomington
- Sugar Grove Nature Center, 4532 N. 725 East Road, McLean, IL Phone: 309-874-2174
- Stevenson House, 1316 E. Washington Street, Bloomington
- White Building, 215--223 E. Douglas Street, Bloomington