Local and Federal Historic Districts
Naperville’s Local Historic District
The Naperville local historic district is a designation granted by the Naperville City Council in 1986. Currently, the city has approximately 320 properties within the Naperville local historic district that includes part of the North Central College Campus and 253 homes. These buildings, structures and sites represent significant examples of local architecture and are among the city's most important cultural and historical heritage. They contribute to the city's character, quality of life and economic vibrancy and bring visitors to the area.
Current and future residents in the historic district are encouraged to improve their properties through renovation, rehabilitation and repairs that are consistent with the historic, architectural and aesthetic character of the neighborhood. To find out more about the regulations that apply to the city’s local historic district, please visit the Regulations for Historic Districts and Landmarked Properties page.
Federal Historic District
Naperville’s federal historic district was established in 1977. The map below shows the boundaries of the federal historic district. At the time of its establishment only those buildings constructed on or before 1927 were included because the National Register of Historic Places generally requires buildings to be at least 50 years old to be listed as historically significant. In 2012, Naperville’s National Register district was updated to:
- Identify additional contributing properties which became eligible to be added into the existing National Register district (i.e., those buildings constructed on or before 1962); and
- Exclude properties that had lost historic integrity or had been demolished.
The federal district includes approximately 492 contributing buildings and 86 non-contributing structures.
The Historic Preservation Commission does not have jurisdiction over properties included within the federal historic district unless they are located within the city’s historic district or have been designated as a local landmark per City ordinance. Per the National Register’s webpage, “Under Federal Law, the listing of a property in the National Register places no restrictions on what a non-federal owner may do with their property up to and including destruction, unless the property is involved in a project that receives federal assistance, usually funding or licensing/permitting.”
Please note that Naperville’s guidelines for making changes to historic properties may differ from state and federal guidelines. Property owners who have received grants or incentives at the state or federal level should consult relevant guidelines before making any changes to the exterior of the structure.
More information about how the National Register is regulated can be found at the National Park Service’s webpage. State requirements may still apply to properties that receive state or federal grants.
View Naperville's federal historic district documents.
