Frances Willard House

The Frances Willard House is a single-family home built in the Carpenter Gothic style, featuring vertical board and batten siding, peaked gables, and two columned porches. Inside, 17 rooms contain original oak and walnut flooring with period furnishings that showcase residential life from the 1800s.

The house was built in 1865 and became home to Frances Willard, a prominent American advocate for women's rights and social reform. She lived there until 1898, a period when her work shaped the direction of national reform movements.

The home reflects the daily life of a woman dedicated to social reform, with rooms arranged to show how she lived and worked during her activism. The furnishings and personal objects tell the story of someone deeply involved in advocating for women's rights and social causes.

Access is only through guided tours that are offered monthly, so checking availability in advance is important. The building is located in a residential area in Evanston and is easy to reach on foot or by car.

A companion building from 1910, the Literature Building, was constructed on the grounds to support a major women's organization. This addition shows how the property became a working center for a significant national movement.