Oak Circle Historic District, Prairie School architectural district in Wilmette, Illinois
Oak Circle Historic District is a residential neighborhood in Wilmette laid out around a curved brick street with roughly two dozen homes. The buildings display Prairie School architectural language with broad roofs, horizontal lines, and generous green spaces throughout the area.
The district was created in 1907 as part of a Wilmette expansion following Prairie School design principles. It earned national historic designation in 2001, recognizing the architectural importance of this early residential community.
The buildings show design principles that shaped early 20th century America, with homes set back from the street to connect building and landscape together. Walking through reveals how the architecture flows with the curved brick street and creates a very deliberate sense of space.
The area is best explored on foot since the curved street is narrow and designed for slow vehicle traffic. Visitors should plan to park on nearby streets and then walk through the district at a leisurely pace.
Some homes follow the Airplane style, where the upper floor sits above the lower one like an aircraft cockpit above wings. This was a distinctive local interpretation of modern design for residential homes.
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