George H. Cox House

The George H. Cox House is a Queen Anne residence featuring an octagonal tower with stained glass windows topped by a bell-shaped dome positioned behind a circular porch with turned columns. A second-floor balcony includes mock half-timbered gable details, with an octagonal dormer containing stained glass windows situated to the left of the tower.

The house was built in 1886 for a manager of the Hungarian Roller Mill Company, reflecting the industrial prosperity of the era. Architect George H. Miller designed it as part of the wave of elite residential construction that transformed the East Grove Street District.

The residence reflects the taste of successful business leaders in the late 1800s through its ornate Queen Anne design and fine craftsmanship. The neighborhood served as a prestigious address where entrepreneurs displayed their prosperity through homes like this one.

The house is located on East Grove Street as part of a historic district with many other buildings from the same period. A walking tour of the neighborhood is the best way to see it and observe the other well-maintained examples of architecture from the era.

The mock half-timbered gable on the second-floor balcony was a popular visual trick of the era that imitated European building traditions. Such decorative details were rarely added for practical reasons but served as stylistic references to timeless architectural ideals.

Location: Illinois

Architects: George H. Miller

GPS coordinates: 40.47750,-88.98361

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:02