Noble Judah Estate

Noble Judah Estate is a Renaissance Revival residence in Lake Forest featuring a main house with distinctive architectural details across multiple rooms and grounds. The structure displays steep rooflines, decorative brickwork, and half-timber elements throughout its 25-room layout, including six bedrooms, nine full bathrooms, and two half baths.

Built between 1925 and 1928 for lawyer Noble Brandon Judah and National Cash Register heiress Dorothy Patterson, the estate embodies early 1900s prosperity and design ambitions. The construction period reflects a time when wealthy Chicago families invested in grand residences featuring imported European materials and craftsmanship.

The estate displays French design elements through its parquet flooring and wood paneling that reflect the European tastes of its original owners. The formal garden with geometric patterns shows how European gardening traditions were adapted within an American setting.

Visitors should allow adequate time to explore the various rooms and features including the indoor pool and eight fireplaces throughout the residence. The layout of this large property with its separate kitchen areas and multiple bathrooms demonstrates the practical complexity of managing such an estate.

The estate incorporates authentic imported materials from France and gates transported by special ship from Cuba, reflecting the owners' commitment to sourcing genuine European and exotic elements. These procurement choices reveal how wealthy families of that era went to extraordinary lengths to acquire distinctive materials for their residences.