Lester Armour House, Colonial mansion in Lake Bluff, United States.
The Lester Armour House is a mansion in Lake Bluff, Illinois, designed by David Adler in 1931. It shows Colonial and Federal influences inspired by early Virginia architecture, likely from Adler's trip along the James and Potomac Rivers. The house is one of Adler's largest and purest works, built exactly to his plans without client changes.
David Adler designed the house in 1931 for Lester Armour, a grandson of meatpacking magnate Philip Danforth Armour Sr. The Armours approved Adler's plans without changes, making it one of his purest designs. Its Colonial and Federal style likely drew on Adler's trip along the James and Potomac Rivers. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Frances Elkins designed the interior with refined taste that reflects how wealthy American families lived during the early twentieth century. The arrangement of rooms and decorative choices show what mattered most to the household during that era.
The estate was originally 73 acres (30 ha); after the 1977 filming of Robert Altman's A Wedding it was subdivided into fifteen lots of about 5 acres (2.0 ha) each. The house remains privately owned as of 2025, so it is seen from the road rather than toured inside.
In 1977 Alexandra Armour rented the estate to Lionsgate Films for Robert Altman's A Wedding, starring Carol Burnett and Mia Farrow. The 73-acre grounds were subdivided into fifteen lots of about five acres after filming. Richard Marx bought the house in 1997 for $4.7 million and sold it in March 2020 for $4.2 million.
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