Lake Forest
Wilmar, a five-bedroom manor two blocks from Lake Michigan, was built by James Gamble Rogers, renowned for his buildings at Yale and other Ivy League campuses. The 1926 house features stained and leaded glass, original millwork, living room with stone fireplace, main suite with fireplace and spa bathroom, and brick-and-stone lower level with fireplace and wine cellar.
The 2-acre property has gardens, an extensive lawn, and a stone patio. $2,495,000. Jean Anderson and Donna Mancuso, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, (847) 460-5412.
Dixon
Built in 1925, this five-bedroom log home has been completely renovated, with an integrated addition comprising main suite, family room, and two new bedrooms. The house has beamed ceilings, river-rock fireplaces and details throughout, and country views.
The 65-acre property includes lawns, a patio, a wood deck with a saltwater pool, a pool house, and a three-bedroom guesthouse, and woods, pastures, tillable acres, riding trails, and waterfront access on the Rock River. $2,700,000. Sabina Ephraim, Jameson Sotheby's International Realty, (815) 378-9471.
Galesburg
This 1974 concrete-and-steel five-bedroom was designed for entertaining. The house has oversize windows, tray ceilings, a large modern kitchen with island, a main bedroom with a wall of windows, and a walk-out lower level including a family room with wet bar and media screen, a gym, a laundry, and the fifth bedroom.
The 4.4-acre property features a screened patio and a gravel court, both with firepits; lawns; lit stone pathways; low-maintenance plantings; and garage parking for four cars. $824,900. Rhianna Schroeder, Charter Oak Realty, (309) 210-8434.
Morris
Architect Brad Lynch designed this six-bedroom, 15,700-square-foot home on a 30.5-acre property an hour from downtown Chicago. The open-plan house has high ceilings, walls of windows, and geothermal floors; chef's kitchen; library; entertainment room; main-floor primary suite with dual closets, projection screen, soaking tub, dual offices, and views; and an indoor heated pool and spa with retractable roof, bar, and sundeck.
Outside are landscaped patios, lawns, and stands of mature trees. $4,250,000. Cheena Chandra and Carmen Allen, Sotheby's International Realty, (312) 953-6011.
Kenilworth
The Francis Lachner House, two blocks from Lake Michigan, was built in 1906 by architect George Maher. The six-bedroom home features a large foyer, carved marble fireplaces, leaded windows, coffered ceilings, custom moldings, oversize kitchen with butler's pantry, breakfast room, separate living and dining rooms, sunny main bedroom, and three-season porch.
The manicured 1.25-acre property includes lawns, trees, planted beds, a brick patio, and a two-bedroom coach house with a four-car garage. $5,995,000. Amy Rowe, Engel & Völkers Chicago North Shore, (847) 372-6389.
Kankakee
The 1906 Wilson House stands on a bank of the Kankakee River, in the town's historic district. The five-bedroom home features hardwood floors, the original balustrade pillars, a gas fireplace, a generator, a formal dining room, a kitchen with breakfast nook and pantry, a finished attic, and a finished basement with kitchenette, rec room, and bathroom.
The large back deck overlooks a lawn, mature trees, and 165 feet of river frontage, including a dock large enough for a boat. $355,000. Michelle Arseneau Group, Coldwell Banker Realty, (815) 954-4063.
This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.
