FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the program. Ask anything else on the interest form.
The plaque is a recognition and education marker. Landmark status, historic registry listing and legal protection come from Chicago Landmark designation, which is a separate route.
Chicago Landmark designation is the instrument that does that: for an individual building or a district, it requires Commission review before a designated building can be demolished or its exterior altered. The plaque is recognition. If protection is what you want, Preservation Chicago can point you toward landmark designation resources.
Preservation Chicago will review key historical details — construction date, original owner or builder — before approving plaque production.
Homeowners may provide information and suggest wording, but final plaque language will be reviewed by Preservation Chicago for consistency and accuracy before production.
Installation is expected to be handled by the homeowner. Mounting guidance will be provided with the plaque.
Preservation Chicago provides the research and wording approval free of charge. Homeowners order and pay The Bronze Memorial Company directly for production, and the vendor provides the price.
The pilot focuses on homes in selected historic areas of Lincoln Park with documented historic or architectural significance. Final eligibility standards will be set by Preservation Chicago as the program develops; the factors under consideration are listed on the home page.
Lincoln Park is the area the pilot covers for now. Submit the form anyway — knowing where the interest is around the city is how the pilot area grows.
Yes — histories are published here as the research is completed. A house’s history comes from the public record, and the point of the program is to make it legible to everyone who passes the building. The form asks what you would like to add to it.
The pilot program is now underway and accepting expressions of interest.