The Cook House and Proctor Building stand only a short distance apart on Milwaukee Avenue, but they tell very different stories about Libertyville.
The Cook House began as a private country residence in 1878 before becoming a public library and, later, the home of the Libertyville Historical Society. The Proctor Building opened in 1903 as a large commercial block with five storefronts and the New Castle Hotel on its upper floor.
Together, they show two sides of Libertyville’s development: one centered on civic life, memory, and public use, and the other built around commerce, lodging, and a growing downtown economy.
Both properties are individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places and were designated local Libertyville landmarks in 2016. The Village Board approved landmark status for the Cook House on May 10, 2016, and for the Proctor Building on November 8, 2016.
Reviewed by the Delta masonry team for building-material context.
Key Takeaways
- The Cook House was completed in 1878 as the country home of Ansel B. Cook.
- Cook’s widow left the property to Libertyville for use as a library and park.
- The house was remodeled and opened as Cook Memorial Library in 1921.
- Since 1968, the historic house has served as the headquarters of the Libertyville Historical Society.
- The Proctor Building was constructed in 1903 as a two-story brick commercial and hotel building.
- Its ground floor originally contained five storefronts, while the New Castle Hotel occupied the second floor.
- Chicago architect William G. Krieg designed the Proctor Building.
- The Cook House represents Libertyville’s residential and civic history.
- The Proctor Building represents the village’s early-20th-century commercial growth.
- Both buildings changed over time while retaining enough historical significance to earn local and federal recognition.
- This article does not claim that Delta constructed, restored, or worked on either landmark.
Cook House and Proctor Building at a Glance
| Feature | Cook House | Proctor Building |
|---|---|---|
| Location | 413 N. Milwaukee Avenue | Village records list 520–530 N. Milwaukee Avenue |
| Original completion | 1878 | 1903 |
| Original use | Private country residence | Commercial block and hotel |
| Later use | Public library | Stores, businesses, and lodging |
| Current identity | Historical Society museum and archives | Active downtown commercial building |
| Primary construction | Frame house later covered in stucco | Two-story brick commercial structure |
| Defining feature | Two-story Classical Revival portico | Ornamental projecting window bays |
| National Register listing | August 16, 2001 | February 5, 1998 |
| Local landmark approval | May 10, 2016 | November 8, 2016 |
| Broader story | Residential and civic legacy | Commercial ambition and downtown growth |
Official records sometimes use slightly different address ranges for the Proctor Building. The Village’s landmark page lists 520–530 N. Milwaukee Avenue, while the recent district nomination identifies the same complex as 518–528 N. Milwaukee Avenue.
Why These Two Buildings Belong in the Same Story
At first glance, comparing a former private home with a large commercial block may seem unusual.
That contrast is exactly what makes the two buildings useful for understanding Libertyville.
The Cook House reflects the influence of one prominent resident and the decision to turn a private estate into a public resource. The Proctor Building reflects a growing business district that needed storefronts, hotel rooms, restaurants, and space for local and national retailers.
One building became associated with public memory. The other became part of Libertyville’s commercial life.
Their histories also show that preservation does not always mean keeping a property frozen in its first use. Both buildings adapted as Libertyville changed.
The Cook House: From Country Home to Community Institution
Ansel B. Cook purchased the Milwaukee Avenue property from his father-in-law, Dr. Jesse H. Foster, in 1870. Construction of Cook’s country estate began during the early 1870s and was completed in 1878.
Cook was a prominent Libertyville resident whose business interests were based in Chicago. The house initially served as a summer or country home, and Cook did not live there full time until his retirement in the late 1880s. He died in 1898, while his widow, Emily Barrows Cook, remained in the house until her death in 1919.
Following her husband’s earlier wishes, Emily Cook left the house and grounds to the Village of Libertyville for use as a library and memorial hall.
The house was remodeled and opened as Cook Memorial Library in November 1921. That conversion changed both the building’s purpose and its appearance.
Readers can explore the property’s complete ownership and museum history through the Libertyville Historical Society’s Cook House history.
How the Library Conversion Changed the Cook House
The Cook House did not originally look exactly as it does today.
The 1920–1921 library conversion removed the original front porch, covered the exterior wood siding with stucco, and added the large two-story Classical Revival portico supported by four round columns.
The work also retained several earlier features, including front-facing roof dormers and five brick chimneys. The result combines parts of the original late-19th-century residence with alterations made for its new public role.
That layered appearance is important. The prominent columns many visitors associate with the Cook House were not part of the original 1878 façade. They represent the building’s transition from private home to public library.
The Cook House After 1968
By the 1960s, the library needed more space.
A one-story modern library addition was completed behind the historic house in 1968. The design was revised after public concern so the new construction would be set back and connected more discreetly to the older building.
Once the new library space opened, the historic residence became the headquarters of the Libertyville Historical Society. Its rooms are furnished to reflect the period when the Cook family lived there, while the building also houses museum exhibits and local archives.
This gives the Cook House a continuing public purpose rather than leaving it as an unused historic object.
The Proctor Building: A New Kind of Downtown Property
The Proctor Building represents a different stage in Libertyville’s development.
Constructed in 1903, it was designed by Chicago architect William G. Krieg as a two-story brick commercial building. The first floor contained five storefronts, while the New Castle Hotel operated on the second floor.
When it opened, a local newspaper described it as Libertyville’s first “metropolitan building” and the pride of the village. The phrase reflected the building’s size, urban appearance, and importance to a community developing stronger connections with Chicago.
The building was financed by members of the Proctor family, including Robert and Elisha Proctor. They hoped to benefit from improved passenger transportation and Libertyville’s early-20th-century commercial growth.
What Made the Proctor Building Stand Out
The Proctor Building was not simply a row of plain storefronts.
Its Milwaukee Avenue façade was designed to attract attention. Notable features include:
- Five first-floor commercial storefronts
- A separate entrance to the former hotel
- A heavy stone surround around the hotel entrance
- Three-sided projecting oriel bays
- A projecting corner bay above the southwest entrance
- Buff-colored brick on the upper story
- Decorative pressed-metal panels and cornices
- A parapet bearing the words “PROCTOR” and “BUILDING”
The official nomination describes it as Libertyville’s first large-scale commercial block and identifies its upper-story window bays as prominent features of its Queen Anne-influenced façade.
These details allowed several businesses to share one building while still giving the block a unified identity.
The New Castle Hotel
The New Castle Hotel occupied rooms on the second floor of the Proctor Building.
It was Libertyville’s third hotel and served visitors arriving in a village that was becoming more connected to Chicago and the surrounding region. The hotel remained in operation through much of the 20th century.
The separate hotel entrance remains an important part of the façade. The word “HOTEL” is incorporated into the heavy stone entrance surround, preserving a visible reminder of the building’s original mixed use.
That combination—retail below and lodging above—made the Proctor Building more than a shopping destination. It also became part of Libertyville’s business and social life.
Stores and Businesses in the Proctor Building
Over time, the Proctor Building housed both local businesses and nationally recognized retailers.
Documented tenants included:
- First National Bank
- The Lyric restaurant
- A. Huss Jewelers
- A&P
- Woolworth’s
- Jewel Tea Food Store
The changing tenant list reflects the building’s ability to remain commercially useful as Libertyville’s economy evolved.
After a period of decline during the 1970s and 1980s, the building underwent rehabilitation in the late 1990s. It continues to function as part of downtown Libertyville rather than serving only as a museum or memorial.
Two Very Different Architectural Identities
The Cook House and Proctor Building were designed for different owners, uses, and settings.
| Building element | Cook House | Proctor Building |
|---|---|---|
| Original setting | Country estate and formal garden | Downtown commercial street |
| Building form | Detached residence with pitched roof | Attached commercial block with flat roof |
| Street relationship | Set back within park grounds | Built along the sidewalk and storefront line |
| Main visual feature | Monumental columned portico | Projecting upper-story window bays |
| Exterior expression | Residential and civic | Commercial and urban |
| Interior purpose | Home, then library and museum | Shops, hotel rooms, restaurant, and offices |
| Adaptation | Converted from residence to public library | Continued changing commercial and lodging uses |
The comparison is more useful than trying to decide which building is “more historic.” Each represents a different part of Libertyville’s development.
Different Paths to Preservation
The two landmarks also followed different preservation paths.
The Proctor Building entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The Cook House, officially listed as Cook Memorial Library, followed in 2001. National Register recognition acknowledges their historical or architectural importance at the federal level.
Libertyville later designated both as local landmarks in 2016. Local designation and National Register listing are separate forms of recognition, each with its own process and purpose.
The Village of Libertyville’s landmark records provide the official local approval dates.
What the Buildings Teach About Adaptive Use
Neither building serves exactly the same purpose it did when first constructed.
The Cook House moved through three major uses:
- Private residence
- Public library
- Historical museum and archive
The Proctor Building also changed as hotel operations, stores, restaurants, banks, and retailers came and went.
The lesson is not that every old property should be converted in the same way. It is that continued use can help a historic building remain part of everyday community life.
Successful adaptation usually requires balancing several needs:
- Preserving recognizable character
- Meeting current safety and access requirements
- Maintaining viable interior uses
- Repairing aging materials
- Documenting significant changes
- Avoiding unnecessary removal of surviving features
The two Libertyville landmarks reached that balance differently because they began as very different buildings.
What Property Owners Can Learn From the Comparison
A building’s age alone does not reveal how it was constructed or what repair approach it needs.
The Cook House includes an original frame structure, later stucco, brick chimneys, a major 1921 portico, and modern library additions. The Proctor Building is a brick commercial block with storefronts, stone detailing, pressed metal, and later rehabilitation work.
This means an older property may contain materials from several periods.
Before visible exterior work begins, it can be useful to identify:
- Which features are original
- Which elements were added later
- Whether different sections use different materials
- How earlier rehabilitation changed the façade
- Which elements contribute most to the building’s identity
- Whether proposed materials are compatible with the existing construction
The official Libertyville Downtown Historic District nomination provides detailed descriptions of both buildings and the broader development of downtown.
Why These Landmarks Matter to Delta
Delta works on residential, commercial, and historic masonry built during different periods of Libertyville’s growth.
The Cook House and Proctor Building demonstrate why “old building” is not a complete material description. A converted residence and a commercial hotel block may be close in age, yet differ considerably in construction, exposure, detailing, alterations, and maintenance history.
That context matters when evaluating mortar joints, brick, stone trim, lintels, chimneys, parapets, and previous repairs.
Property owners researching work on older buildings can learn more about Delta’s historic restoration services and its guide to tuckpointing and mortar-joint restoration.
This article does not suggest that Delta inspected or restored either landmark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Cook House in Libertyville?
The Cook House is at 413 N. Milwaukee Avenue, near the west side of Cook Park.
When was the Cook House built?
The original house was completed in 1878 for Ansel B. Cook.
Was the Cook House always a museum?
No. It began as a private residence, opened as Cook Memorial Library in 1921, and became the headquarters of the Libertyville Historical Society after the newer library opened in 1968.
Were the Cook House columns part of the original design?
No. The large Classical Revival portico was added during the 1920–1921 conversion from a residence to a public library.
Where is the Proctor Building?
The Village lists the building at 520–530 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Some historical and nomination records use 518–528 N. Milwaukee Avenue for the same complex.
When was the Proctor Building constructed?
It was completed in 1903.
Who designed the Proctor Building?
Chicago architect William G. Krieg designed it.
What was inside the Proctor Building originally?
Its first floor contained five storefronts, while the New Castle Hotel operated on the second floor.
Are both buildings Libertyville landmarks?
Yes. The Cook House and Proctor Building both received local landmark designation in 2016.
Are both buildings listed in the National Register?
Yes. The Proctor Building was listed in 1998, and Cook Memorial Library was listed in 2001.
Does Delta work on either building?
This article does not claim that Delta constructed, inspected, repaired, or restored either property.
Can their appearance be used to choose mortar for another building?
No. Visual similarities are not enough to select repair mortar. The existing masonry and mortar should be evaluated at the individual property.
Two Buildings, Two Sides of Libertyville
The Cook House and Proctor Building are both important Libertyville landmarks, but they represent different parts of the village’s history.
The Cook House began as a private residence and became a community institution. The Proctor Building was created for business, travel, and a more urban downtown economy.
One sits within park grounds behind a formal portico. The other meets the sidewalk with storefronts, projecting bays, and a former hotel entrance.
Their value comes partly from that contrast. Together, they show how Libertyville grew through private investment, public service, commercial activity, preservation, and continued use.
Local Masonry Help in Libertyville
Delta is based in Libertyville and provides masonry services for residential, commercial, and older properties.
Visit the Libertyville masonry contractor page for local service information or learn more about Delta – Masonry and Tuckpointing.
Delta can evaluate brick, mortar, limestone, chimneys, lintels, parapets, and other masonry conditions. Historical claims about a specific property should be supported by building records rather than assumed from appearance.
Call (847) 713-1648 to request an on-site masonry assessment.
This article provides general local-history and building information. It does not imply that Delta worked on the Cook House, Proctor Building, or any other Libertyville landmark.