Historic Buildings: Ansel B Cook Home

Have you ever wondered about the many historic buildings in Lake County? We have too!

If you live in the area, you’ve likely seen the big white house on the square in downtown Libertyville. Located on Milwaukee Avenue just one block west of our office, the Ansel B Cook Home has a long and varied history.

It was originally the country house of the Ansel B Cook family. Later, it was home to the first Libertyville library. Today, the building is a Victorian museum and is home to the archives of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society. Visit this gem during one of the regular open house events!

Ansel B Cook Home

The Ansel B Cook Home was built in 1878 for the family of Chicago lawmaker and stonemason Ansel Brainerd Cook.

According to the Ansel Brainerd Cook Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Cook worked in the family stonemason business and laid the first large flagstones in Chicago including the ones around the Cook County Courthouse. He worked on many prominent Chicago buildings, including those designed by architect William W. Boyington. William Boyington was the designer of Chicago’s beloved Water Tower and he is also believed to have designed the Ansel B Cook Home.

The impressive Eastlake-style home was positioned on the property a good distance from Milwaukee Avenue, with a lawn out front and a garden at the back. The 2 ½ story wood structure had a steep roof, very large double-hung windows, a wide covered front porch, and was fitted with the latest innovations of the time. The floor plan was traditional with large wood-trimmed and paneled public rooms on the main floor. Because of the large windows and fairly open floor plan,  the space feels surprisingly expansive and bright as compared to many historic buildings we’ve visited. Two sets of stairs go up to a central hall on the second floor which gives way to a series of bedrooms and other smaller rooms. A very large attic is accessible by stair from the second floor.

Cook Memorial Library

When Mr. Cook retired, he and Mrs. Emily Cook moved permanently from their Chicago home to Libertyville. Mr. Cook left the home in his will to the Village of Libertyville, following the death of his wife. Upon his death, Emily Cook inherited the house and paid off the mortgage. She made provisions in her will for the home to be used as a library and for the surrounding property to be used as a park.

After she passed away in 1920, public funds were raised to renovate the home into a library.

The exterior of the house was substantially altered during the renovations.  For instance, the exterior was covered with stucco. In addition, the porch was removed and a large, tall porch with two-story columns was added to the front façade.

During our visits to the house, we learned that the librarian lived on the second floor of the library and the remainder of the building was open to the public as a library. Also, we learned that kids entered the library from a side entrance, not the main front entrance which was reserved for adults.

Ansel B Cook Victorian Home Museum

In 1968, a new library was opened in Libertyville and the Cook Home was vacated by the library. Interestingly, the current library and the Cook Home are physically attached!

The Cook House was then converted into a house museum and the headquarters of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society. Founded in 1955, the Society maintains historical materials and information relative to the area and makes them available to visitors and researchers.

In the years following the conversion, the Society beautifully furnished the house museum with Victorian items that would have been typical at the time of the Cook family’s residence there. During regular open house events, you can see the completely furnished home and can get a feel for life during the Victorian period. We like to see the house in December when it’s decorated for an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas. Some of our favorite collection items include elegant ladies’ silk dresses, embroidered fundraising quilts, and the 1860 Wide-Awakes Banner.

In 2001, the structure (Cook Memorial Library) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Since the house and property are located in the center of town, over the years they have served as a meeting place for important events. For example, Senator John F Kennedy spoke from the front porch to a crowd during his presidential bid on October 25, 1960. Currently, a variety of fun activities take place on the property including Village Band concerts, farmers’ markets, and vintage car shows.

See the Museum

Be sure to visit this gem, preserved and maintained by the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society! Open to the public on Sundays in June, July, and August from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

The museum is also open on select dates in December when it is festively decorated for a Victorian Christmas Open House by members of the Historical Society. In 2018, Victorian Christmas Open House is held on December 1 and 8 from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.

The Historical Society also offers private tours by reservation: 847-362-2330.

For more information about the history of Libertyville and its historic buildings, check out the wonderful blog articles on Shelf Life a Cook Memorial Public Library District Blog.