The David Adler Estate at 1700 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, Illinois was the residence of architect David Adler. He lived there in the 1864 farmhouse from 1918 until his death on September 27, 1949.

Although he continually made changes to his property, the major ones were made in 1926, 1934, and in 1941, during the property’s period of historic significance. In 1926 he built a garage; in 1934 he added a two-story section to the servants’ cottage, connecting it to the barn on the second floor. In 1941, he added a two-story section connecting the servant’s cottage to the remodeled farmhouse and moved a dining porch that he added to the house to the east end of the new addition. At the same time he remodeled the interior of the servants cottage, converting the servants bedrooms on the first floor to a pantry and kitchen. The house currently looks much as it did when Adler died in 1949. The estate is located on the east side of Milwaukee Avenue, a major north-south thoroughfare that forms Libertyville’s main street. The house is approximately 20′ from the street, with the 1918 remodeled farmhouse, the servant’s cottage and the barn forming a “U” shape around a courtyard. The historic property is reported to have once included 240 acres and extended east to the Des Plaines River, as well as south on property now managed by the Libertyville Park & Recreation Department and north where a school is currently located. There are extensive remnants of the formally landscaped grounds to the east of the property that Adler first laid out in 1918. These extend to the edge of a road at the east end of the historic property and include formal gardens at the back of the house and allées that extend both east- west and north- south. Adler is known for his eclectic approach to the architecture of estate houses, and that is certainly reflected in his own home. The house is predominately Colonial Revival but has Classical Revival and French Renaissance Revival elements, as well as numerous signature design features.

Today, the historic property, nominated to the National Register of Historic Places on November 22, 1999, includes the home and 11 acres.

The integrity of the David Adler Estate is excellent. All of the public spaces are intact, and the major historic features remain. In 1981, Adler’s grandnephew David Boyd donated a considerable amount of original furniture to the house. The property continues to reflect Adler’s eclectic approach to architecture, his great sensitivity to proportion and design and reflects the relationship of his home to the many others that he subsequently designed. Restoration could easily be documented from the availability of the multitude of original drawings and early photographs. Restoration of the house and grounds could even more clearly reflect the inherent beauty and significance of the residence that Adler called his home.

The David Adler Music and Arts Center maintains and interprets the historic home of David Adler. Landscape plans have been developed to restore the once magnificent gardens of David Adler. Based on historical pictures and drawings, renowned landscape architect, Charles J. Stick of Charlottesville, Virginia has developed a restoration plan that incorporates the spirit of David Adler’s home and grounds. The restoration of David Adler’s gardens, including original and replicated garden statuary and topiary will remain a fitting tribute to his illustrious career and the generosity of his estate that made Adler Park possible.

As additional funds are contributed, the David Adler Center will be able to embark upon more extensive rehabilitation and restoration of the grounds and the home. Thus Adler’s own home will be accessible to students and friends of architecture seeking a first hand experience with his personal style, as well as serving as a lively center for the arts. This, his home for more than 30 years should become a music and arts center, teaching and inspiring generations of children and adults in a variety of forms of artistic expression is a most appropriate memorial to the man and his works.

For more information or to make a donation for the garden or building restoration, contact Dianna L. Monie, Executive Director.