Historic District of Normal: 156 years and thriving

The Town of Normal, established in 1865, has a rich history behind it. The town preserves that history through the three historic districts: Cedar Crest, Highland and Old North.

Normal has a historic preservation code in the town’s zoning code to protect architecture.

“The main mission of the code is to preserve our architectural history in Normal and so I encourage residents and property owners to maintain the architectural heritage of their property, restore it when necessary and just make sure that history doesn’t get lost,” Tessa Ferraro, a town planner, said.

The town of Normal always celebrates Historic Preservation Month in May by highlighting historic buildings and landmarks through social media. Ferraro said she sends out letters to property owners at least once a year to remind them that they live in a historic district.

Ferraro also tries to make new homeowners aware of historic preservation.

“I try to keep my eye on any Zillow listings that pop up to see if any new homeowners are going to be moving into the districts,” Ferraro said.

The historic districts are designed to protect the town’s architecture, some of which includes homes built as far back as 1870.

“By preserving those neighborhoods it showcases the architecture that was popular back then. Also, a lot of those buildings were designed by prominent architects from back in the day,” Ferraro said.

Cedar Crest Historic District, located east of Illinois Wesleyan University, features homes built between 1914-1930. Consisting of 50 residential structures, it was the first subdivision in the Town of Normal.

The Highland Historic District, located north of Illinois Wesleyan, features homes built between 1920 and 1930 and includes a farmhouse, Prairie style home, American four-squares and Craftsman bungalows. 

The Old North Historic District is the closest to Illinois State University, located about a few blocks north of the quad. This district features homes built between 1870 and 1950 and is the oldest intact area of continuous residential development in Normal.

If people are interested in visiting the historic districts, here is an interactive map. More information on the historic districts can be found on the Town of Normal website.