House Tours

Step into the home of Former U.S. Vice President, ambassador to Great Britain, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Charles Gates Dawes. Charles Gates Dawes’ magnificent home, now a National Historic Landmark, was built by Dr. Robert Sheppard in 1894 on two acres overlooking Lake Michigan. It served as the Dawes family home from 1909 until 1957. Faithfully restored and carefully conserved, this chateauesque residence, designed by architect Henry Edwards-Ficken, of New York, has twenty-five rooms, including a cherry paneled library, a vaulted dining room with a musicians’ gallery, six bedrooms, and twelve fireplaces. House Tour and Exhibition Hours Thursday – Sunday: Exhibitions & self-guided house tours 1-4 p.m. One-hour docent-led house tour available at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 p.m. Reservations are not required. Check for any upcoming closures. Holiday Hours The Evanston History Center is closed in observance of the following holidays: – New Year’s Day – MLK Day – Memorial Day – Juneteenth – Independence Day – Labor Day – Indigenous Peoples Day – Veterans Day – Thanksgiving – Christmas 12/23-12/25 – New Years 12/30-1/1 Please check our calendar for other upcoming closures. Admission (includes house tour & exhibitions) $10 for Non-Members and Students Free* for members *House tours are also free for children under 12, and D65 teachers with ID.