Historic Booth Cottage Moved and Saved From Demolition

On Tuesday, July 21, 2020, the Illinois-based Glencoe Historical Society (GHS) orchestrated a move to relocate the original portion of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Booth Cottage from its Ravine Bluffs neighborhood to a nearby spot in Park 7N Glencoe that would keep the building safe from demolition.

Glencoe Historical Society worked tirelessly to save the endangered house Earlier this year, the Glencoe Park District Board of Commissioners passed a land lease agreement with GHS to allow the nonprofit to move and maintain the Wright-designed cottage.

The biggest part of the move is now complete. The Booth Cottage is now sitting on a temporary gravel plot while a permanent foundation is being built nearby within the park.

In the future, GHS intends to use the relocated building as a research center and museum with a small programming space.

“We feel that the Booth Cottage will always be in a vulnerable position in this neighborhood with little chance in its future as a single-family home. The time has come to find it a new, safe location. … We applaud the Glencoe Historical Society for stepping up and offering to take on the challenging task of moving and maintaining this important building. Over the last six months as they raced against the clock, they have thoughtfully considered this project and have responsibly conducted their due diligence. We also thank the Village of Glencoe management and the Park District for working with the Historical Society to find a solution that would keep this building in Glencoe just a short distance from its current location in the Ravine Bluffs neighborhood.”

Barbara Gordon
Executive Director, Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy