Walking Tour Highlights History of Downtown Plainfield

Did you know that downtown Plainfield is home to the oldest continuously used church in Will County, a gas station on the National Register of Historic Places, an opera house and a Civil War enlistment center?  

Learn more about Downtown Plainfield and its unique buildings by taking the new Plainfield Historic Downtown Walking Tour.

• Read: Downtown Plainfield Listed on National Register of Historic Places

To share the history of downtown Plainfield with others, the Plainfield Historic Preservation Commission created a walking tour. The self-guided tour highlights the architecture in downtown Plainfield as well as the stories of local businesses.  

Plainfield’s Historic District runs along Lockport Street between Route 59 and James Street and includes 53 properties. The architecture in the district consists of a variety of styles including Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque and International.

Walking tour brochures are available at Village Hall, 24401 W. Lockport St.; the Plainfield Public Library, 15025 S. Illinois St.; the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 24047 W. Lockport St.; and numerous downtown businesses.  

In addition to the brochure, visitors can utilize their smartphone to scan the QR codes posted on buildings in downtown Plainfield. The QR codes link to the village website, which contains detailed historical and architectural information, as well as photos of each building in the historic district.  

The walking tour brochure and QR codes help to celebrate Downtown Plainfield’s recent inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. To learn more, visit www.plainfield-il.org.