Landmarks Illinois announced its 2024 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois, which calls attention to 10 culturally and architecturally significant sites across the state that are desperately in need of preservation resources. Two of the sites, the Portage Theater in the North Side’s Portage Park and the former Sears administrative building in the West Side’s North Lawndale, are in Chicago.

Others include the Bishop Hill Colony Church, the Buel House State Historic Site in Golconda, the Shawneetown Bank State Historic Site in Old Shawneetown, the Libby, McNeill and Libby Building in Blue Island, the former Collinsville Township High School, Decatur Masonic Temple, the former Lincoln School in East St. Louis and the Johnson County Courthouse in Vienna.

“This year’s ‘Most Endangered’ sites are not only incredibly important places in their communities, but many are large-scale buildings that sit prominently in highly visible areas near city centers, in historic districts or on state-owned land. Their neglect is seen and felt,” said Bonnie McDonald, president & CEO of Landmarks Illinois. “Despite their current condition, these places tell important stories from our past — stories that should not be erased due to insufficient investment or general disregard for our collective histories.”

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