Statement of Significance (as of designation - December 8, 1976):
From 1909 until his death, this 2-1/2 story brick mansion was the residence of Charles Gates Dawes (1865-1951), first Director of the Budget (1921) and Vice President of the United States (1925-1929). In 1924, Dawes chaired an international committee that produced the Dawes Plan, which, though it did not solve the World War I reparations problem, did arrange a rational schedule of payments to be made by Germany. For his efforts, he received the Nobel Peace Prize (1925).

Condition:
On April 16, 2008, the Dawes House was closed to the public by Northwestern, citing safety violations found by the Evanston Fire Chief. The closing also led to a statement that the museum’s lease would not be renewed. Northwestern University recently extended the museum’s lease until June 30, 2009 and the city has said the lower floors could reopen to the public this fall pending safety improvements. The university has stated an additional $4 million in repairs is needed before the home can fully re-open but has not stated what its intentions for the property are after next June.

Closing of the museum and tenuous situation with the lease make future of museum unsure.