One of my favorite things at the end of the year is looking back at the places I’ve discovered. In particular, it’s fun to see what places and pictures resonated most with you! Here’s a round-up of my top five posts this year.

1. Lincoln’s Law Office: Bringing Ghost Signs Back to Life. This post on whether wall signs should or should not be restored generated some lively discussion! It’s debates like these that got me into historic preservation!

2. Restoring Robie: A Window into the Past. I was so lucky to be working at the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust during part of this restoration project and I could not believe the results. It’s a must visit!

3. The Architecture of Lincoln Park Zoo. I lived in Lincoln Park until earlier this year and I loved going through the zoo on runs. Not only is it fun to see the animals, there are a lot of great historic buildings!

4. The Houses of Goodale Park, Columbus. My brother is currently living in Ohio so I’ve had a great time getting to know the Columbus area better (thanks to you guys for some great recommendations!).

5. Heart Bomb 2019: Harley Clarke Mansion. A lot of people have put a lot of time and effort into saving the Harley Clarke Mansion. I was happy to participate in a little piece of the preservation efforts through Landmark Illinois’ Skyline Council. Head over to Friends of Harley Clarke for the latest in the preservation story.

Finally, my top nine photos on Instagram for 2019 (if you haven’t already, you can find me here!). I love seeing these results because there are always a few surprises. Interior shots are tricky but I was excited to see an interior from the Robie House make the top nine for the second year in a row!

Locations, left to right and top to bottom: Robie House, Chicago, IL; the Circus House, Columbus, OH; Woodstock, VT; Oak Park, IL; Oak Park, IL; Columbus, OH; Chicago, IL; Oak Park, IL; and Oak Park, IL.

Thanks for following along, I hope you had a wonderful 2019. Happy New Year!