The Adlai E. Stevenson Home and Stable Building were designed in 1938 by the Chicago firm of Perkins, Wheeler and Will in a streamlined Art Deco style. Symmetry, geometric shapes, and stepped and curved elements created a modern aesthetic on an exterior originally painted yellow, Ellen Borden Stevenson’s favorite color.

When at home Adlai E. Stevenson II spent a majority of his time in his study. Here he wrote his speeches and books, including "Putting First Things First," and welcomed dignitaries such as Eleanor Roosevelt, a close friend and frequent guest, and John F. Kennedy.

Stevenson’s large suburban residence was based on innovative architectural styles recently presented at the Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago in 1933–34. Specifically, the house is modeled after the General Houses, Inc. Steel House in the fair’s Houses of Tomorrow Exhibition. This was designed in part by Phillip Will, Jr., soon to be one of the architects for the Stevenson home.

Adlai E. Stevenson II was the governor of Illinois, the Democratic nominee for president in 1952 and 1956, and served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in the Kennedy Administration.

As fear of communism gripped the nation in the mid-20th century, Adlai Stevenson's was a voice for disarmament and against McCarthyism. Through indoor and outdoor exhibitions, our visitors learn about the Stevenson family's significant involvement in American politics.