The Riverview Historic District's annual Holiday Housewalk returns to Kankakee on Dec. 6, 2026, running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and this year's lineup includes a rare pairing: Frank Lloyd Wright's first two Prairie-style homes opening together for the first time in 50 years, according to the Shaw Local News Network.
The walk includes Riverview homes, St. Rose Church and the B. Harley Bradley House and Warren Hickox House, which Wright designed in 1900, per Shaw Local. Historical accounts describe the Bradley and Hickox houses as widely considered the first Prairie houses, marking a point where, as a timeline from Wright in Kankakee puts it, “practically every vestige of Victorian architecture was left behind.” The Bradley House is stewarded by the not-for-profit Wright in Kankakee, the same organization behind that timeline, while the Riverview Historic District itself confirms the Dec. 6 date and notes the Hickox home is included as “a restoration in progress,” according to its event listing.
Two Wright Originals, Side by Side
The Hickox House sits at 687 S. Harrison Ave. in Kankakee, right next door to the Bradley House, according to a property profile from the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust. Despite the ongoing restoration work, the Hickox House will still welcome visitors during the walk, the Shaw Local report notes. For architecture buffs, having both commissions open on the same day offers a rare side-by-side look at the moment Wright's design language shifted away from Victorian conventions.
Walkers can pick up brochures and tickets inside the train depot at 199 S. East Ave. in downtown Kankakee, where the housewalk starts, per the Shaw Local report. Advance tickets run $25 per person, a price confirmed by the Riverview Historic District's own listing, while tickets purchased the day of the walk cost $30, according to Shaw Local. Credit card orders can be placed online at riverviewhistoricdistrict.org through Dec. 6, though online orders carry a service fee that buyers can avoid by purchasing tickets in person instead.
A Neighborhood Built Along the River
Riverview is a nationally designated historic district of about 160 homes built between 1890 and 1950, each reflecting its own architectural style, the Shaw Local report states. The neighborhood sits along the Kankakee River, with streets lined by oak and maple trees, and nearby Cobb Park offers additional river views for visitors exploring the area before or after the walk.
Proceeds from the Holiday Housewalk go toward neighborhood events, promotion and improvements in Riverview, according to the report. Organizers point attendees to riverviewhistoricdistrict.org for more information and FAQs, and the housewalk chair can be reached at [email protected] or 815-405-9989 for additional questions.
