HISTORIC LANDMARK

(OSV News) -- Pope Leo XIV's childhood home just outside of Chicago has been declared a historic landmark.

The board of trustees of the village of Dolton, Illinois, approved a motion for the designation during a regular meeting Dec. 1 that began with a recitation of the Lord's Prayer.

Mayor Jason House described the property as one of the "most culturally and spiritually significant locations in the United States," according to ABC-7 Chicago.

The modest, one-story brick residence, located at 212 E. 141st Pl., was purchased by the village's board in July for $375,000, an amount that included all applicable realtor and auction fees.

Weeks after the election of the first U.S.-born pope, the board had moved to acquire the 75-year-old home where the former Robert Prevost and his family lived until 1969. The site immediately became a tourist attraction and even a place of pilgrimage after Pope Leo's papal election.

In July, Dolton spokesperson Nakita Cloud told OSV News that making the place a historic site would "open the door for federal and state funding opportunities tied to historic preservation, tourism development, and community revitalization," while also attracting "philanthropic and nonprofit partnerships that support cultural and educational initiatives.”

Speaking during the board meeting ahead of the vote, House said the move represented "a very big moment for residents" of the village.

He commended Dolton's volunteer historical commission for its work on the project.

Commission member and village clerk Alison Key said she and her fellow commission members were "very excited about this, because this is something very new to the village."

She stressed that the commission sought to ensure the process was followed correctly, adding, "We just want to make sure that everybody is excited, and that you are proud to live in Dolton, the home of Pope Leo XIV."

House said that additional documentation and review is planned "to make sure that our community is very proud of what's to come."

He added that there is a "target timeline" of spring 2027 for implementation and completion of the project, adding, "I'll say 'target,' because hopefully it's faster."

In July, Cloud had indicated a possible future collaboration with the Archdiocese of Chicago on the development of the historical site. OSV News is awaiting a response to its request for comment from the archdiocese.

Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.