The district comprises five buildings, all from the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition of the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair which took place in Chicago.

Intended to display the future of housing, the Century of Progress Homes reflect a variety of designs, experimental materials and new technologies.

[2] During the 1893 Columbian Exposition, the classicism of the French Beaux Arts tradition was popular along with the eclectic revivals of the Victorian architectural periods.

"[2] Electric floodlights, searchlights and neon highlighted the polychromed facades and stylized motifs of the major exhibition buildings.

"[7] In hosting the 1893 Columbian Exposition, Chicago made the classicism of the French Beaux Arts tradition popular with an American public coming from the Victorian architectural periods.