Pope Leo XIV, and the house he grew up in | Wikimedia Commons
Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home was heading toward auction in 2025 when the village stepped in and purchased the property for $375,000. Mayor Jason House said officials were targeting spring 2027 for completion of the broader project, although that remained a target rather than a confirmed opening date. The small brick house in Dolton, Illinois, had attracted visitors after Robert Francis Prevost became the first U.S. -born pope in May. By December, Dolton had designated the home an official historic landmark, with plans to pursue funding for its preservation and possible public use. The house became a destination after the papal election The designation did not mean that the home had already become a public museum or that a full restoration had been completed, since the village still needed to organise funding, management and plans for the site. The next stage involves deciding how the property will be maintained and what visitors will be able to see there. The house is now municipally owned and formally recognised as a historic site, but its long-term use will depend on the funding and plans the village develops.
The purchase price included applicable real estate and auction fees, according to reporting by OSV News. Village leaders considered the home to be a potential asset for tourism and community development, and before reaching a purchase agreement, officials had discussed using eminent domain, a legal process that allows a government to acquire private property for public use. The village ultimately bought the house through a negotiated sale rather than taking it through that process. Officials discussed working with the Archdiocese of Chicago and seeking public or private funding to support the property’s future use. Ideas included opening it to visitors and developing a site connected to the pope’s early life. The home received historic landmark status in December
The property had previously been listed for sale and was later put up for auction through Paramount Realty USA, and its former owner had renovated the house before the pope’s election, with a construction company also providing a new roof at no charge.
