Victorian Style, which flourished from 1837, when Queen Victoria ascended the British Throne, until her death in 1901, is defined in American architecture by a wide range of Revival Styles including Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and other revivals. Folk Victorian is a variety of Victorian Style that borrows elements from more than one revival styles to combine them in a single structure. While majority of home styles in Wilmette date from later periods, some interesting Victorian examples do exist in Wilmette. Because of the diversity of design during the Victorian period the National Register of Historic Places does not recognize the description "Victorian" as a style, despite its influence.

The Latham House is an outstanding example of Folk Victorian architecture, and a rare find on the North Shore today. It draws details from Gothic, Italianate, and Classical sources. Narrow clapboards, balustrades, brackets, pedimented lintels, lattice porch skirts, carved verge boards on the gables, and a white picket fence all convey a sense of delicate charm. Despite the extensive decoration, the petite massing of the front elevation portrays an intimate scale. With few surviving peers, the Latham House provides a quaint image of the village over a century ago. This house is a designated Wilmette Landmark.