In the late 19th century, architects William Holabird and Martin Roche played a key role in sending Chicago skyward with such Loop landmarks as the Marquette Building on South Dearborn Street. At the same time, the two were at work on a substantial project far from downtown: Fort Sheridan, the sprawling U.S. Army base in Highwood. The gig came their way through Holabird’s father, Brigadier General Samuel B. Holabird. The two designed dozens of structures for the base, from barracks and a drill hall to a bakery and a blacksmith shop. Fort Sheridan closed in 1993, and the site was repurposed for commercial and residential use. A large single-family home there that once served as a post commander’s residence is now for sale for $3.8 million.

The base’s buildings, constructed of a yellow brick made onsite, were for the most part fairly simple. But this one was spun with more panache in the Queen Anne style, graced with a corner turret, a massive dormer projecting from the pitched roof, terra cotta ornamentation, and a sizable front porch. Set on a wooded lot overlooking Lake Michigan, the 7,900-square-foot house has seven bedrooms. Period details — hardwood floors, built-in bookcases, eight fireplaces — generate a substantial air. Contemporary touches — an updated kitchen and a laundry room with a dog shower — make for easy living. The basement features a wine cellar.

In addition to a formal living room, the home boasts a family room, den, and library. The primary bedroom is appointed with two balconies, and there’s a charming latticework garden room off the family room. Getting R&R is no problem, with an indoor lap pool, an exercise room, a media room, and an expansive patio out back.