Ninth Annual Edgewater Home Tour

Vol. VIII No. 1 - SUMMER 1997

On Sunday, September 21, 1997, the Edgewater Historical Society will present its Ninth Annual Home Tour, featuring the Edgewater North area, north of Granville and east of Glenwood, from 12 noon until 5:00 p.m.

We’ll begin at the showcase Granville Avenue United Methodist Church, 1307 W. Granville, once called “The Country Church of the City” because of its beautiful garden. Tourgoers must check in at the church to receive our handsome tour book, which serves as a directional guide and passport for admission to our carefully selected homes. At each home, docents will tell you about its history and architecture. A wide variety of styles will be exhibited, including French Chateauesque, Shingle and American Foursquare.

This year’s tour promises lots of surprises! Tourgoers who saw the Steven Seagal movie, “Above the Law,” for instance, may experience a feeling of deja vu at one of the homes, whose interior was used for some scenes in the film. In another house, the bathroom appears to be an aquarium complete with ceramic fish. Yet another home seems to be constructed for the TALL family, with ten-foot ceilings. Then there are the gardens, each with its own unique personality.

The Edgewater North area was first developed in the 1890s, when John Lewis Cochran extended his development with a second addition to Edgewater along the lakeshore to Devon. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad used to have a ground level train stop, called North Edgewater, at Grand Avenue (now Granville). The present day “L” was later built on the right of way for this train line.

Please join us for an exciting tour! Your donation of $10 at the door goes to support the Society and the development of our museum at 5358 N. Ashland. The event is open to the general public but, this year, we are offering a special incentive to current EHS members and those who join on the day of the tour. The names of all members attending the home tour will be entered in a free special drawing for a $50 gift certificate donated by the Anna Held Flower hop and Fountain Cafe.

The winner of our members-only drawing, as well as winners of the raffle we are co-hosting again this year with NLCC, will be drawn at the close of the Home Tour on September 21. Raffle funds raised by EHS go toward our museum project; funds raised by the North Lakeside Cultural Center help support its programs. Chances are $1.00 each or 12 for $10. The first three prizes this year are:

  • Two American Airlines tickets to anywhere in the continental U.S.
  • One week in a bungalow located in Puerto Vallarto, Mexico
  • A party at the NLCC Mansion

Several of our members won last year, including Bill Steinfeld, who got the top prize.