1631

This beautiful home, with its unique wrap-around veranda, is unusual in this neighborhood and in Chicago. It was built in Barrett and Galloway’s subdivision of Henry Town sometime in the early 1890s, just after the area became a part of Chicago with 1889 annexation. The original wood construction looked like a farm house and, since the side porch faces west, we can imagine a large garden there. Sometime after construction, the home was raised onto a mostly above-ground concrete foundation requiring a flight of stairs to the entrance. Before you enter the home, note the details of the façade, including the dentils along the front gable and the pedimented window cornices above the upper windows. The porch railing design is in keeping with American folk architecture, which used simple forms and wood decoration.

Inside is a real treat. The front of the home was altered to create a two story sitting area and an open staircase. This creative redesign was done sometime in the 1980s. The staircase spindles are new, as well as the beautiful oak floors.

At the top of the front wall of the house are two windows indicating, perhaps, that the front was divided into two bedrooms on the original second floor. The original home probably had a small bedroom where the kitchen is now. The kitchen would have been to the back of the home, with a separate door to the porch. From the rear, the original kitchen appears to be an addition. The new kitchen design features a beautiful burled walnut counter which extends into the more formal dining area.

The wallpaper and deep red drapery give a feeling of richness and warmth. All the wall coverings have a reference to an earlier time, with roses and flowers in cluster patterns. A new staircase to the basement was created by a previous owner. If there was another staircase, it is difficult to find its location. The same holds true for the stairs to the second floor. The second floor with loft space holds one bedroom.

As you leave the dining area, you enter a casual TV-room/den. This room, once the kitchen, opens onto a beautiful deck and backyard garden. It is a transformation of a city lot and a special place in Edgewater. You should walk along the path and be sure to see the fish pond. Note how effectively the garden is screened from the building next door. Please return to the street along the side path and the front gate.