Last updated: April 20, 2021
Place
The Glessner House Museum and Prairie Avenue Historic District
Courtesy of the Glesner House Museum
Quick Facts
Location:
1800 S Prairie Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
MANAGED BY:
The John J. Glessner House is part of the Chicago’s Prairie Avenue Historic District. This neighborhood also once boasted the mansion of George Pullman (torn down in 1922, following the death of his widow, Harriet.) Prairie Avenue was known as “the Fifth Avenue of the Midwest,” and was home to the Who’s Who of Gilded Age Chicago, including Pullman, “Merchant prince” Marshall Field and meatpacking magnate Philip Armour.
The Glessner House was built between May 1885 and December 1887 for farm machinery manufacturer John J. Glessner. The house is now a museum, offering visitors a chance to step back in time.
The Glessner House was notable among the homes on “Millionaires’ Row” due to its departure from the ornate style of his neighbors. According to the museum’s website, the house was “[a] radical departure from traditional Victorian architecture, the structure [serving] as an inspiration to architects such as Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, and the young Frank Lloyd Wright.”
The style can be described as an urban townhouse mansion, integrating perfectly with its environment. This contrasted with the Pullman mansion, a brownstone chateau described as “reminiscent of the Grand Opera in Paris”.
With the end of the Gilded Age, Prairie Avenue declined and many of the mansions were torn down. The Glessner house is one of the few remaining period homes. The Glessner house was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1970, and opened for tours in 1971.
A project through the Save America's Treasures Grant Program, which helps preserve nationally significant historic properties and collections, funded work to restore the Glessner House and install a new HVAC system in 2000.
The Glessner House was built between May 1885 and December 1887 for farm machinery manufacturer John J. Glessner. The house is now a museum, offering visitors a chance to step back in time.
The Glessner House was notable among the homes on “Millionaires’ Row” due to its departure from the ornate style of his neighbors. According to the museum’s website, the house was “[a] radical departure from traditional Victorian architecture, the structure [serving] as an inspiration to architects such as Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, and the young Frank Lloyd Wright.”
The style can be described as an urban townhouse mansion, integrating perfectly with its environment. This contrasted with the Pullman mansion, a brownstone chateau described as “reminiscent of the Grand Opera in Paris”.
With the end of the Gilded Age, Prairie Avenue declined and many of the mansions were torn down. The Glessner house is one of the few remaining period homes. The Glessner house was designated a Chicago Landmark in 1970, and opened for tours in 1971.
A project through the Save America's Treasures Grant Program, which helps preserve nationally significant historic properties and collections, funded work to restore the Glessner House and install a new HVAC system in 2000.