John Jacob Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Avenue (1887-Present)
The sturdy, Romanesque Glessner house was designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson as a winter residence for farm implement manufactuer John J. Glessner.
Despite its cold, fortress-like exterior, the home's interior is trimmed in warm woods, outfitted with custom furniture and fabrics, and features a secluded, south-facing interior couryard to capture maximum sunlight.
While many other Prairie Avenue mansions succumbed to the decline of the neighborhood, Glessner House remained well-kept until the preservation movement began to rescue valuable landmarks from the wrecking ball. The property was named a Chicago Landmark on October 14, 1970, listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 17, 1970, and recognized as a National Historic Landmark on January 7, 1976.
The non-profit Glessner House Museum is open to the public.
Sources: AIA Guide to Chicago, Wikipedia.
Photos Courtesy Library of Congress.
