A Walk Through Time—Sunday, June 11, 2017

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Glessner House Museum

This very special tour provides attendees with the rare opportunity to visit the interiors of several historic homes in the Prairie Avenue Historic District. Following the tour, attendees are invited to return to the museum for a reception and silent auction, featuring theatre tickets, Chicago memorabilia, collectibles, architectural fragments, and other items of interest.

Homes included on this year’s tour:
-William Kimball house, 1801 S. Prairie Avenue (Solon S. Beman, architect; 1890-1892)
-Joseph Coleman house, 1811 S. Prairie Avenue (Cobb & Frost, architects; 1886)
-Elbridge Keith house, 1900 S. Prairie Avenue (John Roberts, architect; 1870)
-Charles Purdy house, 213 E. Cullerton Street, (Thomas & Rapp, architects; 1891)
-William Reid house, 2013 S. Prairie Avenue (Beers, Clay & Dutton, architects; 1894)
-Harriet Rees house, 2017 S. Prairie Avenue (Cobb & Frost, architects; 1888)

William Kimball House 1801 S. Prairie Avenue

Glessner House Museum is also included on the tour as well as historic Second Presbyterian Church with its landmarked Arts and Crafts interior and collection of Tiffany windows. Clarke House Museum will be open to the public for free that afternoon.

Following the tour, attendees are invited to return to the museum courtyard for a reception featuring a jazz trio, appetizers donated by Armand's Victory Tap, Cafe Bionda, and Tapas Valencia, wine and beer donated by Binny's Beverage Depot, and a silent auction that includes theatre tickets, Chicago memorabilia, collectibles, and other items of interest.

Pre-purchased tickets recommended.

$50 per person/$40 members (member coupon code required)

Purchase Tickets

Free Museum tours this Saturday, September 26, 2015

Along with many Chicago museums, the Glessner and Clarke House Museums in the South Loop will be offering free tours Saturday, September 26, 2015. This free museum event is part of Smithsonian Magazine’s “Museum Day Live!”

To get your free tickets, visit the event’s Web site. Tickets are good for two people and limited to one per household.

Participating museums:

Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, 6500 S. Pulaski Road
Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St.
Clarke House Museum, 1827 S. Indiana Ave.
DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place
Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria St.
Glessner House Museum, 1800 S. Prairie Ave.
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Loyola University Museum of Art, 820 N. Michigan Ave.
Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
National Hellenic Museum, 333 S. Halsted St.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Drive
Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St.

The Clarke House Museum in Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens

Top Posts of 2013

Hard to believe another year has come and gone in the South Loop, but it has. What were some of the things on our minds during 2013? Following are the top-ten posts which reflect a small portion of what was of interest to our friends and neighbors. Here we go, starting with number 10 at the top.

Strikers at the Congress Hotel

10. Strike at Congress Hotel ends after ten years—It was hard for some of us to believe that this strike was over. It was practically a tourist attraction. As long as we’ve been in the South Loop there was a strike in front of the landmark hotel, but it ended in May of 2013.

9. The Burger Point Delivers—Food and restaurants are always popular topics for us in the South Loop. So when a neighborhood favorite announced that they would now deliver, it was big news. Hmm, I think I want “The Gobbler” delivered to my door right now!

8. Creepy or Art: “Borders” Sculpture Installation in Grant Park—This was a fun post. This art installation just south of the Art Institute had a lot of people talking. It reminded us of the 1950s science fiction classic  The Day The Earth Stood Still, but art is in the eyes of the beholder.

Creepy or art?

7. British School to delay opening—The British are coming! The British School that is. Somewhat of a controversy when announced, the British School will be building an opening a new campus at the Roosevelt Collection.

6. No neighborhood school for the South Loop—When the new campus for Jones College Prep was announced, many had hoped the older campus would become an open-enrollment neighborhood school. It was not meant to be.

5. Wabash Arts Corridor Crawl—Modern and contemporary art lovers found this event interesting and fun thanks to the participation of several local colleges and universities and neighborhood organizations in the South Loop.

4. Kai Sushi Opens Friday in the South Loop—Once again, a new restaurant opening got the attention of South Loop residents. Kai Sushi opened in July in the former Donna’s Café space.

3. A Walk Through Time on the “Sunny Street of the Sifted Few”—This annual fund raiser for the Glessner House Museum is a popular event and attacks crowds from all over Chicago and Illinois. It’s a once-a-year chance to peek inside some of the remaining mansions from the glory days of Prairie Avenue.

The Kimball House

2. “Mildred Pierce”: 4th Film in “High Heels and Fedoras” series at Daystar Center May 14, 2013—This popular film noir classic garnered a lot of attention. The Chicago Film Club features classic Hollywood movies viewed on the big screen with discussion afterwards.

1. South Loop Suicide Attempt Thwarted—It was hard to miss this event if you were commuting to work along S. Michigan Ave. on Friday, June 7, 2013. A man threatening to jump from 1250 S. Michigan Ave. caused road closures and traffic reroutes. South Loop Connection took some heat for covering this story, but it was news, with plenty of media on the scene. 

There were many stories from 2013 that didn’t make the top-ten here, but that doesn’t mean they were less important. What do you think were the top stories in the South Loop for 2013?

Downton Abbey on Prairie Avenue

Book Two in the Avenue of Dreams series

Well, not really, but there was a time when Prairie Avenue was the center of wealth, power, and influence in Chicago. When Philip D. Armour arrived on Prairie Avenue in 1877, the street became home to Chicago’s three richest citizens: Marshall Field, Armour, and George Pullman , respectively. Book Two in the Avenue of Dreams series, The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport, brings those historic figures to life, as well as shedding some light on what it was like to be a servant in one of those Prairie Avenue mansions.

Balls, Parties, and Musical Concerts
Prairie Avenue was the setting for elaborate balls, parties, and musical concerts. In his book, Chicago’s Historic Prairie Avenue, author and executive director and curator of Glessner House Museum, William H. Tyre notes that the “most celebrated social event ever on the street was the Mikado Ball held on January 1, 1886 to celebrate the 18th birthday of Marshall Field Jr.” So big a social occasion was this elaborate party that The New York Times reported: “The house was transformed into a Japanese palace, with scenery designed after that used in the second act of ‘The Mikado,’ as represented at the Fifth-Avenue Theatre in New-York.” That’s quite an elaborate party, don’t you think? The article goes on to report that 400 children were in attendance, “all dressed in Japanese costumes.”

Copy of the original New York Times pieced
published January 1, 1886

Butlers, maids, nannies, and coachmen
The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow tells the tale of a maid in service at the fictional Banning household, located just south of the Kimball mansion. The Glessner House, at the corner of 18th and Prairie can be seen easily from the front door of the Banning home. The historical novel picks up where Book One, The Pursuit of Lucy Banning, left off. With the backdrop of the 1893 World’s Fair and Chicago’s changing social order, The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow gives readers a glimpse into the opulent lives of the residents of Prairie Avenue. It also explores the lives of the butlers, maids, nannies, and coachmen who catered to their wealthy employers’ every whim to make them comfortable.

Secrets and Prairie Avenue’s social code

Book One in the Avenue of Dreams series

But Charlotte Farrow has a real dilemma. How does she keep the fact that she has a small child a secret from her employers and the other staff members at the Banning household? Maids and live-in servants weren’t allowed to be married, let alone have children. Charlotte must navigate the social codes of the day, all the while providing the best for her young son—in secret.

Praise for The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow

“Newport’s latest novel, The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow, provides an enthralling examination of the complex class and gender barriers in nineteenth-century Chicago.” Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free

“Set with exacting detail in Chicago during the World’s Columbian Exposition, Charlotte’s tale of courage and struggle will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.” William Tyre, executive director and curator, Glessner House Museum

“Book two in Newport’s Avenue of Dreams series is a wonderful historical romance that has everything fans of this genre look forward to: romance, intrigue and secrets, as well as characters that are rich in detail but not over the top. Newport is a wonderful writer who expertly mixes fiction with some facts from actual places and events. She explains the way of the social classes in 1893 and how little freedom and few choices the working class had. This is a book to read over and over again; it will be a keeper.” RT Book Reviews 

Praise for The Pursuit of Lucy Banning

“With attention to historical detail and an artful sense of place, Olivia Newport gives readers a fascinating glimpse into the way the wealthy interpreted the 1893 World's Fair – and the roles of women in the world. The Pursuit of Lucy Banning is a compassionate coming-of-age romance with a spunky, determined heroine and a Happy Ever After that's satisfyingly sweet.” Serena Chase, USA Today, Happily Ever After blog

“In a new historical series, Avenue of Dreams, readers will head to the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 where they will be treated to the grandeur and charm of the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy. In this story thick with secrets and lies, Newports’s characters are by turn charming, conniving, or trying to be true to themselves in spite of what society expects of them.” RT Book Reviews

Around the South Loop: Christmas 2010

Christmas in the South Loop
Christmastime in the South Loop is special. With the mix of the old and new, the historical with the history making, the neighborhood's character is unique. When you look south on Prairie Ave. from 18th St., you can almost imagine what the street looked like when Marshall Field, Philip Armour, and George Pullman lived there.

History and Prairie Ave.
Some of the remnants of Prairie Ave. remain with us: the Kimball, Coleman, and Reid houses still stand. The home of John and Frances Glessner, at 1800 S. Prairie, is now the Glessner House Museum. The museum offers visitors a glimpse into society life in the late nineteenth century. The home is decorated in the English and American arts and crafts style which, before the Glessner's arrived on Prairie Ave., not too many people were familiar with.

The male servants entrance to the Glessner House.

Character Development
The South Loop neighborhood has developed it's own unique character. In the six years that I've lived in the area, I've seen many changes. I've stopped counting the new high-rises and town homes that were built since I bought my condo in 2004. Many businesses opened during those six years and unfortunately, some of them  didn't make it and are closed; it's tough being a small-business owner during these tough economic times. Still others survive and even prosper. That may be the reason the South Loop is still able to attract large retailers like Trader Joe's and Costco and small businesses like Donna's Cafe, which will be opening soon at 1255 S. State St.

SuccezZ athletic shoe store at 1329 S. Michigan Ave. has the coolest ashtray in town.

Maybe you bought a Christmas tree from Marcel Florist at 1471 S. Michigan Ave.

The Advent wreath at South Loop Community Church reminds us what the season is all about: Emmanuel, God is with us.

These sculptures look less menacing in the snow, but I'm still not a fan.

The tree at the Palmer House Hilton is pretty awesome, don't you think?

South Prairie Ave.: You can almost envision Marshall Field taking a stroll.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. Come back soon to find out what the South Loop was reading in 2010. I'll be counting down the top-ten posts.

Sincerely,
Stephen Reginald
South Loop Connection

Around the South Loop

Road work continues on S. Indiana Ave.

The tree of life arch above the front door of the Glessner House is a work of art.

Marcel Florist & Gardens at 1471 S. Michigan Ave. is selling Fraser fir Christmas tress.

South Loop landmark White Palace Grill on Roosevelt and Canal

2010 GSLA Fall Classic Recap

Neighborhood Networking Event
The 2010 GSLA Fall Classic was held last night from 7-10 p.m at the Glessner House Museum at 1800 S. Prairie Ave. The museum coach house and courtyard was the setting for this neighborhood networking event. Food, including appetizers and drink, was provided by area restaurants, including Cafe Society and Weather Mark Tavern.

"Signature" sponsors included Glessner House Museum, Hyde Park Bank, Turbo Coaching, Weather Mark Tavern and Wilson Rental.

Second Ward Alderman, Robert Fioretti mingles with neighbors and constituents at the GSLA's 2010 Fall Classic

To see what the evening was like and who attended, check out the video and additional pictures below.

 

Good food, friends, and drink

The coach house at the Glessner Museum was almost filled to capacity.

The Glessner House Museum is an ideal place to host your next event or business meeting. For information on rental fees and packages offered, please visit the museum Web site. To read a recent blog post on the Glessner House, click here.

Around the South Loop

Yoga in Grant Park: Taking advantage of yesterday's great weather

The warm fall weather has kept the flowers blooming.

Vines are still green and growing.

Fall foliage along S. Plymouth Ct.

A gardener tends to the flowers at Second Presbyterian Church.

Looking north on S. Prairie Ave.

Part of the downtown skyline looking south from Clark and Roosevelt

The refurbished front door at the Glessner House Museum

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Events in the South Loop

Sounds of the South Loop
Guitarist Fareed Haque will be performing in concert at Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago, 1936 S. Michigan Ave., Sunday October 3, 2010 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15; seniors and students $8. Tickets available at the door.

Fareed Haque

City Council Meeting
The next City Council meeting is October 6, 2010, City Hall, 2nd Floor 10 a.m.

GSLA Fall Classic
The Greater South Loop Association is hosting their Fall Classic on October 15, 2010, 7 p.m. at the historic Glessner House Museum. This GSLA event includes food, drink, music, and dancing. A donation of $15 includes 2 free drink tickets. For more information, visit the GSLA Web site. To print a flyer to post in your building, click here.

The GSLA Fall Classic will be held at the Glessner House Museum.

2nd Ward Clean & Green
Save the date: October 16, 2010. More details will be forthcoming.

Looking for a Unique Place to Have a Wedding or Special Event? Consider the Historic Glessner House Museum

The Glessner House was built in 1886.

A Gem in the South Loop

Of all the architectural gems in Chicago, the Glessner House in the South Loop more than holds its own. Built in 1886 by famed American architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, the 17,000-square foot mansion at 1800 S. Prairie Ave. is situated on the same street as the homes of Marshall Field, Philip Armour, and George Pullman. Those three homes are no more, but the Glessner House, now a museum, is a window on this glamorous period in Chicago’s history.

An outdoor reception set up in the courtyard

Museum Available for Rentals
Even though the Glessner House is a museum, it can be rented for weddings, meetings, and corporate functions. The coach house can accommodate up to 150 guests.  During the warmer months, the courtyard can also accommodate 150 guests as well.  For weddings, the former conservatory serves as a suite for the bride and bridal party. And because the house is a museum, special tours of the home can be part of any rental package.

The Glessner dining room

Perfect for Small, Intimate Gatherings
For smaller intimate events, consider the dining room. You can entertain up to 50 people for a sit-down dinner in this elegant setting. The Glessner’s storied dining room hosted some of the nineteenth century’s biggest celebrities, including famed Italian tenor Enrico Caruso.

The courtyard in the evening

Seminar and Meeting Space
If you’re looking for a space for a meeting or seminar, the east parlor on the second floor is an ideal space. Within walking distance of McCormick Place, it’s the perfect location for an offsite meeting or reception.

The home's architecture lends itself to some unique photographs.

Neighborhood Favorite
Neighborhood organizations like the Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance and the Greater South Loop Association have found the Glessner House to be the perfect venue for their major events and fundraisers. The GSLA is having their Fall Classic event here on October 15, 2010 . The PDNA held their Toast of the South Loop event in the Glessner coach house and courtyard this past June.

The PDNA hosted the Toast of the South Loop this past June.

Lynne Mickle Smaczny, Assistant to the Director of the Glessner House Museum, manages museum rentals. She has plans and packages that can be customized to fit the needs of your family, group, or nonprofit organization.

For information on renting the Glessner House Museum for your reception or business meeting, call Ms. Smaczny at 312-326-1480 or e-mail her at rentglessnerhouse@sbcglobal.net.

Top-40 Buildings in Chicago: The South Loop has Two!

The current issue of Chicago Magazine lists the top-40 buildings in Chicago. Included in the list are the Henry B. Clarke House (34) and the John J. Glessner House (19).

The Henry B. Clarke House

 The Clarke House, the oldest house in Chicago is located at 1827 S. Indiana Ave. in the Chicago Women's Park and Gardens. It's original location (the house was moved twice before) was closer to 16th and S. Michigan Ave. The Glessner House, located at 1800 S. Prairie Ave. is a reminder that the South Loop was Chicago's original gold coast. The three richest men in Chicago all lived on S. Prairie Ave. They are in order of wealth: Marshall Field, Philip Armour, and George Pullman. John J. Glessner, far from the richest man on the block, was an executive with a farm equipment manufacturing firm. His firm merged with several others to create International Harvester.

The John J. Glessner House at 1800 S. Prairie Ave.

The Glessner House was designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Richardson whose offices were located in Brookline, MA, is considered one of the first great American architects. His unique American style  influenced later architects Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Clarke and Glessner houses are both museums open all year-round for tours.

Docent Diaries: A Peak Inside the Glessner House

Some of you know that I'm a volunteer docent at both the Clarke House and Glessner House museums. WCIU.com visited the Glessner House recently and took a tour with museum executive director, William (Bill) Tyre.

Check out the video below for a short trip back to the nineteenth century.

Docent Diaries: The Case of the Missing Docent

American Ambassadors
In past posts, I've written about being a docent for the Glessner and Clarke house museums. One of the best things about being a volunteer is you get to meet people from all over the United States and the world. We try to make visitors to Chicago feel welcome; we're not just ambassadors for the city and the state, but the United States as well. For many foreign travelers, Chicago may be their first trip to America.

A Fortuitous Visit
This past Sunday, I stopped by the visitor center/gift shop to say hello to another volunteer docent who was working there. While I was visiting, one of the docents scheduled to give afternoon tours of the two historic homes didn't show up.

Volunteer docent, Jackie Walker, checks the tour schedule in the visitor's center.

Docents to the Rescue

A docent, on duty earlier in the afternoon, filled in for the missing volunteer and took a couple from Maryland on a tour of the Clarke House. As it got closer to  3 p.m., I stepped in and took a group of about seven guests on a tour of the Glessner House. Included in this group was a couple from Bologna, Italy. Not as famous as Venice, Rome, or Florence, Bologna is a beautiful city with edifices from the 11th and 12th centuries that are not only still standing, but still in use. Bologna is also home to the oldest university in the Western world. The University of Bologna was founded in 1088.

Two visitors from Bologna

These twin towers are a popular tourist attraction in Bologna.

A Walk Back in Time

Time Tunnel
If you walked down S. Prairie Ave. yesterday, you might have thought you were in the nineteenth century. Not to worry, it was just the annual "A Walk Back in Time" fund-raiser presented by the Glessner House Museum.

Annual Event
Once a year, about a dozen existing Prairie Ave. mansions open their doors to the public. The Glessner House is the only Prairie Ave. survivor that is open to the public all year, so getting the opportunity to see the other surving mansions is a real treat.

Elegant not Stuffy
My favorite was the William H. Reid House at 2013 S. Prairie Ave. The three-story Classical Revival structure was a row home, one of a group of attached houses that extended south from Cullerton Ave. But the Reid House is the only survivor. It was built for Reid in 1894. Reid was a successful banker and had the home designed by the firm of Beers, Clay and Dutton. What makes this home remarkable is the fact that it has always been a single-family home. Many of its original features are completely intact, including the nine fireplaces and stained-glass dome in the music room. The dome features a beautiful fleur-de-lis pattern. The home is elegant and rich, without feeling stuffy or overdone.

The walk began at 1 p.m. and continued until 4 p.m. After the walk, there was a reception and silent auction at the Glessner coach house. Among the many items auctioned, was the artwork of artist Jack Simmerling. Simmerling has painted many watercolor paintings of Prairie Ave. mansions, including the Kimball and Glessner houses.

Docent Diaries

I had the privilege of taking a group of folks from the Netherlands on a tour of the Glessner House Museum. They were a very knowledgeable group, well acquainted with the British and American Arts and Crafts movements. The above picture was taken in the Glessner House courtyard. It was the setting for last Friday night's "Toast of the South Loop."

Another group of Dutch tourists relaxing at Cafe Society on 18th St. and S. Indiana.

Red Hat Society Ladies Visit the Glessner and Clarke Houses

The Joy of Volunteering
I'm a volunteer docent (tour guide) for the Clarke and Glessner houses. One of the fun parts of the "job" is meeting people from all walks (and stages) of life, different states, and countries. Yesterday it was my pleasure to lead a group of Red Hat Society ladies through both historic homes. Both homes are challenging; they have lots of stairs, and in the case of the Glessner house, there is no elevator. In spite of the challenges, my group of ladies made it through both houses and proved one is never too old to learn new things (Chicago history in this case) and face new challenges. Bravo, ladies!

What is the Red Hat Society?
"The Red Hat Society is the largest international social organization for women, dedicated to making the world a better place for our members by actively promoting and supporting fun, friendship, freedom, fulfillment and fitness for each individual, as well as demonstrating the value and contributions of women to society at large."

For more information on the Red Hat Society, click here.

Kiosk Marks Prairie Avenue Attractions

Marker for Historic Prairie Avenue
A new kiosk was installed on 18th Street in the courtyard separating the Glessner House Museum from the South Loop field house and Cafe Society.

The kiosk highlights some of the historic Prairie Ave. mansions still standing, as well as the Clarke House, Chicago's oldest home, and Chicago's Women's Park and Gardens. The kiosk makes it easy for visitors and neighbors alike to take self-guided tours of the area.