April 30, 2024

An 1882 House from a Pattern Book

2314 W. 111th Place, Chicago. Photo by Burnhamandroot - Own work, Public Domain


Design 35 from Palliser's American Cottage Homes (1878).


This Stick Style house in Morgan Park was built in 1882. The design was from an architectural pattern book, which was a hardcover book of home designs and floor plans. 

The house was based on a design published in Palliser's American Cottage Homes. The book cost $1.


George and Charles Palliser of Bridgeport, CT started the first mail-order architectural practice. 

 
1908 photo of the house. Today, the house has lost its chimneys and the railings with diamond-shaped cutouts. Photo from the Chicago Historical Society prints and photographs reproduction.


More elevations of Design 35.


The Pallisers estimated that the cost to build the house would be approximately $2,800.




The original owner of the house was Johan Alexis Edgren, a Baptist minister. He helped found the Baptist Theological Seminary at Morgan Park.


According to the Landmarks Designation Report, Edgren purchased the lot in 1882. Although the Pallisers book estimated the house would cost $2,800, "the Edgrens borrowed $1,500 from the seminary, indicating either the house was cheaper to build or that they used some of their own savings."

By 1894, Edgren and his wife had moved to California.

The house is the only known design from the Pallisers that was built in Chicago. It was landmarked by the city of Chicago in 2000.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is a fun and unexpected departure from the norm! The Pallisers did great stuff, and it's always nice to see surviving (and unmuddled) examples of their work.
Thank you for shining the spotlight on this house and its origins.

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