Glessner House - Chicago's Historic Prairie Ave

The John J. Glessner House is a family house located at 1800 S. Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. It was designed in 1885-1886 by architect Henry Hobson Richardson and built in 1886. The property was designated a Chicago Landmark on October 14, 1970. The site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on April 17, 1970 and as a National Historic Landmark on January 7, 1976.

John J. Glessner was a high-ranking executive with the International Harvester Company, leading U.S. manufacturer of farm machinery. Continued operation of the Homestead Act and settlement of the Great Plains in the 1870s and 1880s led to sharply increased demand for the products produced in the Harvester Company's Chicago factory.

During this period, Chicago's most prestigious residential street was the South Side's Prairie Avenue. Enjoying economic success, Glessner decided to build a home for his family on Prairie and 18th Streets. He chose one of the young nation's foremost architects, H.H. Richardson.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Chicago
• Illinois
• Glessner
• House
• Prairie
• Avenue
• Historic
• District
• H.H.Richardson
• International
• Harvestor

[UND68]

The Glessner House and the surrounding area show what can be done in the inner city. The area is worth visiting.

[Twistidd]

Beautiful!

[ciroalb3]

I was at the house for a meeting just after it was saved in 1966? The building was black with accumulated dirt then, the neighborhood was dangerous, people were sitting on the front steps, and they weren't admiring the architecture