Henry Hobson Richardson

The Glessner House, H. H. Richardson Designed Prairie St. Mansion

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• published: 08 Apr 2015
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1800 S. Prairie John Jacob Glessner was one of the capitalist robber barons that flourished during the gilded age towards the end of the 19th century. He was a farm machinery manufacturer who moved to Chicago in 1870 to open a branch office of his company. After the Great Chicago Fire the city's wealthy elites began moving to Prairie Ave. on the near south side. Also brick and stone replaced wood as the dominant building material. When Mr. Glessner decided to move into this neighborhood in the 1880's he chose H.H. Richardson, one of the nation's foremost architects. Richardson had developed a style of architecture that reflected what he saw as the strength of the fast-growing country. A style that was be called Richardsonian Romanesque. One that took elements of European Romanesque architecture from buildings constructed in the 11th and 12th centuries, and blended them with American styles. Henry Hobson Richardson died at the age of The result was a castle like fortress with heavy stone blocks whose walls went right up to the property lines. This gave room for a spacious interior courtyard. The home stands in stark contrast with the other houses on the block. Sleeping Car king George Pullman was quoted as saying, "I do not know what I have ever done to have that thing staring me in the face every time I go out of my door." Henry Hobson Richardson died at the age of 48 just three weeks after the residences completion. The home was designated a Chicago landmark in 1970 and a National Historic Landmark in 1976. In the early 1960's the house stood empty and was threatened with demolition. Then in 1966 a group of citizens banded together to save Glessner House and purchased it for $35,000. Another ChiTownView produced by Mike Beyer and presented by MindsiMedia.Visit our web portal at http://www.mindsimedia.info/