Clarke-ford House

The Clarke-Ford House in Chicago is considered the oldest surviving house in the city, built around 1836 in the Greek Revival style. Its builder, Henry Brown Clarke, was a hardware dealer originally from New York who had moved to the growing metropolis with his family in 1833. As one of the first wealthy residents, he chose a site south of the river, which made him a pioneer in this part of town. After financial difficulties during the Panic of 1837 and Clarke's death from cholera in 1849, his widow, Caroline, took over the property. She sold off parts of the large lot to support the family and renovate the house. In the process, she added an elaborate portico with Doric columns and an Italianate cupola, and finished rooms that had previously been left incomplete. During this period, the building became known as the Widow Clarke House.

Over the decades, the house changed locations several times. In 1871 it was moved to Hyde Park, where it was later used as a parsonage by the St. Paul Church of God in Christ. Bishop Louis Henry Ford lived there and worked tirelessly to preserve and restore the historic building. In 1977, the City of Chicago bought the house and arranged for another move, to its present location near its original site. The move was a logistical challenge, as the building had to be lifted over the elevated train tracks. Because of technical problems with the hydraulics, the house sat beside the tracks for two weeks before it was finally set down in its current spot in the park.

Today, the Clarke-Ford House is run as a historic house museum by the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs. In collaboration with the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in Illinois, the rooms are furnished with period pieces that give visitors a glimpse of life in the early 19th century. The building is part of the Prairie Avenue Historic District and has been designated both a Chicago Landmark and a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 2022, the house has also borne the name of Bishop Ford and his wife, Margaret, in recognition of their contribution to preserving this important historic landmark.