Glessner House

Glessner House in Chicago is an architecturally significant 19th-century mansion on Prairie Avenue on the city's South Side. The house was built between 1885 and 1887 by the renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson, who completed it as his last work. The client, John J. Glessner, was a successful businessman in the farm machinery industry and chose Richardson because he had developed a style of his own meant to reflect the muscular strength of a growing America. This so-called Richardsonian Romanesque style took up elements of European Romanesque architecture but adapted them to American conditions. The facade of rough-cut granite gives the building a strong horizontal presence, while the ornamentation is deliberately restrained.

A distinctive feature of the house is its innovative floor plan, which pushes the walls out to the edges of the lot. The result is a spacious private courtyard that brings plenty of natural light into the main rooms through south-facing windows while also offering a level of privacy rare for city homes. A long servants' wing runs along the north side, shielding the living quarters from the noise, dirt, and harsh winter winds of the adjoining street. The unusual design baffled the neighbors at the time, as it stood in stark contrast to the traditional houses on what was then Chicago's most prestigious residential street.

Today the building operates as a historic house museum and is protected as a National Historic Landmark. After a period under threat of demolition, it was saved and restored in the 1960s by a group of architects and local citizens. On guided tours, you can see the rooms, which are largely preserved in their original appearance. The collection of decorative objects and furniture is especially valuable, as the Glessner family were discerning collectors of English and American decorative arts. The exhibits include pieces by well-known artists and workshops such as William Morris and Émile Gallé, reflecting the residents' high cultural aspirations.