Nickerson House

The Samuel M. Nickerson House on East Erie Street in Chicago's Near North Side neighborhood is an outstanding example of Gilded Age architecture. The mansion was built in 1883 for the banker Samuel M. Nickerson, who in his day was considered one of the largest shareholders in national banks in the United States. The three-story building, designed by Edward J. Burling, was the largest and most lavish private home in the city when it was completed. The limestone and sandstone facade looks rather modest from the outside in the Italianate style, but the interior reveals a splendor that earned the house the nickname "Marble Palace." Seventeen different kinds of marble, onyx, alabaster, and elaborate wood carvings and mosaics adorn the rooms. The interior design reflects the Aesthetic style and combines influences from Japan, China, England, France, Moorish culture, ancient Greece, and the Italian Renaissance.

After the death of the later owner Lucius George Fisher in 1916, a group of wealthy citizens managed to save the building from demolition. It was handed over to the American College of Surgeons, which used it as its headquarters until the 1960s. Today the house is home to the Richard H. Driehaus Museum, which opened in 2008 after an extensive restoration. Here you can admire original furniture from the Nickerson era as well as a private collection of decorative arts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include statues, paintings, furniture, and glasswork by Louis Comfort Tiffany. A particular highlight is the historic glass dome, which was restored during the renovation and fitted with new lead cames.

The restoration of the building, which was acquired in 2003 by the investor Richard Driehaus, was technically demanding. Because the porous sandstone facade had been heavily encrusted with dirt and pollutants over the decades, laser technology was used for the first time in the United States to restore the stone's original light color. This method, which is common in Europe for cleaning sculptures, spared the historic material the damage that chemical cleaners or high-pressure blasting would have caused. The result of this careful work was honored in 2008 with a Chicago Landmark Award for preservation excellence. Today the museum offers a unique glimpse into the lifestyle and artistic tastes of Chicago's elite at the end of the 19th century.