Historic Walking Tour – East
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5 NAPERVILLE Historic Walking Tour – East 3rd printing, revised Spring 2006 Brief Summary of Naperville’s Past In 1831, Captain Joseph Naper traveled from Ashtabula, Ohio, to the fertile soil of Illinois, approximately 30 miles west of Chicago, near the DuPage River. He brought along several families and individuals as well as plans and provisions for establishing a community. By early 1832, Naper’s Settlement had 180 people dwelling in it, along with a trading house, mills and a school. The following year saw a post office and frame homes erected. Naperville’s early development was possible because a road connecting Chicago and Ottawa, and the Galena Road (now Aurora Avenue), passed through town. Naperville was home to the county seat from 1839 until 1867, when Wheaton contested and gained the rights. Completion of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad through Naperville in 1864 helped spur growth and was responsible for opening the Chicago market to the town’s already flourishing nurseries, breweries and quarries. The railroad also enabled the Naperville Lounge Company (later Kroehler Manufacturing Company) to grow into one of the world’s largest furniture manufacturers. Pioneer settler and real estate developer Morris Sleight once owned much of the land on the east side of Naperville. By the time of his death in 1863, he had amassed a total of 473 acres, which were developed into residential plots. Most homes in this tour are frame, two-story single-family dwellings, though some of masonry can be found. Throughout the area, the Italianate Style predominates. Other architectural styles include Queen Anne, National Folk, Stick, Craftsman, Prairie School, Gothic, and Classical Revival. The mansions of Chicago Avenue overshadow the smaller homes built in an earlier era, and show the affluence of the industrial age. The concentration of prestigious homes led this area to be dubbed “Quality Hill” by local residents. Walking Tour Credits This project is partially supported by a grant from the City of Naperville’s Special Events & Cultural Amenities Fund. ©2006 Naperville Heritage Society congregate families Until east middle Street.Bythemid-1860swealthierand Washington Western College(nowNorth Central College)tothetown. Western In Ellsworth North By Introduction TOUR WALKING EAST SIDE or downtown westsideand Additional brochureshighlightingNaperville’s 1869 Pierre Lebeau,ProfessorofHistoryEmeritus, Rt. 59 call West St. Ogden side Central A the Ave. u for Centennial r class R o of Naperville otary r B Mill St. a each A I-88 v and Ewing St. e Hill 5 of . lesser more th arrival historic architectureareavailable.Stopbyforfreecopies, W E on 523 R Ave. Jefferson i Tollway ast-West B Ave. v Washington St. arrenville e Ogden urlington r C families w a h 75th Washington Street.Thewealthytendedto Washington l i k c College Sleight a East g R Mill St. Ave. o St. oute Quarry Rd. A RR Mill St. A 6 S. information. u v th means r e 55-66 o Fountain . r Ave. a Naper Blvd. Webster Street•Naperville,IL60540 Webster Spring of A www.napersettlement.museum residents v Jefferson e . Eagle St. Settlement Naper F D J B V ranklin Eagle St. ackson ouglas started an enton 5th the Streets. Ave. Buren Ave. Buren Ave. had Eagle St. A Ave. Ave. Ave. Ave. u Naper r Webster St. Webster St. o W r railroad, a 630-420-6010 a J A t e efferson Ave. efferson intermingled onthewestsideof v Webster St. r pledged e and to S . Kendall t . P Main St. Main St. ark establish Main St. Settlement Chicago Washington St. prominent Washington St. Washington St. S N 6th $25,000 5 R S Burlington chool i v orth Ave. B th Ave. C Shell e tation r and J V h i Ave. e Ave. efferson w i c a g Ave. D o Central Park u P Center St. Center St. a A themselves g Stadium F v e Northern Avenues between Avenues ootball R e i v . Court Pl. e r to Ellsworth St. C C N Ellsworth St. Van Buren Ave. Buren Van ollege entral orth citizens bring 4 Brainard St. t Brainard St. h A v e . on North Loomis St. F Loomis St. B ranklin Ave. t. enton Ave. and is S H the Loom i g h l Sleigh a Sleight St. t St. P n o t St. d r igh t Sle A e v r e A . v W e Wright St. right St. St. Wright architectural styles. Historic Districtwithitsvarietyof19thand20thcentury Hill” andconstitutestoday thelargerpartofNaperville character ofthissectiontownthatbecameknownas“Quality The administrators settledintheneighborhood. cultural lifeofNaperville.Inaddition,itsprofessorsand college contributedconsiderablytotheenrichmentof estate fromtheotherheirs,donatedeightacresofland.The Delcar Van Buren Ave. Buren Van Webster St. Jefferson Ave. Jefferson Franklin Ave. Douglas Ave. Jackson Ave. K presence ofthecollegereinforcedsemi-aristocratic P endall Main St. ark Sleight, who had purchased most of his father’s real Sleight, whohadpurchasedmostofhisfather’s Main St. Washington St. Washington St. School Ave. North Ave. 6th 5th R Station Burlington i v B S e C r and hell Jefferson Ave. Jefferson V i h Ave. e Ave. w i c a g Central Park o Center St. Center St. Stadium Football A B v Franklin Ave. Northern College Central North e Ave. Buren Van enton . Court Pl. 25 Ellsworth St. Ellsworth St. Ave. 29 30 3 39 4 2 2 1 2 2 4 4 6 Brainard St. t Brainard St. h 34 38 31 33 A 40 27 2 v 3 e 3 8 . 5 4 Loom 23 is St. 1 Loomis St. 37 36 13 19 22 5 12 10 11 14 6 Sleig H Sleight St. ht St. 18 20 21 i 15 16 g 8 9 h 7 l 17 a n d A Wright St. Wright St. v e . “NHS” featured after the building’s address signifies that the structure has received a plaque for historic or architectural significance from the Naperville Heritage Society. 1 401 E. Highland Ave. NHS James L. Nichols Jr. Residence 1917 Harry Robinson, Architect Harry Robinson, chief draftsman for Frank Lloyd Wright during World War I, designed this house, along with 144 S. Sleight (Number 19) and 48 E. Jefferson. Characteristics of the Prairie School evident in this house include the low-pitched roof with projecting eaves, and casement windows with geometric patterns grouped into horizontal bands. Nichols was a three-term mayor of Naperville and the son of James L. Nichols (who resided at 320 E. Chicago Ave., Number 4). He was associated with his father’s publishing firm and later, Kroehler Manufacturing Company. 2 329 S. Brainard St. Edward Everett Rall House 1920 Rall House has been the home of North Central College presidents since 1929, when the house was given to the College by Charles R. Rall to honor his brother, Edward Everett Rall, president from 1916 to 1946. The Colonial Revival house was originally built by Judge John Goodwin for his daughter, Mrs. Robert (Suzanne) Johnston. 17 became a six-flat apartment building. It was partially reconstructed 3 308 E. Chicago Ave. and completely rehabilitated in the style of the original 1876 c. 1895 residence and returned to a single-family home in 1998. This Classical Revival house takes its inspiration from the Federal 6 432 E. Chicago Ave. NHS Style of the 18th century. Adolf Hammerschmidt Popularized by the Columbian Residence Exposition of 1893, the Classical Revival appears in details such 1894 as the half-circular window in the pediment, and the entrance with fanlight and sidelights. The turret, decorative shingles, gabled roof, verandas and leaded glass windows are all elements 4 320 E. Chicago Ave. which define this house as James L. Nichols Sr. Queen Anne Style. Working from Residence Victorian pattern books, builder 1886 and client would create plans for flamboyant structures such as these. James L. Nichols was one of Naperville’s most prominent 7 144 S. Sleight St. NHS citizens. Active in civic and “Elmholm” educational affairs, he donated Rollo M. Givler Residence funds for the public library and for 1915 North Central College’s first Harry Robinson, gymnasium. A graduate of the College, professor, successful Architect business author and publisher, he was also one of the founders of This Prairie School Style house, along with 401 E. Highland the Naperville Lounge Co. (later Kroehler Manufacturing Co.). (Number 1) and 48 E. Jefferson, was designed by Harry Robinson, The dominating feature of this Queen Anne Style house is its chief draftsman for Frank Lloyd Wright during World War I. circular, three-story main tower facing the street. A second, Much of Wright’s influence can be seen in Robinson’s designs. smaller tower forms a third-story dormer window on the east side Givler owned and operated the Naperville Clarion, an early of the house. The wrap-around veranda and scalloped shingles Naperville newspaper. increase the ornate appearance of the house. A major addition on the east side greatly increased the size of the house in 1996. 8 120 S. Sleight St. NHS Benjamin J. Slick Residence 5 409 E. Chicago Ave. c. 1894 c. 1876 Reconstruction 1998 This is an example of the Folk Victorian Style which derived The Italianate Style looked to the elements from, but was less ornate than, many Victorian Styles country villas of northern Italy for including Queen Anne. These houses were often designed by the inspiration, and was characterized by rectangular massing, a low- carpenter and owner, who selected decorative elements from the pitched roof, heavy supporting brackets under the eaves, and many available pattern books and catalogues. Benjamin Slick elongated windows with elaborate hoods. George Reuss owned the and Joseph Kochly, former employees of Scott’s Store, opened Reuss State Bank on 135 S.