The Charnley... Persky House Architectural History and the Society It has long been the dream of members of the early phase of Wright's career as a architecture ofthe Chicago area and ofthe the Society of Architectural Historians to domestic architect. The powerful centrality Midwest. At the same time, as Henry­ have a major work of American architec­ of the hearth, on axis with the front door, Russell Hitchcock pointed out many years ture as their headquarters. That day has and the brilliance of the stairway design ago, the building also entered a national come. In April of this year Seymour H. reveal elements of Wright's genius that architectural discourse that came to a head Persky gave the Society funds with which to appear in many later buildings. The house in designs for the World's Columbian Expo­ purchase the James Charnley House at reflects, too, the regional consciousness that sition in 1893. The inset balcony at the 1365 North Astor Street in Chicago. At informed much of the domestic and other second level ofthe Astor Street elevation is their meeting in Seattle, the Board ofDirec­ tors voted to rename the building the Charnley-Persky House in honor of this extraordinary benefaction. Mr. Persky's gift is one of outstanding generosity. He has given the SAH a landmark building of international importance and a modellabo­ ratory for architectural history, historic pres­ ervation, and urban history. Most readers ofJSAH are well aware of the significance of our new building. The Charnley House was designed in 1891 by the firm of Adler and Sullivan, where the commission was assigned to a rising junior member of the firm, Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright, indeed, later claimed that he alone was the designer of the Charnley House. But is that the case? Historians still dispute which architect had primary responsibil­ ity--ourfirst puzzle-andweigh the impor­ tance ofthe building for the careers ofthese giants ofAmerican architectural history. Could Sullivan deserve primary design creditfor the building? Not generally known for his work as a domestic architect, Louis Sullivan nevertheless imprinted his ideas on the construction, massing, and orna­ ment of the Charnley House design. In­ deed, his experiments in tall office building and mausoleum design, specifically the Wainwright Building in St. Louis and the Ryerson and Getty tombs in Gracelimd Cemetery, Chicago, demonstrate the use of interlocking yet discrete masses in two very different building types that recall the Charnley commission. But Wright'S own projects in these same years bear remarkable similarities to the form of the building. In many ways, the Charnley House was a dress rehearsal for Charnley-Persky House, Chicago, view ofthe stairwell. (Photo: Merrick, Hedrich-Blessing, Chicago) 276 J5AH / 54:3, 5EITEMBER 1995 a case in point. McKim, Mead, and White's bors in the coastal resort community of An extensive restoration ofthe building Century Club building of 1891 incorpo­ Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where Sullivan was completed in 1989 by the architect rates the same motifbut treats it in a vastly designed adjacent winter retreats for him­ John Eiffier for the Skidmore, Owings and different manner. The ghost ofHenry Hob­ selfand the Charnleys in 1890. Merrill Foundation, which used the build­ son Richardson lurks here as well, through Later users need consideration, too, in ing as its headquarters from 1986 until his designs for the Glessner House and the our model history laboratory. For example, 1994. Many importantchangeswere under­ Marshall Field Wholesale Store in Chicago. two generations oftheJames Waller family, taken in that restoration, most notably the The Richardsonian motif of the semicircu­ real estate developers with interests in build­ removal ofthewing that had been added to lar arch and the placement of the main ings within this same block of North Astor the south of the building in the 1920s. We stairway behind one ofthose ground-floor Streetas well as throughout Chicago, owned are fortunate that most ofthe interior con­ arches suggest that Richardson continued the house for the longest period of time, figuration has been maintained through to influence the Chicago architectural scene. from 1918 to1969. They made the most the past century. But other projects remain The materials used in the Charnley significant changes to the property, includ­ for the SAH to consider. For example, House are also important, and a study of ing extending the building to the south, paint research conducted at the time ofthe them tells us much about the building expanding the kitchen, and adding bed­ SOM restoration was not employed for the technology of the time. The Indiana lime­ rooms and sleeping porches. The renters interior finish ofthe building. stone base, the. tawny Roman brick of the who preceded the Wallers and the indi­ How the SAH should preserve the upper stories, the wooden balcony and viduals and institutions that have followed Charnley-Persky House is now being dis­ columns on the main elevation, the central them need to be studied too, to appreciate cussed and debated and your thoughts and skylight coverinng the middle third of the fully the evolution of this house and its opinions are welcome. The board ofdirec­ building, and even the Chicago common environment. tors passed a resolution at the meeting in brick of the rear or east elevation of the The location of the Charnley-Persky Seattle clarifying that the building is to be building are characteristic of both Sullivan House, at the comer of North Astor and used as our headquarters and not adminis­ and Wright. On the interior, the beautifully Schiller streets, places the building in one tered as a historic house museum. Neverthe­ carved mantelpieces in the drawing room ofthe most affiuent neighborhoods ofChi­ less, as much as possible, we shall want to and dining room recall the organic orna­ cago. The land on which the house stands share this extraordinary house with all of mentation employed by Louis Sullivan. The was part of a larger parcel that Charnley you as architectural historians and enthusi­ extraordinarily attenuated spindles of the purchased from Potter Palmer, whose man­ asts for old buildings. How we accomplish staircase demonstrate oak stretched into sion then stood on the eastern side of this these goals will be a balancing act to be screens of lines, making the stairwell itself block. Charnley subdivided his parcel and choreographed in the months ahead. In an exercise in architectural sculpture. sold off lots to others, who built single­ any event, Seymour Persky has given the All that beautiful woodwork is no sur­ family residences and an apartment build­ SAH a case study in architectural history prise, of course, because the commission ing. Thus, the mixed-scale pattern that with more questions than answers, or with came from a family whose money had been is so apparent in this neighborhood today many answers to some questions. Best of made in the timber industry. James Charn­ was established in the period ofthe house's all, as the Society stretches to meet the ley was a partner in the firm of Bradner, construction. When the Astor Street His­ challenges and opportunities our new head­ Charnley and Company and several succes­ toric District was created in 1976 to prevent quarters poses, we will learn important sor firms. The Charnleys had built an ear­ the construction of more tall apartment lessons about the process and purpose of lier and larger house to the designs of buildings, the single-family residential scale, architectural history. Burnham and Root in the mid-1880s. Sulli­ admittedly established for a wealthy clien­ KEIT1-I MORGAN van and the Charnley's were winter neigh- tele, ofmost ofAstor Street was preserved. President, Sociery ofArchitectural Historians EDITORIAL 277.