The Ghosts of Prairie Avenue
[William Kimball House (1892) & Marshall Field, Jr. House (1884) Solon S. Beman, architect /Images & Artwork:
designslinger]
Prairie Avenue on Chicago's near south side was once known as Millionaires Row, where
some of the city's wealthiest and most powerful businessmen built multi-roomed, servant-filled mansions. Today only a handful survive behind iron fences, the rest were demolished decades ago as the once upscale residential community gave way to industrial manufacturing.
[West side of the 1800 block of S. Prairie Avenue, July 11, 2009 /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
Along the west side of the street in the 1800 block, there is this an ornamental iron fence
fronting the Chicago Women's Park and Garden. The park was created on vacant city lots created by the destruction of the houses that once filled the block.
[Ornamental iron fence memorial, November 3, 2009 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
In recognition of the loss, the fence was built with insets approximating the location of
the original front entryway to the former mansions. Signage tells the story of what once was, and how things got to where they are today. In the 1970s when the city became interested in the former glory Prairie Avenue, this vacant land was meant to be an "architectural garden" filled pieces of buildings that had been torn down. I remember when there were huge sections of Corinthian capitals strewn among gravel and weeds. I'm glad that that park concept didn't happen. The insets defining the entrances to the former mansions and the placards telling of the streets sad destructive hsitory, give it enough of a weird graveyard feeling.
[East side of the 1800 block of S. Prairie Avenue, July 11, 2009 /Images & Artwork: designslinger]
In the kind of ironic twist that often accompanies urban history and change, the factories
that replaced the fine residences of a previous generation have themselves been replaced by the fine residences of the current generation. It's hard to believe that the mansion Marshall Field spent over $2 million to build in the 1870s stood where this row of townhouses now stand. Before these houses arrived a few years ago, a drab factory building stood here. One generations notion of progress replaced by another and then another. Life in the ever changing city.
See more about Prairie Avenue at: This Old Chicago House
Posted by designslinger at 6/15/2010 2:21 AM 
Categories: Cities, Architecture, Urbanism, History, Preservation
Tags: Chicago mansions Prairie Avenue urban development
Categories: Cities, Architecture, Urbanism, History, Preservation
Tags: Chicago mansions Prairie Avenue urban development
Funny, the millionaires' mansions in Chicago were thrown down to make way for factory buildings, while here in Syracuse, NY they were demolished in order to build glass box office buildings and parking garages. Unfortunately the undistinguished office buildings still stand with the majority of them more than half empty.
Out with the old, in the with new, and now with unrentable space, how long before these buildings bite the dust? Will they be replaced by townhouses like the ones on Prairie Avenue?! Ah, the cycle of the city.