The Best Streets in Wicker Park for Architecture Lovers

We’ve found some of the best Architecture in the Wicker Park neighborhood and created a tour as well as a list of the featured houses with pictures. For anyone visiting Holiday Jones in the coming months, we recommend taking some time and walking around the neighborhood. Follow our tour and check out some of the most beautiful homes that are part of the Wicker Park Historic District

 

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Pierce Avenue

Part of the Wicker Park Historic District and feeding right into Wicker Park, Pierce Avenue has several Victorian style homes built from 1884 to 1903.  Some notable addresses include:

2137 W. Pierce Ave. – Designed and created in 1888 for Notable German businessman Hermann Weinhardt. Fun Fact: in the winters they would flood the front yard for ice skating.

photo of 2137 W. Pierce Ave. in Chicago

2137 W. Pierce Ave. Notice red bricks along with green limestone and intricate masonry on roofs

2138 W. Pierce Ave. – Right across the street from the 2137 home, is a house with elaborate wood carvings throughout the entire exterior. There is some morbid history involved with this house as a prominent Polish businessman/politician committed suicide in this house shortly after the stock market crash in 1929. After this incident the house was used as a consulate for Poland.

Photo of 2138 W. Pierce Ave. Chicago

2138 W. Pierce Ave. Chicago. Served as Polish Consulate in early 1900’s

Schiller

Many of the homes built along Schiller St. were constructed between 1873 and 1903. (a 2 minute walk from the homes mentioned above on Pierce St.)

1959 W. Schiller St. – Actually a double home originally built for a Doctor and a Captain of a ship. During the 1920’s, it was used as a boarding house, but has since been restored back to a double home.

Photo of 1959 W. Schiller St. Chicago  - 2015

1959 W. Schiller St. Chicago – 2015

1941 W Schiller St. – Known in the Wicker Park Neighborhood as “The Wicker Park Castle”, It is considered a Queen Anne Design. While the massive columns look to be marble, they are actually polished granite.

Photo of 1941 W. Schiller St. Chicago Il - 2015

1941 W. Schiller St.

Hoyne 

Formerly known as the Beer Baron row, Hoyne street was housed some of the wealthiest German Brewers in the country. Built between 1868 and 1905, many of the mansions have been restored.

1407 N. Hoyne Ave. – At one point the largest house in Wicker park (1880). Continuing with the beer theme on Hoyne street, this house was built for beer merchant John H. Rapp. If the walls could talk, they would tell you about How Mrs. Rapp went insane, Mr Rapp was murdered by his female accountant,  and the son was convicted of embezzlement. For those interested in the Architecutre, it is of the Second Empire Style

Photo of 1407 N. Hoyne Ave. Chicago - 2015

1407 N. Hoyne Ave.

1558 N. Hoyne St. – Another Queen Anne style home built in 1877. The Trim you see on both towers was inspired by the great Chicago Fire. Wonder why there is a big cannon out front?  At one point the house was owned by the American Legion and is just a relic.

Photo of 1558 N. Hoyne St. Chicago - 2015

1558 N. Hoyne St.

 Evergreen

1958 W. Evergreen Ave. – Nelson Algren the Author of A Walk on the Wild Side and the Man With the Golden Arm lived on the third floor of this house.

photo of 1958 W. Evergreen Ave.

1958 W. Evergreen Ave.