Lake Forest Estates Tour

Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 2:00pm

$125.00 per person

Prepaid reservations required by May 15, 2008 to 312.326.1480

This very special fundraising event will feature tours of two of the finest estates in Lake Forest - Bagatelle (designed by Edward H. Bennett as his personal residence in 1916) and the William E. Clow, Jr. house (designed by David Adler in 1927).  The tour of Bagatelle will be lead by historian and author Art Miller, and the tour of the Clow house will be led by David Adler expert Stephen Salny.  An elegant reception on the terrace of Bagatelle will follow the tour. 

Chicago's Historic Prairie Avenue

Booksigning and Exhibit Opening

Friday, June 6, 2008 at 7:00pm

Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (enter on 18th Street)

$25.00 per person - $20.00 for Glessner House Museum members

RSVP by June 1, 2008 to 312.326.1480

Join us for the release of the first book to focus specifically on the fascinating history of Chicago's Prairie Avenue.  Author Bill Tyre will be on hand to sign books and to give a Powerpoint presentation featuring some of the most intriguing stories uncovered during the writing of the book.  In addition, a large exhibit of photographs and other materials relating to the street will be unveiled that evening and will remain on display through the summer.  Copies of the book, published by Arcadia Press as part of their Images of America series, will be available for sale, as will the companion Postcards of America booklet, containing fifteen images from the book reproduced as postcards.  All royalties from sales of both books will go directly to support the Glessner House Museum.

A Walk Through Time - Annual Benefit

Sunday, June 8, 2008 from 1:00 to 5:00pm

Starting point: Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (enter on 18th Street)

$50.00 per person - $40.00 for Glessner House Museum members

RSVP to 312.326.1480; tickets will also be available for sale at the door

Bring your friends and family members for this rare opportunity to step inside some of Prairie Avenue's most historic residences.  Free tours of the Glessner and Clarke houses will be offered along with interior tours of several private homes on and around Prairie Avenue.  Tours of historic Second Presbyterian Church will also be featured.  A silent auction and reception will follow the tour at 4:00pm in the Glessner coach house, where the newly installed exhibit Chicago's Historic Prairie Avenue will be on display and signed copies of the new book of the same name will be available for sale.

Treasures from the Glessner Collection

Special MEMBERS ONLY Event

Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 7:00pm

Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (enter on 18th Street)

RSVP by July 11, 2008 to 312.326.1480

Glessner House Museum members will be treated to a rare opportunity to see some of the most important and interesting items in the collection.  Many of these items are in collections storage and never visible to the public, such as H. H. Richardson's original pencil sketch of the floor plan for the house, quickly drawn between dinner and dessert while dining with the Glessners the day after first viewing the lot in 1885.  Others, such as the Abraham Lincoln mask and hands (shown above) are on display, but are situated well behind the ropes, making a detailed examination difficult.  Objects representing the broad range of the collection from architectural drawings to textiles, and books to decorative objects will be discussed and on display for close inspection.  A special treat just for members.  Light refreshments will be served.

Prairie Avenue Walking Tours

Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00pm

July 13, July 27, August 10, August 24, September 14, September 28, 2008

Starting point: Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (enter on 18th Street)

$15.00 per person - $10.00 for Glessner House Museum members

RSVP to 312.326.1480; reservations recommended as group size is limited

Explore the fascinating history of Chicago's Prairie Avenue on this two-hour walking tour through the neighborhood.  Led by Bill Tyre, Executive Director of the Glessner House Museum, the tour will cover almost 200 years of history, from the tragic Fort Dearborn Massacre of 1812 through the recent rebirth of the area as Chicago's (and the country's) hottest real estate market.  Historic photos of homes that have been lost - including the residences of George Pullman, Marshall Field, and Philip Armour - will be shown as the group heads down the street, examing the eleven houses that remain in the area.  Interior tours of the last surviving house on Calumet Avenue, now functioning as the Wheeler Mansion boutique hotel, and the incredible Arts & Crafts interior of historic Second Presbyterian Church will be included. 

KAMII Synagogue/Goodman House Tour

Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 11:00am

Meet at KAMII Synagogue, 5045 S. Greenwood Avenue, Chicago

$25.00 per person - $20.00 for Glessner House Museum members

Prepaid reservations required by August 10, 2008 to 312.326.1480

Group size limited to 30

Parking available in lot immediately north of synagogue

Use parking lot entrance, do NOT enter by front doors

This tour will feature two architecturally significant sites located in the Hyde Park neighborhood.  The Byzantine style KAM-Isaiah Israel Temple, a Chicago landmark, was designed by Alfred S. Alschuler in 1923 and completed the following year for the Isaiah Israel congregation, which in the 1970s merged with Kehilath Anshe Ma'ariv (KAM), the oldest Jewish congregation in Chicago.  The octagonal shaped building features an 80 foot dome supported by eight free-standing pillars.  Guastavino tiles, stained glass windows by the Emil Frei Art Glass Company of St. Louis, and the ark, crafted from Italian travertine marble and brilliantly colored mosaics, define the richly appointed interior.  The home of lumber magnate and theater donor William O. Goodman, located across the street, was designed in 1892 by the firm of Treat and Foltz.  The Colonial Revival residence, built of buff brick and stone, contains a lavish interior featuring heavily carved wood mouldings, elaborate cast plaster ceilings, and magnificent stone mantels.  A highlight is the third-floor ballroom with dark paneling and trim in the Jacobean style with matching stone fireplaces at either end.  A reception in the garden will follow the tour.

Glessner House Museum is located in the South Loop at

1800 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616

312/326-1480, Fax 312/326-1397

Many of our programs are partially supported by a CityArts 3 grant from the

City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and

the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.