A Historical Look at Ferdinand Wythe Peck, a South Loop Resident and Driving Force Behind the Auditorium Building
Ferdinand Wythe Peck's Home at 1826 S. Michigan
There has been a good amount of press about the well regarded Auditorium Theater and it's 125th anniversary.
The Sloop's historic Glessner Home used this occasion to do a blog post about an old South Loop resident who was instrumental in building the Auditorium theater:
Tuesday December 9, 2014, marks the 125th anniversary of the opening of Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Much has been written about the Auditorium Building, its magnificent theater, the architects Adler & Sullivan who designed it, and its importance in the history of American architecture. In this article, the 200th published to our blog since we began in January 2011, we shall look at the home of Ferdinand Wythe Peck, the driving force behind this monumental undertaking.
Later in the post the get to history of how Peck ended up in the area:
As work continued on the Auditorium Building, Peck engaged William LeBaron Jenney to design a new home for him at 1826 S. Michigan Avenue, in the exclusive residential district where many of his board members resided. The imposing structure, faced in Vermont granite, featured a massive four-story square tower over the entrance way at the north end, balanced by a three-story rounded tower to the south. The overall design was Romanesque Revival, later known as Richardsonian Romanesque in honor of its chief practitioner, Henry Hobson Richardson. Richardson had three structures underway in Chicago at the time including the Marshall Field Wholesale Store, and large homes for Franklin MacVeagh on North Lake Shore Drive, and the Glessner House at 1800 S. Prairie Avenue.
However, if you go history hunting now, you're going to come up empty handed:
The house fell to the wrecker's ball two years later, in 1969. Today the site is part of a large townhouse development known as Michigan Avenue Gardens, constructed in 1998. Peck's house may be gone, but his greatest achievement – the Auditorium – is his lasting and enduring legacy to his beloved city of Chicago.
Anyway a fun read for people who are interested in the history of the neighborhood.
Late Night Fire Torches 4 Businesses at State and ...
Sloopin's Top Trends in 2014: Civic Projects and I...
Sloopin's Top Trends in 2014: Real Estate Building...
Sloopin's Top Trends in 2014: Beer Making and Dri...
Shots Around the Sloop: Selective Highrises
The Blues Trail Gets a Spot in Grant Park
Happy Holidays from Sloopin!
Tribune Talks to South Loop Fashion Artist, Nick C...
Teatro ZinZanni Finally Moving Forward With Motor ...
Could Recent Round of Coring Samples at 817 S. Wel...
Shots Around the Sloop: Night Lights
Meet Dr. Freud, 2-year-old Male Shepherd Mix
Baderbrau Brewery Renderings for 2515 S. Wabash
Baderbrau to Open Brewing Facility at 2515 S. Waba...
Regus Group and Mago Grill & Cantina Sign Lease at...
South Loop Clocks in as the 2 Seed for the 2014 Cu...
A Historical Look at Ferdinand Wythe Peck, a South...
Burger Bar Shooting for End of Year Opening? Mass...
Updates From Mayoral Panel Tasked With Improving A...
Aurielo's Now Looking to Open in April; Will Feat...
Celebrate Chanukah with Chabad of South Loop at Ro...
Shots Around the Sloop: Peaceful Morning
Get Your Sloopin Hat-Tip T-Shirt!
Apartment High-rise at 1001 S. State Officially Mo...
Maggie Daley Skating Ribbon Opens Saturday at Nort...
Checking Out the New Grant Park Skate Park
The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant Releases Statemen...
Chicago Firehouse Restaurant Has "Extra-Alarm" Fir...
Sloopin (Michigan Ave) Retail Roundup: Openings &...
Fred Anderson Park Apparently Opens Just South of ...
18th Street Bridge Will Be Closed for 4 Months; O...
Traffic Light Apparently Coming to 14th and Wabash...
Shots Around the Sloop: A View from A Constructio...
Grant Park Skate Park Opens Today at 11am
Protesters Move Through the Sloop After No Indictm...
Sabon Opens at Roosevelt Collection
Nominate the Sloop for Curbed Cup 2014
Rockin Roll Nails Opening at Michigan and Cullerto...
Roosevelt Road Redo Taking Shape
CTA Gets Festive with Holiday Train and New Bus
Don't Forget You Can Get Sloopin Updates via Socia...