National Register of Historic Places

Clarke, Henry B., House

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
May 5, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
71000290

About this property

The Henry B. and Caroline Clarke/Bishop Louis Henry and Margaret Ford House or Clarke-Ford House is a Greek Revival style home, now serving as a house museum in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Built around 1836, it is considered the oldest existing house built in Chicago. Henry Brown Clarke was a native of New York State who had come to Chicago in 1833 with his wife, Caroline Palmer Clarke, and his family. He was in the hardware business with William Jones and Byram King, establishing King, Jones and Company, and provided building materials to the growing Chicago populace. The house was built by a local contractor, probably John C. Rue, who later married the Clarkes' housemaid, Elizabeth (Betsy) Saunders. Originally built on a large lot near Michigan Avenue and 17th Street, it has been moved twice, most recently in 1977 to Indiana Avenue and 18th Street, near to its original location. In the mid-20th century, it was cared for by a church, its leader Bishop Ford and his wife, Margaret, who spurred its preservation as the city's oldest home. Its current location in a park and gardens is part of the Prairie Avenue Historic District in the Near South Side community area.

Location

1827 South Indiana Ave.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
41.85714, -87.62206

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Prairie Avenue District
Listed
0 mi
Glessner, John J., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Vesta Accumulator Company Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Kimball, William W., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
B.F. Goodrich Company Showroom
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Fort Dearborn Massacre August 15 1812
1812Early Republic
1.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Clarke, Henry B., House listed on the National Register?

Clarke, Henry B., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 5, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Clarke, Henry B., House?

Clarke, Henry B., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Clarke, Henry B., House?

The period of significance for Clarke, Henry B., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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