Last time I walked by, the tree in front of the Dewes House was blooming, framing the caryatids. A swell address, originally built for a German brewer, it exudes baroque style, inside and out.
I’m glad these historical old mansions survive, but this one, however beautiful, stirs desolation in me. It needs a Kickstarter project to bring it new life–a period drama should be filmed inside it, concerning the original immigrant brewer (41 years of age when he popped for this place) and his family. I can almost see his restless daughters peering out at me!
Finding ways to live with vestiges of the past can be challenging. This house was put up for sale in January for $12.5 million, I believe. Even real-estate groupies admit that as a habitation it might be too much like living in a museum.
Harley says
I’ve driven by that house a number of times. There is a legend/rumor that, after the original owners moved, it became a very fancy and upscale brothel.
Celia says
The house has “film me” written all over it.
Chas Spain says
How charming – I love the romance of these French style buildings. At first I thought the pair of statues were hanging from the tree like welcoming decorations or escaping children.
Celia says
For catyatids, these do look surprisingly weightless! I think it’s kind of cool that this was style that the German brewer chose. . . it says a lot about his social aspirations and perhaps even a little bit about his soul.
Chas Spain says
Hi Celia- Yes – it’s such a statement of confidence. There are some rare examples in Australia of this style and exuberance such as the beautiful Shamrock Hotel and Post Office in Bendigo which were built in the height of the goldrush – found some nice photos here: http://trevorstravels.com/the-hotel-shamrock-bendigo-victoria/
Celia says
Lovely pictures of the hotel–thanks. Isn’t it fascinating that such styles were replicated around the world? Plus, I love historic hotels of that kind–the smaller ones–where you can soak in the atmosphere of those earlier times. . . A great one for that is Aspen’s Hotel Jerome. . .
KWHannaford says
I could have sworn the Dewes House did appear in a movie, but I can’t think of which one. For a moment I thought it might have been Brian de Palma’s The Untouchables (1987), which includes shots of many great Chicago buildings, but apparently not. I like your idea of a film about the original immigrant brewer.
I’ve always fantasized about a joint, bi-lingual German-American production of a movie about the Haymarket riots—a fictional drama about Haymarket, not a documentary. It would be a monumental, costly undertaking, but, if well done, would be amazing!
Celia says
Wow–love the idea of a Haymarket movie, especially if it could include all perspectives, including that of people like Mr Dewes, who obviously identified with the city elite and probably abhorred anarchism. His kind were the same people who later saw to it that all the statues of notable Germans were put in nearby Lincoln Park. . . .
Fascinating idea, KW!
KWHannaford says
Definitely envision it including all perspectives, including the likes of Mr. Dewes! Including interesting characters and developing those characters would be very important.
Celia says
Hey, have you ever attended one of the Haymarket reenactments? I stumbled across this the other day.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagogeek/5688026487/
K W Hannaford says
Interesting! Thank goodness they didn’t take reenacting as far as some groups do!
Celia says
I’ll say.
thetalentedmsvik says
LOL, judging by the angle, I think you’re standing pretty close to my home!
Great pic. It’s a gorgeous place. I know that it gets used for private parties and things of that nature. I can only imagine what it must be like to be able to walk around and explore it.
Celia says
Gee, you live in a lovely part of town. I would love to see the inside, too. I happened to find this article on the Huffington post about it, which includes a narrated video of the interior. The place has the most amazing ceilings! I wish it could become a house museum–it is fabulous.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/frances-j-dewes-house-for_n_2140390.html#slide=1765135
Thanks for writing in!
Celia
Tricia says
Thanks for the picture. I lived not far from there in my infancy.
Celia says
I’m glad you enjoyed it; one of the unexpected joys of this blog is hearing from former Chicagoans. Did you hang around long enough to go to school here, I wonder?
Thanks for writing in!
Celia
Tricia says
We moved over to Andersonville in 1965, I was 5 at the time and lived there until adulthood. My father was scandalized by the hippies that were moving into Old Town at the time, imagine that! Lincoln Park was very different then, but I have very fond memories of my infancy there.
Celia says
Fascinating. A friend of mine told me that back in the 60s and 70s Lincoln Park and Old Town were much less expensive, so that artists, musicians and journalists could afford to buy houses and raise their kids there (on a single income yet).