Unique History of 1205 N Ridgeland Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302
Technically, 1205 N. Ridgeland is a Side Entrance Colonial.
It has also been called a "Frangalow" which is a combination of Frank
Lloyd Wright influence during the popular era of Bungalows. It is
not a Chicago Style Bungalow
from a architectural standpoint or even a Bungalow from dictionary
definitions. A Chicago Style Bungalow is typically
classified by having one-and-a-half stories. This home
instead
has two full stories plus a scuttle attic and a gambrel roof. The
aspects of a Chicago Style Bungalow which DO characterize this home
include:
- Built between 1910 and 1940
- Generous windows
- Full basement
- Modern amenities (including central heat, electric and plumbing)
- Rectangular in shape
- Roof line is perpendicular to the street
- Brick with stone trim
The first American house to be called a bungalow was designed in 1879
by William Gibbons Preston. Built at Monument Beach on Cape Cod,
Massachusetts, the two-story house had the informal air of resort
architecture. However, this house was much larger and more elaborate
than the homes we think of when we use the term Bungalow.
Bungalow defined by most dictionaries are explicit: a bungalow is a one or one-and-a-half
story dwelling. Nevertheless, the period when most bungalows were
constructed "roughly 1880 to 1930 in the United States" literally
every type of house has at one time been called a bungalow. Two-story
houses built on the grounds of hotels are still called bungalows, for
example. And to further muddy the definition, the great Southern
California architect Charles Sumner Greene went out of his way to call
his Gamble house (1909) in Pasadena, Calif., a bungalow. Instead, the
Gamble house is a sprawling two-story residence with a third-floor pool
room.
In 1900, to usher in a new century, Americans were also creating new
styles. Historians claim that only 10% of the homes built at the
turn of the century used a combination of architectural styles.
But the Sears homes in the early 1900s were "marketing something to the
broad population," said Paul Lusignan, spokesman
for the National Register of Historic Places. Their blueprints
were hybrids of what was popular during the 32 years of the house by
mail boom --
Craftsman-style bungalows, Dutch colonials, mansard roofs.
This home at 1205 N Ridgeland Ave, Oak Park, IL was
also a hybrid. The original glass door knobs are Victorian (1840-1900) and a few metal door handles are Art
Nouveau (1890-1914). The built in bookshelves, art glass windows and two panel doors are typical Craftsman Bungalow (1905-1930). The bow brick bump outs on the North side of the house are modifications of typical Queen Anne (1880-1910) bay windows. The stairway is
traditional Colonial Revival (1876-1955). And the cross-gambrel roof is by definition Dutch Colonial Revival (1890-1930). The arched doorways and
the bookshelves would typically be considered Art
Nouveau (1890-1914)
for a house built before 1930. However, these arches were not original
to the home. They were modifications as a result of the Art Moderne (1930-1945) influence. The design and construction techniques of Art Modern were highlighted at the 1933 Chicago's World Fair.
Disclaimer:
This web page was created by Ruth Johaningsmeir on October 28, 2007.
This information was gathered by a combination of sources throughout the Internet.
The information is not guaranteed
to be correct but is believed to be accurate.
Please verify all
information independently before relying on this data.
Links may be updated on different dates.
This web page and information is listed for the owner as marketing material.
Ruth Johaningsmeir has never lived in this home and is not the current owner.
Updated November 12, 2008
