Glessner House

Name: Glessner House
Address: 1800 S Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, US
Telephone: +13123261480
Price range: $
Rating: 4.6

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Glessner House

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Official page of Glessner House. www.glessnerhouse.org
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10/14/2026

The restoration of the parlor:

On October 14, 2011 – exactly 15 years ago – the restored parlor was opened to the public. Funding was provided by a bequest from Bunny Selig, gifts in memory of Aileen Mandel, and a grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. A highlight of the restoration was the recreation of the hand painted canvas wallcovering. These images by are from our new publication, H. H. Richardson’s Glessner House: A Guide Book available at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/online-store.

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10/12/2026

Columbus Day:

This elaborate, hand-carved medallion, with the head of Christopher Columbus at center, formed part of the decoration of a massive mahogany sideboard in the private dining room at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The piece was later acquired by John Jefferson Gibson (1851-1902), the official portrait photographer at the fair; his widow gifted it to Chicago artist Jack Simmerling, who bequeathed it to Glessner House in 2013.

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10/07/2026

Dear Rhoda!

On Monday, November 16 at 7:00pm, the Shakespeare Project of Chicago will appear at Glessner House to present “Dear Rhoda,” a theatrical reading with music. Inspired by the real-life letters of Chicago bookseller Jerry Nedwick, the play is set in the vibrant chaos of 1920s Chicago, where Jerry and Rhoda Katz find each other at the Dil Pickle Club – a bohemian haven for artists, radicals, and free thinkers in Chicago’s Towertown neighborhood. The performance is free of charge, but registration is required as space is limited. Register online at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/events/dear-rhoda.

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10/06/2026

Poe Readings
Join us on Halloween for our 38th annual Edgar Allan Poe readings, provided by . Tickets remain for the 8:00pm reading only. Hear classics such as The Raven and The Tell-Tale Heart as well as some of Poe’s lesser known short stories and poems. The perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit! Purchase tickets online at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/events/poe-readings

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10/03/2026

Photo Friday:

This week’s Photo Friday celebrates the 103rd anniversary of John Glessner presenting his children with leather bound copies of “The Story of a House.” Glessner wrote the book to document the history of the house and his interactions with architect H. H. Richardson. The prominent architectural photography firm, Kaufmann & Fabry Co., provided more than sixty images. Reprints of the book are available in our museum store and online at https://glessnerhouse.app.neoncrm.com/giftstore/product?id=12.

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09/30/2026

Haunted Tours!

Tickets are selling quickly for our popular Shadows on the Street: Haunted Tours of Historic Prairie Avenue. One hour tours will take place on Friday October 30 and Saturday October 31 with tours starting every 15 minutes beginning at 6:30pm. Learn about ghostly sightings, untimely endings, and the most haunted site in the neighborhood where the Philander C. Hanford house (shown here) once stood. Purchase tickets online at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/events.

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09/28/2026

Birth of Thomas Crapper:

Today we commemorate the 190th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Crapper, the founder of a British plumbing equipment company, and the holder of several patents for the improvement of the water closet/toilet. Urban legend mistakenly connects his name with a slang term for a toilet. The image shown here is taken from a reproduction box of toilet tissue, displayed in our guest bathroom.

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09/25/2026

Photo Friday!

This week’s Photo Friday celebrates the start of fall with this image of our Orange Glow Knock Out rose in the corner parkway planting bed. The brilliant orange coloring of the rose foreshadows the changing of the leaves as autumn starts to take hold in Chicago.

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09/24/2026

The Spiral Staircase:

In September 2016 – exactly ten years ago – a major project to restore the lower portion of the spiral staircase was completed, making the stairs usable for the first time in forty years. Partially seen here through the doorway, the staircase provided direct passage from the schoolroom to the children’s bedrooms, allowing their movements as needed without disrupting other activities in the house. Photo by .

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09/21/2026

Our accessible ramp!

Work is proceeding on our new accessible ramp inside the 18th Street entrance to the coach house. This view is taken from the sub-basement looking up towards the door, through the opening cut into the floor where the ramp will be constructed. Our thanks to the project team including REVIVE Architecture and Berglund Construction, and all the donors who made the ramp a reality!

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Address

1800 S Prairie Avenue
Chicago, IL
60616

Telephone

+13123261480

Website

http://www.glessnerhouse.org/

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