Glessner House

Hutchinson Street Tour
Explore the Hutchinson Street landmark district during our annual walking tour on Saturday, September 12, from 11:00 to 1:00pm. The 700 and 800 blocks of Hutchinson display a stunning array of late 19th and early 20th century homes, including several by George W. Maher. Interior tours of St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church and the mansion now occupied by Haymarket Books are also included. Purchase tickets online at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/events/hutchinson-street

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Motor Row Tour
Limited tickets remain for our next Motor Row tour this Saturday, August 8, from 10:00 to 11:30am. This walking tour down South Michigan Avenue explores the largest intact early “automobile row” in the country with stunning showrooms clad in terra cotta and the 1936 Illinois Automobile Club by Philip Maher, shown here. Purchase tickets online at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/events/august-motor-row-walking-tour

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Friday, July 31 – Photo Friday
This week’s Photo Friday features four stunning photographs of the red poppies in bloom at The Rocks, the Glessners’ former summer estate in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. Portions of Frances Glessner’s formal gardens, planned by Frederick Law Olmsted and his sons, remain in place and are cared for by staff and volunteers with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, which now owns the property. Photos by Joyce Carter.

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John Sharp concert:

Join us for our next classical concert in the courtyard on Monday, August 10 at 6:00pm when John Sharp, principal cellist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, will be joined by his wife, violinist Liba Shacht. Bring your blanket and chairs, picnic basket, and your favorite beverage and enjoy wonderful music in this beautiful and intimate space. Purchase tickets online at https://www.glessnerhouse.org/events/courtyard-concert/john-sharp.

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Photo Friday!

This week’s Photo Friday shows a beautiful tile designed by the British ceramicist William De Morgan (1839-1917), one of dozens used to decorate the fireplace in the parlor guest room. The tile is an example of his lustreware, which features a rich iridescent finish resulting from the deposit of metal oxides in the surface glaze of the tiles during firing.

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Cornerstone
Exactly 140 years ago today – July 22, 1886 – the corner stone was placed in the house. It contained a copy of the New Testament hermetically sealed in a tin box. The question remains – where was it placed? The Glessners only make a couple of passing references to the corner stone, but nothing that identifies its exact location.

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Vintage Car Show:

A huge thank you to the thirteen automobile owners who participated in our vintage car show this past Saturday, July 18, on the 1800 block of South Prairie Avenue. Hundreds turned out to see these beautiful cars dating from the 1920s to the 1950s. The photos shown here depict some of the elaborate hood ornaments including Buick, Auburn, Packard, Franklin, Pierce Arrow, and Rolls-Royce. Photos by Bob Kudder.

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