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EDWARD AYER HOUSE Edward Ayer was another one of several lumberman who built in the Gold Coast.  In his case he made a great deal of money selling railroad ties and other materials to the ever expanding RR industry.  He had significant land holdings in Arizona and Mexico, and was an amateur anthropologist with a…

EDITH ROCKEFELLER McCORMICK HOUSE Although it was commonly referred to as the Mrs. Edith Rockefeller McCormick residence, this house located at 1000 N. Lake Shore Drive was built in 1883 for Nathaniel Jones, a prosperous member of the Board of Trade.  He was described as “one of the wealthiest and most successful businessmen in Chicago.”  …

MR. and MRS. POTTER PALMER Potter and Bertha Palmer could be considered the archetypal Chicago power couple.  Potter was a successful businessman in commerce and real estate.  Bertha was an accomplished musician and writer, adept at politics, and a skilled administrator.  She was the president of the Board of Lady Managers of the 1892 World’s…

When Potter Palmer decided in 1882 to build his new home on North Lake Shore Drive he indelibly altered the course of real estate development among the wealthy and prominent citizens of Chicago. What started as sandy marshland on the lakefront soon became the most desirable and expensive property in the city. However its success…

Welcome to “A Prairie Avenue Companion: The HPZS Blog”. We’re glad you could join us! There’s no mistaking that the incantation of “Prairie Avenue” conjures up thoughts of Chicago’s Prairie Avenue District, and “Prairie School” the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Harnessing that association as inspiration, our firm’s founder, Wilbert Hasbrouck, and his wife Marilyn,…