View of the former Perry H. Smith residence that once stood on the northwest corner of North Pine Street (soon to be renamed to Michigan Ave) and East Huron Street, photograph taken on 9/3/1911, photographer: Mr A. Whiting Watriss. Built after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and demolished: 1918, torn down for Michigan Avenue improvement and widening. Probably the most significant house built on Pine Street in the nineteenth century was that of Perry H. Smith mansion, a white marble-clad structure with a slate-covered mansard roof and a prominent central tower. Inside the Perry H. Smith residence was a little theater in addition to the usual reception rooms, and, in the butler’s pantry, three faucets over a sink: one for hot water, another for cold water, and the third, in the center, for sparkling Champagne.
In a letter written by Martha Freeman Esmond to her friend Julia on January 1, 1880, she wrote:
The Smiths’ new house is at the corner of Pine and Huron Streets, just around the corner from us, and is what can be truly termed a "mansion." We had attended their recent house-warming, but were nothing loath to go again to see its splendor better.
The exterior is very striking, quite different from its neighbors. Martha Junior and her friends say it looks like a large cake, with one slice cut out. This is because it is entered by a semi-circular portico at the corner. On the night of the party, this portico was encircled with canvas and from this enclosure extended two tunnels of canvas, one of which led to Pine Street, and the other to Huron Street. Across the street was placed a calcium light, for the convenience of guests. It illuminated the corner brilliantly.
From the portico the entrance is into an octagonal ballroom, which is carried up to the top of the house, and is finished in carved dark wood of some kind. The floor is of beautiful marquetry. The most striking feature of this hall is a clock lately received by Mr. Smith from Paris. The case is onyx and almost three feet high, I should say, serving as a pedestal for the statue of a female figure (draped, I am glad to say) between four and five feet high. This strikingly beautiful statue is of silver bronze. One hand, held high, is grasping a spindle, the lower end of which, working in a wheel, forms what Will calls the "escapement" of the timepiece. It is quite a novelty.
The decorations were elaborate. Smilax was festooned in the doorway between the hall and the salon, and in the center of the doorway hung a huge horse-shoe made of red and white carnations. The fireplace was filled in with foliage plants. I thought it would have been pleasant to see a fire in it, but many people put plants in their fireplaces now, because the steam heat makes the room comfortable without any further warmth. One of the beautiful objects in the salon is a circular bronze table resting on a gilded base. The top of the table bears around its circumference fourteen paintings of floral designs in Sevres porcelain, of Madame de Maintenon, Madame Pompadour, Madame Sevigne, and other celebrated French women. The center of this remarkable table consists of Sevres porcelain, on which Bacchus is a chief figure. Will thinks Bacchus would have had a good time at the parry last night, for Mr. Smith is said to have an arrangement in the butler’s pantry … a faucet such as is used for hot or cold water, and from this, at parties, gushes champagne. I don’t know whether this is talk, or not, but Will said someone told him it is true. Opposite the door leading into the salon is a bust of Proserpine, by Hiram Powers. The Smiths have the largest private collection of marble statues in Chicago.
The bedrooms, which were used as dressing rooms last evening, are done in the latest style. I noticed that the one in which I removed my wraps, and others into which I glanced, as we passed the doors, were furnished with brass beds having canopies of crimson silk. On the third floor is a fine theater (not just a ball-room, for it has all the appurtenances for private theatricals) and here the young people danced to their heart’s content, the orchestra playing seated on the stage. Downstairs there was another orchestra playing for those who did not care to dance, but promenaded and talked.
Photo and description taken from the Facebook group Forgotten Chicago.
niftyjack says
View of the former Perry H. Smith residence that once stood on the northwest corner of North Pine Street (soon to be renamed to Michigan Ave) and East Huron Street, photograph taken on 9/3/1911, photographer: Mr A. Whiting Watriss. Built after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and demolished: 1918, torn down for Michigan Avenue improvement and widening. Probably the most significant house built on Pine Street in the nineteenth century was that of Perry H. Smith mansion, a white marble-clad structure with a slate-covered mansard roof and a prominent central tower. Inside the Perry H. Smith residence was a little theater in addition to the usual reception rooms, and, in the butler’s pantry, three faucets over a sink: one for hot water, another for cold water, and the third, in the center, for sparkling Champagne.
In a letter written by Martha Freeman Esmond to her friend Julia on January 1, 1880, she wrote:
The Smiths’ new house is at the corner of Pine and Huron Streets, just around the corner from us, and is what can be truly termed a "mansion." We had attended their recent house-warming, but were nothing loath to go again to see its splendor better.
The exterior is very striking, quite different from its neighbors. Martha Junior and her friends say it looks like a large cake, with one slice cut out. This is because it is entered by a semi-circular portico at the corner. On the night of the party, this portico was encircled with canvas and from this enclosure extended two tunnels of canvas, one of which led to Pine Street, and the other to Huron Street. Across the street was placed a calcium light, for the convenience of guests. It illuminated the corner brilliantly.
From the portico the entrance is into an octagonal ballroom, which is carried up to the top of the house, and is finished in carved dark wood of some kind. The floor is of beautiful marquetry. The most striking feature of this hall is a clock lately received by Mr. Smith from Paris. The case is onyx and almost three feet high, I should say, serving as a pedestal for the statue of a female figure (draped, I am glad to say) between four and five feet high. This strikingly beautiful statue is of silver bronze. One hand, held high, is grasping a spindle, the lower end of which, working in a wheel, forms what Will calls the "escapement" of the timepiece. It is quite a novelty.
The decorations were elaborate. Smilax was festooned in the doorway between the hall and the salon, and in the center of the doorway hung a huge horse-shoe made of red and white carnations. The fireplace was filled in with foliage plants. I thought it would have been pleasant to see a fire in it, but many people put plants in their fireplaces now, because the steam heat makes the room comfortable without any further warmth. One of the beautiful objects in the salon is a circular bronze table resting on a gilded base. The top of the table bears around its circumference fourteen paintings of floral designs in Sevres porcelain, of Madame de Maintenon, Madame Pompadour, Madame Sevigne, and other celebrated French women. The center of this remarkable table consists of Sevres porcelain, on which Bacchus is a chief figure. Will thinks Bacchus would have had a good time at the parry last night, for Mr. Smith is said to have an arrangement in the butler’s pantry … a faucet such as is used for hot or cold water, and from this, at parties, gushes champagne. I don’t know whether this is talk, or not, but Will said someone told him it is true. Opposite the door leading into the salon is a bust of Proserpine, by Hiram Powers. The Smiths have the largest private collection of marble statues in Chicago.
The bedrooms, which were used as dressing rooms last evening, are done in the latest style. I noticed that the one in which I removed my wraps, and others into which I glanced, as we passed the doors, were furnished with brass beds having canopies of crimson silk. On the third floor is a fine theater (not just a ball-room, for it has all the appurtenances for private theatricals) and here the young people danced to their heart’s content, the orchestra playing seated on the stage. Downstairs there was another orchestra playing for those who did not care to dance, but promenaded and talked.
Photo and description taken from the Facebook group Forgotten Chicago.
nescaff says
‘For champagne ?????
seamus21 says
No the man in the front yard is not freaky at all