Image Courtesy HAARGIS.
This beautiful mansion was located at 4152 Sheridan Rd. It was once the Coombs (Rowland) Funeral Home, and in the 1940s it was purchased by St. Mary's for use as a parish clubhouse. The first parish carnival was held on the grounds. What's located there today? You guessed it, condos. The below image was captured from Google street views. You can see the top of the tower at St. Mary's at the far upper right.
Image Courtesy HAARGIS.
I have pictures of the demolition of the home if anyone wants to see them. Respond here . . .
ReplyDeleteJeff--I would love to see them. Please e-mail them if you get the chance; I can post them here. Do you remember what year it was torn down?
ReplyDeleteIt was torn down approximately 1999. Perhaps a year later.
ReplyDeleteBy that time it was in horrible shape.
I actually like the condos that replaced it.
Much better looking than the typical new construction building.
Pirate, my guess was 2000, just based on when I moved to this block. I agree that the condos there are better than most!
ReplyDeleteMy dad's funeral was at Rowland's. Also, beleive it or not, I met his brother (a cab driver) totally by coincidence while on a business trip to Ireland! I'd like the demolition photos too.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the movie Flatliners, which was filmed in Chicago. There is a seen in the play/parking lot of St. Mary's at the school entrance off Buena. When they pan around, you can see the venerable Rowland's, and finally Kevin Bacon standing with the el as a backdrop.
ReplyDeleteThat’s amazing. I’m grew up on buena, saw that movie when it came out, and had no idea s movie was filmed in my backyard.
DeleteI'm not really sure, but I think ROWLANDS was used in the beginning of the BLUES BROTHERS, check and see for yourelf
ReplyDeleteThis was originally (and for many years) the home of Arthur Jerome Eddy, a brilliant lawyer, art collector, author of fiction ("Ganton & Co."), law, economics (much work on monopolies and "combinations" - see Harvard Law Review, 1901), and art criticism (a 1904 biography of Whistler).
ReplyDeleteHe was a friend of the artist James A. McNeill Whistler, and Whislter's portrait of Eddy hangs at the Union League Club. Eddy was responsible for bringing much modern art enthusiasm to Chicago via the 1913 Armory Show of modern art and owned much himself - much left to the Art Institute in the Arthur J. Eddy Memorial Collection (works by Albert Bloch, Kandinsky, Arthur Dove, etc.) When he died in 1920, just as Prohibition had begun, a large and valuable collection of fine cognac and wines (Madeira from 1840, Chateau Lafite from 1878, etc.) was found in his basement cellars at this home of Sheridan.
Eddy was the first person in Chicago (Illinois ?) to receive a driver's license in 1900. He set a distance record for driving 2900 miles across the US & Canada in 1900 as well.
In Feb, 1999, Martin Tangora of Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois tried to save this historic house, but sadly failed. I blame Helen Shiller for the loss of this and many other buildings in our area with her public statements that "just because it's old doesn't mean it should be preserved" and her other uneducated attitudes and cultural barbarism.
I am writing a biography of Arthur Jerome Eddy and have been trying to find photos of the house at 4152 Sheridan when he lived there from 1898-1920. If it's not too late, I would be interetsed to see Jeff's photos of the demolition of the house and suggestions from anyone of where I could find more photos. Perhaps Dan has more info? Eddy's widow lived there until 1931.
ReplyDeleteIn the book "Landmarks and Legends of Uptown", there are three pictures of the home, 1900, 1925 and 1979. I also have pictures of the demolition.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks kkcny! I'll follow up when I come to Chicago again to do further research on Arthur Jerome Eddy.
ReplyDeleteI lived in an apartment on the top floor from 1964 to 1967. I helped book funerals and hosted many a funeral. It was called Rowland Home For Funerals. I attended church across the street at Saint Mary of the Lake Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteLet’s not forget the Cubs Ball Park is just blocks away!
Bob and Mary Rowland took excellent care of the huge house. The flocked wallpaper (very popular at the time) was updated or cleaned yearly. The carpets were cleaned or updated often. Every room had crown molding, made of solid mahogany.
The caskets we’re transported by a dumb waiter from the first floor to the ‘casket viewing’ room located on the third floor. From my apartment, I could enter the casket room.
Bev T.
I’m a bit confused about the description… I grew up here, and now live here again: funerals were still taking place there when I was a kid in the nineties. Our neighbor had a service there.
ReplyDeleteI also lived in the basement of the funeral home while attending Worsham College (1972-73). Loved and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Bob Rowland was the best to work for,..always patient and generous. Kind-of sad to think He as well as the building are all gone now. Still have the good memories to look back on.
ReplyDeleteI also lived on Buena...at 921 W Buena...I guess it's a Public Library now...I used to hang out at the TV shop a few doors down from Rowlands Funeral Home...Every once in a while I would help more a casket up...or down the stairs or from room to room...the people at Rowlands were very nice...I left Chicago in 1971/2 after graduating from Senn HS...
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