Dutch Colonials: An Endangered Species?

 The big news in preservation circles this week is that Frank Lloyd Wright's Frederick Bagley House, built in 1894, in Hinsdale, Illinois, is threatened. It is always pretty amazing that homes like this survive at all: nestled in construction-heavy suburban Chicago, no historic protections, and relatively obscure. So it isn't surprising when a home like this makes headlines in preservation circles when it comes on the market.

Image of the Bagley House from the Architectural Sketch Club Catalog. 

While Wright's early work is receiving a lot of attention, a Dutch Colonial style structure by his first Chicago employer will be disappearing without as much as a whimper. Earlier this year, Joseph Silsbee's Frederick Greeley House was sold by a buyer that will be tearing it down to build a new home on the precious spot of land. 

Frederick Greeley House, Winnetka, Illinois, built in 1888.

Greeley and his brother in law, Thomas Copeland, developed adjacent properties on a hillside overlooking Lake Michigan in Winnetka. The pair are (were) remarkable survivors in an area that saw much development and over-building. Copeland's home saw a mammoth addition put on over a decade ago so it should be around for a good while more. Still, the loss on any structure by Silsbee is distressing.

J. L. Silsbee's Thomas Copeland House (1888) prior to renovation. 

Silsbee designed several homes in this style and it is very likely that Wright worked on such structures while employed there. The sweeping roofs of these homes is a feature that Wright seemed to be drawn to in much of his early work and the expression of roofs in general dominated the appearance of his structures for decades after. 

One Silsbee structure that seems particularly in tune with Wright's Bagley design is the home for Judge Egbert Jamieson in Chicago. The main body of the home has a similar, almost typical, Dutch Colonial form, with a porch running across the front. What makes it relate more to the Bagley are two large round forms that are added to the overall composition. A huge circular porch was attached at the front on the southeast corner and an equally large circular library existed on the north side. These spaces seem almost idiosyncratic, like the polygonal room attached to the side of Bagley's residence.    

Egbert Jamieson House (1888) once stood on Newport Ave. in Chicago. It was demolished long ago.

On the inside, the current condition of the Greeley home is decent with significant renovations to the entry and porch and the main staircase has been obliterated. It isn't one of Silsbee's more elaborate designs but some rooms are intact and many of the 1888 fireplaces, with their blue tile surrounds, still remain. 

Greeley fireplace surround in a bedroom featuring tile with Dutch motifs.

A tile surround in the dining room of the Greeley house featuring Asian figures. 

These flourishes, particularly the Dutch and Asian motifs can be found in many other Silsbee projects. of this type. Some still exist at his Arthur Orr home in Evanston and a beautiful fireplace still exists in Oberlin, Ohio at his home for college treasurer, James Severance.

Silsbee's James Severance House, Oberlin Ohio (1893)

Living Room fireplace in the James Severance House.

A rendering of the Greeley House was created by Silsbee employee Henry Fiddelke. Fiddelke was no slouch of an architect himself, settling in Oak Park and practicing architecture there. He is responsible for much of the appearance of Forest Park's beautiful Madison Ave. commercial strip and followed up with many excellent residential projects in the surrounding communities.   

Henry Fiddelke's Seaman House, Oak Park, IL

Drawings by Fiddelke in Silsbee's office. The Frederick Greeley House is at the center.

The numbers of homes that exist by deceased architects are finite. It is obvious but seems to require stating: there won't be anymore. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. While only a select group might be considered great works of art, all of them have historical significance with excellent character and design. The Greeley House has been well documented, as is required by the community before its demolition, but that doesn't make the loss any more bearable.     

The Chicago area has been my home for just over 20 years and while here I have witnessed the demolition of many Silsbee structures. At this point, I am not so surprised when it happens.