Prairie Avenue Walking Tours

Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00pm

September 14 and September 28, 2008

Starting point: Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (enter on 18th Street)

$15.00 per person - $10.00 for Glessner House Museum members

RSVP to 312.326.1480; reservations recommended as group size is limited

Explore the fascinating history of Chicago's Prairie Avenue on this two-hour walking tour through the neighborhood.  Led by Bill Tyre, Executive Director of the Glessner House Museum, the tour will cover almost 200 years of history, from the tragic Fort Dearborn Massacre of 1812 through the recent rebirth of the area as Chicago's (and the country's) hottest real estate market.  Historic photos of homes that have been lost - including the residences of George Pullman, Marshall Field, and Philip Armour - will be shown as the group heads down the street, examing the eleven houses that remain in the area.  Interior tours of the last surviving house on Calumet Avenue, now functioning as the Wheeler Mansion boutique hotel, and the incredible Arts & Crafts interior of historic Second Presbyterian Church will be included. 

Lecture on 19th Century Chicago Furniture

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Reception at 6:30pm, Lecture at 7:00pm

Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (enter on 18th Street)

$15.00 per person - $10.00 for museum members

RSVP by September 3 to 312.326.1480

Decorative arts expert Rolf Achilles will present a fascinating look at furniture designed by Isaac Scott, August Fiedler, William LeBaron Jenney and others in the late 19th century, and how the designs were unique to Chicago while also reflecting broader national trends.  Co-sponsored by the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Victorian Society in America.

Three Centuries of South Side Architecture and History

Saturday, September 20, 2008, 10:00am - 2:30pm

Starting point:  Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (use 18th Street entrance)

Free of charge, families welcome

RSVP to 312.567.5025

Walk, bike, skate, or take a trolley to visit more than a dozen architecturally significant sites on the near South Side.  Begin with coffee at the Glessner House, follow the map provided to explore other treasures and conclude with hot dogs on the campus of IIT, where you can attend a symposium on future building plans.  Co-sponsored by the Mies van der Rohe Society.  Visit www.mies.iit.edu for more details.

Avery Coonley House Tour

Saturday, September 27, 2008 at 10:00am

281 Bloomingbank Road, Riverside

$50.00 per person - $40.00 for museum members

Pre-paid reservations required by September 19 to 312.326.1480

Enjoy this rare opportunity to tour one of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential masterpieces.  Constructed in 1907-1908, the estate consists of several buildings on a beautiful lot along the Des Plaines River.  This 90-minute tour will include the main house and gardens, and the recently restored stable complex and walled garden. The tour will be led by the current homeowners, who have spent years on a meticulous restoration.

Lake Forest Cemetery Tour

Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 1:00pm

Meet at the cemetery gate at north end of Lake Avenue in Lake Forest

$10.00 per person

RSVP by September 26 to 312.326.1480

Explore one of the most beautiful and historic cemeteries in all of Chicagoland.  This special tour, led by Tina Strauss, will examine the lives of prominent business and social leaders, with a special emphasis on those with a connection to Prairie Avenue and the Glessner family.

Haunted Tours of Prairie Avenue

Friday October 31 and Saturday November 1, 2008

7:00 and 8:00pm each evening

Starting Point:  Glessner House Museum coach house

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (use 18th Street entrance)

$10.00 per person - $8.00 for museum members

Reservations recommended, call 312.326.1480

Costumed docents will lead you on a 45-minute walking tour as they recount tales of untimely endings, strange sounds, and unexplained sightings as you explore Prairie Avenue after dark!

22nd Annual Edgar Allan Poe Readings

Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 5:00 and 8:00pm

Glessner House Museum

1800 S. Prairie Avenue (use 18th Street entrance)

$25.00 per person - $20.00 for museum members

Reservations required, call 312.326.1480

A shiver down your spine, a light brush against your arm.  Squirm in your seat as actors from Lifeline Theatre present staged readings of Poe's terrifying stories and poetry.  A holiday favorite! 

This year's performance is in memory of Page Hearn (1959-2008) who portrayed Edgar Allan Poe at the Glessner and Clarke Houses from 1987 to 2006. 

Glessner House Museum is located in the South Loop at

1800 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616

312/326-1480, Fax 312/326-1397

Many of our programs are partially supported by a CityArts 3 grant from the

City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and

the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.