1888 Victorian And Bavarian Gingerbread Home Of West Park Commissioner And Executive Of The Nieman And Weinhardt Table Company
The Hermann Weinhardt House is located at 2137 West Pierce Avenue in Wicker Park.
It was built in 1888 by architect William Ohlhaber for West Park Commissioner and executive of the Nieman and Weinhardt Table Company, Herman Weinhardt.
The house showcases the elaborate style of the late Victorian era.
Hermann Weinhardt: The Man Behind the House
Hermann Weinhardt was a wealthy German immigrant and a key figure in Chicago’s furniture industry.
As an executive of the Nieman & Weinhardt Table Company and a West Park Commissioner, he was a prominent member of Chicago’s high society.
Weinhardt chose to build his home in Wicker Park, a neighborhood known as the Ethnic Gold Coast and Beer Baron’s Row, where many affluent German and Scandinavian families lived.
A Queen Anne-Style Home
The Hermann Weinhardt House is a Queen Anne-style home with German-inspired designs that make it stand out.
During the late 1800s, new wood carving tools and available lumber allowed architects to create more intricate and colorful designs at a lower cost.
The house features detailed wood carvings, pressed metal decorations, colorful paints, molded bricks, and large windows.
The Hermann Weinhardt House Has A Rich History
Weinhardt lived in several homes on Pierce Avenue, but this one is particularly special.
In the 1890s, the Kramp family moved into the house and stayed until 1979.
The home was famous for its beautiful gardens and even appeared in a German-language guidebook for the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
The large yard was once flooded for ice skating.
Today, the Hermann Weinhardt House is a contributing property in the Wicker Park Historic District, recognized for its architectural and historical significance.
