Chicago Historic Schools: A Great new Website documents over a century of vital buildings and their architects

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I was out in Humboldt Park over the weekend taking pictures of John Ronan's new addition to Erie Elementary Charter School - which I hope to write about tomorrow, in time for the school's Thursday Open Doors Benefit and Open House and Reception -  when, just in the next block, I encountered the splendid 1884-1893 Alexander von Humboldt Elementary . . .

Renovated as recently as 2008, the structure now stands empty, one of the 54 schools closed this year by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.  Searching on Google for more information, I came across this informative history of von Humboldt on Chicago Historic Schools, a site I had never encountered before.

And here's why:  it's brand new, and it's terrific.  A collaboration between Frances O'Cherony Archer, Chicago Park District historian Julia Bachrach, Elizabeth A. Patterson, architect Bill Latoza, supplying many historical images, and the Art Institute's James Iska and Brooke Collins adding contemporary photographs.

A group of passionate historians and architects produced this website; they are not affiliated with Chicago Public Schools.

The schools they document represent some of the most important architecture in the city.  Few may make the standard architectural guidebooks, but they are both very fine buildings in their own right, and the kind of structural anchors that define the character of their respective neighborhoods.  They are time capsules of Chicago's architectural and social history, and Chicago Historic Schools fills out their stories to a depth not previously available.

There's also profiles of  22 school district architects, from the somewhat well known Dwight Perkins, a member of the Steinway Hall gang whose innovative work including such schools as Graeme Stewart, Trumbell and Schurz.  The facade of his former office across the Water Tower survives today as an upscale fashion boutique.  

Far more rare are profiles of 22 school district architects from Louis Sullivan's mentor, John H. Edelmann, to August Bauer, Frederick Baumann, Paul Gerhardt and more. If it consisted of nothing more than these architectural biographies, Chicago Historic Schools would be an invaluable website.

There are currently 24 structures on Chicago Historic Schools, with more to be added in the future.  There are also pages on three lost buildings.   Two of the existing schools on the site - von Humboldt and Perkins's Trumbull - now stand empty as part of this year's great wave of closings.  The advocacy of the �passionate� group producing Chicago Historic Schools  has not only produced a great addition to the record of Chicago's architectural heritage, but their advocacy stands to increase awareness of the irreplaceable value of vital, historic structures that are increasingly being treated as  disposable.

� James Iska

No Maas Tuesday, but Stroik, Hillebrand, Mars (Roman) Holy Name, Mischa Leiner, Bill Latoza, John Norquist and more - New Additions to the April Calendar!

We've just added over half a dozen more great items to the April Calendar of Chicago Architectural Events.

First the bad news:  MVRDV's Winy Maas has cancelled his Tuesday lecture at UIC, to be rescheduled this Fall.  However, that afternoon, architect Duncan G. Stroik will be at Fourth Presbyterian Church for the Society of Architectural Historians/Chicago Chapter (registration was officially closed last Monday, but if you're motivated, engage your inner resourcefulness.) 

This Wednesday, April 10th, the Graham has a panel discussion on The Artist as Philanthropist: Artist-Endowed Foundations as a New Force in Cultural Philanthropy.  This Saturday, the American Planning Association kicks off its five-day 2013 National Planning Conference at the Hyatt Regency.

On Thursday, the 18th, Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in Oak Park hosts 99% Invisible's Roman Mars, while on Friday the 26th, the IIT Armour College of Engineering will be at Maggiano's Little Italy with a lecture by Richard Kristie of Wiss, Janney, Elstner on The Repair of Holy Name Cathedral, and on Saturday the 27th at Francis Parker, Argonne Lab's Don Hillebrand will talk about Chicago: A Leader in Energy and Technology Breakthroughs.

This week, Mischa Leiner of CoDe will be at UIC on Monday the 8th, Bill Latoza discusses Walter Netsch's Legacy in Chicago's Parks for Friends of the Parks at the Cliff Dwellers on Tuesday, the Congress for the New Urbanism's John Norquist will talk about The Market Embraces Urbanism at CAF lunchtime on Wednesday.

And there's much, much more, this week and beyond.  When we first put up the calendar, we said we had over 50 items.  Now, we're a week into the month and we still have over 50 great items.  Check out the April Calendar of Chicago Architectural Events.