Three generations of the Hetherington household are answerable for the architectural design of greater than 100 houses on the town’s South Aspect.
This weekend, the Beverly Area Planning Association(BAPA) is partnering with the Ridge Historical Society to supply excursions of a few of these houses together with a photograph exhibition highlighting their work and impression.
In North Beverly alongside the Dan Ryan Woods, stand three houses all designed by the Hetheringtons. The household of architectural designers labored on greater than 100 houses in Beverly, Morgan Park and Mt. Greenwood. A brand new tour is highlighting a few of the houses and a few of the fascinating residents.
Occupied by Audrius Plioplys since 1999, one house on the tour was previously owned by Al Capone’s banker, John Bain.
“He was a really rich individual,” Plioplys stated. “Crucial banker in Chicago on the time.”
Bain occupied the house within the Nineteen Thirties and based mostly on data shared by Bain’s granddaughter and his personal private analysis, Plioplys believes Bain was visited by Capone’s “group” regularly.
“Because the melancholy set in and investments started tanking, the Capone group demanded all of its cash be taken out and Bain needed to assure it,” Plioplys stated. “The Capone folks would come over right here and threaten him, so he needed to get all his cash to them.”
When it got here time to pay up, Plioplys says he might consider just one place Bain would stash all the cash he owed.
“For those who’re going to have a handy place to cover cash … it could possibly be right here. The library is a pleasant place. You can discover nooks and crannies. I appeared, and there’s no money mendacity round or gold bars or something, but it surely’s possible there are secret compartments right here.”
From the sunshine fixtures to the fireside, to the glass within the double doorways, Plioplys has maintained the unique library in its entirety. However the house wasn’t solely occupied by Bain. It was additionally owned by the previous vice chairman of Basic Motors, Oscar Arnold. He’s accountable for lots of the house design.
As for the Hetherington household’s design model, researcher Tim Blackburn says there are many distinctions.
“The three generations cowl eight many years, in the event you embrace the third technology who lived near 2000,” Tim Blackburn says. “Within the ‘20s and ‘30s, they targeted on the revival model. Which go from Tudor to French eclectic to American Colonial … the Driscoll Graver home is a Tudor revival home. What makes them distinctive is their website … they’re constructed for his or her location.”
Whereas offering a window into Chicago historical past, the house additionally speaks to a tragic actuality for Black Chicagoans throughout this time.
“The covenants in 1928 … within the gross sales paperwork, the identical covenant would seem that the home is being bought with the understanding that the home would by no means be resold to anybody who was African American, with an exception for employed assist. Very clearly acknowledged.”
BAPA will offer a home tour Sunday, Could 15 at midday, tickets begin at $30.
Observe Angel Idowu on Twitter: @angelidowu3
Angel Idowu is the JCS Fund of the DuPage Foundation Arts Correspondent.
