Tour showcases five private homes and historic Morgan Park Academy Alumni Hall
Step inside five uniquely beautiful homes in one of Chicago’s most historic neighborhoods when the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) hosts a fall version of the popular Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour on Sun., Sept. 26. Tours start from Morgan Park Academy, 2153 W. 111th St., with tour check-in, will call and ticket sales from 12 to 3 p.m. Home Tour locations are open 12 to 5 p.m., and all tours must begin by 3 p.m. Masks and social distancing will be required inside Home Tour locations.
Home Tour attendees will get a rare chance to walk through each outstanding site for an up-close look at the details of design, decorating, art collections and lifestyle that make each home a unique example of gracious living in Beverly/Morgan Park.
Alumni Hall, a stately neo-Gothic building on the campus of Morgan Park Academy, is where all Home Tour participants will check-in to receive their maps and booties. Open for viewing during the Home Tour are the Academy’s historic dining hall with original murals and distinctive architectural details, and the upper school library which features a vaulted ceiling, grand fireplace, wraparound mezzanine and elaborate woodwork.
Step Inside Private Homes
Private residences showcased on this year’s Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour are:
A spacious North Beverly Prairie Style home, beautifully remodeled to open the floor plan while preserving stunning original details. Perfect for a busy young family, this home features a large sunny kitchen remodeled for beauty, hospitality and efficiency; a lovely foyer from which guests can be welcomed into the living room, dining room, kitchen or the second floor; a brand-new covered outdoor “family room” complete with TV and fireplace, plus plenty of space for seating and serving, added during last winter’s COVID lockdown.
A handsome Craftsman house where the lovely woodwork, beveled glass windows, and interior French doors from 1927 meld seamlessly with vintage style new wainscoting, built-ins, and decorative materials. In the kitchen, freshly painted cabinets and new backsplash and counters create a welcoming spot for cooking and entertaining. Upstairs a child’s bedroom features a beautifully hand-painted menagerie of zoo animals. Downstairs, the basement was completely remodeled during COVID, the new TV and unique horizontal fireplace as the centerpieces.
An iconic American Foursquare built in the early 1900s with updates that both transformed the floor plan for today’s family lifestyle and restored original details lost to decades old renovations remains a beautiful and comfortable home. The home’s original stone foundation is notable as well as the lovely blue stone porch floor. In the living room, the new fireplace, mantel and tile have been built to replicate the style and quality of the originals. The dining room and kitchen were opened up to create a roomier family space, and a sliding door was added for easy access to the two-level outdoor deck. Cabinets, fixtures, and building materials were selected to reflect the home’s historic ambience.
A charming cottage style home set atop a hilly corner and filled with character from its solid foundation to its distinctive slate roof. This cozy home reflects the creativity and lifestyle of the youthful owners who have made simple but exciting changes to expand small spaces while respecting the original beauty of this house. Organic colors and textures bring a uniquely appealing efficiency to the small kitchen. Memorabilia, instruments and accents add a lively look to the music room. Throughout the house, distinctive patterns in new and original wallpapers and tile contribute statements of color and style.
A Spanish Revival house built in 1929 invites visitors to enter through a stone turret into a lovely living room with a 20-foot beamed cathedral ceiling. The house stands out as an example of how mindful renovation and new construction can complement both historic preservation and a contemporary lifestyle. Arched windows and doors and textured plaster walls beautifully display the Spanish influence in the original section of the house. The two-story addition, completed between 2017 and 2019, includes the garage, kitchen, and master bedroom and bath.
Experience Our Hospitality
At each house, Home Tour visitors are invited to enjoy experiences, demonstrations, floral designs, and tastings from local businesses that add to the fun of the day. Among these experiences are food tastings from Chef Won Kim of Kimski, an eatery featuring Korean Polish street food in Bridgeport; beverage tastings from Open Outcry Brewing Company and Goose Island Beer; and interior design and floral stylings from Steuber Florist & Greenhouse, City Grange of Beverly, Redberry, RMH Design, and Erin Cox of Oak & Bloom.
For more than four decades, BAPA’s Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour has been opening the doors to some of the neighborhood’s most remarkable private residences. Home Tour tickets are $25 in advance online at www.bapa.org The price increases to $30 on the day of the tour. Home Tour tickets are not refundable. Home Tour locations are open from 12 to 5 p.m. All tours are self-guided and must begin by 3 p.m.
Thank You Sponsors!
As a community based not for profit organization, BAPA depends on the generosity of our sponsors to present all of our special events. Please thank and support our Home Tour sponsors: Mike Haggerty Buick-GMC, County Fair Foods, OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center, Beverly Bank, Beverly Hills Animal Hospital, Kier Foot & Ankle, Uhlmann Inc., Molly & Associates Real Estate, Southtown Health Foods, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 19th Ward Youth Foundation, First In Realty Executives, The Beverly Review, Smith Village, Open Outcry Brewing Co., Steuber Florist & Greenhouse, City Grange, Redberry, Kimski, Oak & Bloom, RMH Interiors + Design, Goose Island Beer.
For more information about the Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour or Beverly Area Planning Association, contact BAPA, 773-233-3100 or bapa@bapa.org, or visit www.bapa.org.
