| Address | 2019 N. Stockton Drive, Chicago, IL |
|---|---|
| Built | 1908 & 1888 |
| Architect | Perkins & Hamilton (refectory, 1908); Joseph Lyman Silsbee (comfort station, 1888) |
| Status | Designated Chicago Landmark |
| Designation Date | February 5, 2003 (Final)City Council Journal of the Proceedings, p. 103529 |
| Neighborhood | Lincoln Park |
| Type | Park and landscape |
| Landmark ID | L-189 |
Interior spaces protected by this designation
- all exterior elevations, including rooflines, of both the Refectory and Comfort Station; the Great Hall of the Refectory; the primary interior circulation spaces leading to the Great Hall, including the Stockton Drive entrance hall and staircases; the historic configuration of the South Pond where it is adjacent to and closely associated physically and visually with the Refectory; and the historic Perkins-designed lightposts embellishing the grounds near the Refectory.
Direct quotes from the Chicago Landmark Designation Report
“The South Pond Refectory (now known as Café Brauer) is an outstanding example of Prairie-style design and is an important example of this world-renowned architectural style, which originated in Chicago and its suburbs.”
“The designs of the Refectory and Comfort Station reflect changing artistic attitudes about park architecture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, moving away from picturesque architectural styles, derived from medieval and vernacular architecture, to innovative modern styles such as Prairie, for which Chicago architects were the principal proponents.”
“(The architects for the restoration were Lawrence B. Berkley & Assocs., Meisel & Assocs., and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Assocs.) Since that time the Refectory, now called Café Brauer after its original tenant, has become one of Chicago's most popular places for parties, weddings, and other special events.”
“Both are listed as contributing buildings in the National Register of Historic Places nomination for Lincoln Park, and the Refectory is individually listed on the National Register as well.”
“As Architect for the Chicago Board of Education from 1905 to 1910, Perkins designed a number of innovative schools, including Schurz High School (top right) and Cleveland Public School (bottom).”
“Dwight Perkins, the architect of the Refectory along with his partner John Hamilton, is a significant early 20th-century Chicago architect, designing prominent buildings in progressive, non-historic architectural styles reflecting the influence of the Prairie architectural style developed by several innovative Chicago designers, including Frank Lloyd Wright, George Maher, and Walter Burley Griffin.”
“Dwight Heald Perkins (1867-1941) was a social progressive dedicated to the improvement of Chicago. Born in Memphis, he moved to Chicago at the age of twelve. He worked for several different architectural firms, including D. H. Burnham & Co., where he managed the office during the absence of Burnham while the latter was supervising the construction of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.”
“Sniderman, Julia, Bart Ryckbosch, and Laura Taylor. "Lincoln Park.” National Register of Historic Places nomination form, 1994. Sorell, Susan Karr. “Silsbee: The Evolution of a Personal Architectural Style." The Prairie School Review, vol.”
“Working in the Prairie style, both Simonds and Perkins wanted to remake Lincoln Park as an environment that was aesthetically pleasing, yet not beholden to historic concepts of "beauty." During this time, Perkins designed a number of buildings for Lincoln Park and other parks controlled by the Lincoln Park Commission, including the South Pond Refectory.”
“Above the Stockton entrance, the building has large recessed panels ornamented with geometric patterns formed by red paving bricks set in white mortar. A simple flat clock decorates the South Pond elevation.”