Learning about the history of our community can not only be eye-opening, but exciting for all ages. The Chicago area is overflowing with history and is becoming more and more of a global, thriving metropolitan area everyday, with people from far and wide coming to live, work and study. A trip to the Charles Gates Dawes House, which is just a mile from our Evanston luxury apartments, is a must for any history buff, offering much to discover just a bit north of Chicago.
Tours
Admission to the Dawes House includes a tour of the nostalgic home once owned by former vice president Charles Gates Dawes, who served under President Calvin Coolidge. All tours are led by a knowledgeable docent who guides guests through the house while sharing tidbits and facts about Dawes, his home and his family’s lives inside of it. You’ll be led through both the first and second floors to take a gander at the various pieces of furniture, artwork and many artifacts from the early 1900s. Docent-led tours take place on the hour at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm Thursday-Sunday and last just 45 minutes.
Interior
The Dawes House is three and a half stories and contains 25 rooms, six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and 11 fireplaces. You’ll see a Louis XIV-style parlor, library, great hall and a dining room that all incorporate elements of English Renaissance Revival style. The interior has oak- and mahogany-finished cherry wood accent along with ornamental plasterwork, marble mantelpieces, grand staircases and other unique interior design elements that hearken back to a time with a more ornate style.
Exterior
Built in 1894, this unique Chateauesque-style lakefront mansion sits on 2-acres of beautiful landscape. The Dawes House is constructed primarily of orange and tan brick and showcases many variations of rural French architecture. This historic Chicago house is surrounded by gardens and lake views which is a sight to be seen at any time of year—even in the winter. Take Chicago Ave. north to Greenwood St. from our Evanston luxury apartments.
Exhibits and collections
The second floor of the Dawes House is home to the Milestones and Memories permanent exhibit. The exhibit traces the history of Evanston from its earliest foundations through where the community stands today using archival materials, documents and other historical artifacts to tell the story of the people who lived in the area. There are also a series of rotating exhibits that highlight different eras throughout Evanston’s history.
History
Charles Gates Dawes and his family lived in this historic Chicago home from 1909-1951. The Dawes House, now a historic museum, showcases the life of Dawes and the community of the past. As for Dawes himself, he earned the 1925 Nobel Peace Prize for his World War I plan to alleviate the burden of war reparations on Germany. And as mentioned before, he also served as vice president under Calvin Coolidge as well as the ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Hoover. The Dawes House is now a designated National Historic Landmark and is owned and operated by the Evanston History Center. The Dawes House is an easy five-minute drive from our Evanston apartment rentals.
Plan your visit:
225 Greenwood St.
Open 1-4pm Thursday-Sunday
Admission is 0, children under 10 are free
847-475-3410
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