From an “Irish castle” on Logan Boulevard to a church that’s been converted into one large single-family home, the 2018 Logan Square House Walk will give participants a glimpse inside some of the neighborhood’s most unique and architecturally significant buildings.
Organized by Logan Square Preservation, the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 and provide tours of eight homes as well as the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church (2614 N. Kedzie Ave.)
“These homes all have their own unique history and unique character,” said House Walk Committee Member Shana Liberman. “Their stories will be revealed during the tour.”
One of the best tales undoubtedly belongs to a three-story Greystone on Logan Boulevard near California Avenue (pictured above). The home was built in 1907 by Anna Ryan, the widow of First Ward Alderman Michael Ryan.
The Ryan home was designed by local architect John Ahlschlager (whose other projects include the Logan Theater) to resemble an Irish castle that Anna and Michael Ryan remembered from their native country. The building was recently converted from a 3-flat into a single-family home, and its owners were honored with Logan Square Preservation’s annual Preservation Award for their efforts to maintain the integrity and history of the interior and façade.
Participants will be able to tour the home and learn more from a staff of talented volunteer docents.
According to Liberman, the biennial house walk is a significant undertaking that involves close to 100 volunteers, eight “house captains,” and more than six months of preparation. The event typically draws upwards of 1,000 people, and registration is already on pace to surpass previous years.
The 2018 event will kick off at the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, near the Logan Square Blue Line stop, where participants can pick up tickets and tour maps. Advanced pre-sale tickets are available for $25 until Sept. 4. Tickets purchase afterward will be $35.
This year’s house walk will also feature a “hop on, hop off” trolley and a collection of more than 60 vintage cars parked along Logan Boulevard.
Tickets and more information are available on the Logan Square Preservation website.
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