Beverly: The Prairie School

Beverly is distinguished by its rich variety of housing styles clustered along a prominent ridge line, extending from 87th Street south to suburban Blue Island. Land speculators were drawn to this rare natural elevation in a flat city, with railroad executives and other real estate developers leading the charge in the 1870s and 1880s. The completion of a commuter rail line soon followed and the 1890 annexation of Beverly by the City of Chicago accelerated the area’s growth. Pleasant Ave and Longwood Drive boast a high concentration of residences by influential architects—with a collection of Prairie Style houses to rival Oak Park. Get to know some of the standouts on this two-mile route. Audio commentary is provided by Eleanor Gorski, CEO & President, Chicago Architecture Center. Audio engineering by Prize Beagle Recording.