3142 S Aberdeen in Bridgeport. A rare example of a residence
Chicago has a large number of buildings clad in the same olive green and white glazed brick.
For those “archi” types living in Chicago, this is no secret. The mostly commercial building trend appeared around the late 1910s and continued into the 20s. A Chicago Soujourn did three write ups about them in 2012. There they speculated that the use of white originated from a desire to appear hygienic in a sooty Chicago. Otherwise they had been unable to find any more solid information. I regret to inform readers that I haven’t been able to find any new discoveries in the intervening 11 years. Like I’m doing now, other commentary on them seems to just reference the same ACS series above.
This map is even more volatile than the typical CBA map. While there are currently 80 buildings listed on the map, there are many more out there. Also, in the six years that I’ve been keeping an eye on them some have been reclad in a different scheme (gentrification gray?) and some demolished. I have left them on the map but used a different icon. If anyone is aware of a building that isn’t on the map or has been changed, let me know!
Each marker includes:
- Date of construction – Chicago Building Footprints, Sanborn Fire Maps, or a real estate site. An X means is wasn’t present in the source
- 1928 tenant – Polk’s Chicago Numerical Street and Avenue Directory (1928-1929). This can give us a general idea of what was in the building in its early green & white life.
- Current use – as of August 2023
Contact me for half or full day custom guided rides and gift certificates, or use The Map to plan your own ride, run, or walk.
Sources: A Chicago Soujourn, Chicago Building Footprints, Polk’s Chicago Numerical Street and Avenue Directory (1928-1929), Evanston Directory, building/X icons from Icons8
Contact CBA for a custom guided ride that includes some of these sights and for gift certificates for the cyclists in your life. Also, have a look at The Map, where you can plan your own ride, run, or walk around Chicago.