| Hampton House | |
|---|---|
 (October 2006) | |
 Interactive map of Hampton House | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Architectural style | beaux-arts/historism |
| Location | 5300 South Shore Drive |
| Construction started | 1917 |
| Completed | 1918 |
| Height | 155.35 ft |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Newhouse & Bernham |
TheHampton House is a residentialcondominium located in theHyde Park neighborhood ofChicago,Illinois on the property that once housed theHyde Park House, a hotel built by Hyde Park founderPaul Cornell in the 1850s. The property was originally named theSisson Hotel when constructed in 1918.
| Cornell's Stone | |
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Cornell, a successful lawyer, businessman and real estate speculator, purchased 300 acres (1.2 km2) ofLake Michigan lakefront land between 51st and 55th Streets inHyde Park Township (six miles south of downtown Chicago). The land was also adjacent to theIllinois Central Railroad. Cornell employed a common speculation strategy of the day by developing near rail depots. Cornell took the extra step of lobbying for the placement of a local railroad passenger station that opened in 1856. He parceled small plots and dedicated a small lakefront park that is further discussed below. He constructed a hotel, The Hyde Park House, in the 1850s near the planned rail depot in order to introduce travelers to a new suburb that provided escapes from the cities. This became an especially successful speculation strategy as an escape from the blight and devastation of theGreat Chicago Fire that was to come 1871.
The 4 story Hyde Park House was a popular summer respite for a clientele who had the time and money for extended stays. The recently widowedMary Todd Lincoln even stayed there with her sons. It also served as host toPrince of Wales,Albert Edward during his 1860 visit to Chicago. It served as the focal point of Hyde Park social life. However, little white collar work took place in these suburbs at the time. Nonetheless such commerce formed an economy of its own by employing service workers and attracting the cashflow of guests. Within 10 years of its initial development the town population grew past 1000 residents including numerous former guests of the hotel. The hotel burned down in 1879.
TheSisson Hotel, was constructed in 1918 on the site ofPaul Cornell’s firstHyde Park House hotel opened in 1857, which had been destroyed by fire in 1879 at Lake Michigan and 53rd Street. It is credited as the first high rise on theSouth Side of Chicago excluding buildings associated with theWorld's Columbian Exposition. It was constructed adjacent to Lake Michigan before the landfill projects that moved the shoreline eastward and eventually cleared the way for the construction ofLake Shore Drive. In 1923, proprietorHarry W. Sisson was linked to theKu Klux Klan by theAmerican Unity League, which resulted in a boycott byCatholics andJews. The reaction was a movement to urge Klansmen to stay at the hotel.[1]
The Sisson was later renamedHotel Sherry. During theBig band era, Hotel Sherry hostedDuke Ellington and Jewish weddings.[1] As the Sisson and Hotel Sherry it was a popular lakefront host toAmerican League opponents of theChicago White Sox. By the 1970s the Hotel Sherry became theSherry Apartments.
In 1979, the building was converted to the Hampton House Condominium.Harold Washington resided there while he served as an Illinois Congressman and later as the firstAfrican-AmericanMayor of Chicago.[2] It is a brick exterior building with a basement, a mixed use ground floor and 11 completely residential floors. The building's street address was 1725 E. 53rd Street at one time according to City of Chicago tax records. The building's address became 5300 S. South Shore Drive before its conversion to a condominium in 1979. Many large buildings in this region of Hyde Park were converted from hotels to condominiums in the later part of the 20th century, which has left the entire south side of Chicago devoid of high class hotel accommodations. However, this is changing with the Hyatt Place hotel andmixed-use development at 53rd Street and Lake Park Avenue, two blocks to the west.[3]
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41°47′58″N87°34′58″W / 41.799503°N 87.582772°W /41.799503; -87.582772
