From Goldblatt's to Wieboldt's

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Glencoe's Wieboldt Estate

Chicago's North Shore's great estates were initially close to the lake and served their families as lake-breezed cooled summer homes.  If you can believe it, the area around Ravinia Park today was considered the country home location of choice for many prominent Chicagoans.   Once reliable rail service was brought north through what would become Chicago's North Shore, Chicagoans could consider living north of the city limits and still be able to commute to Chicago for their work.  Year-round North Shore living became more prevalent. 

We have discussed two Goldblatt family homes on the lake in Wilmette.  Now let's take a short train ride north to Glencoe to see how another Chicago merchant family lived.  

Glencoe was the chosen home for the E.F. Wieboldt estate.   Coincidently, this home like its Goldblatt counterpart in Wilmette, is also available for purchase today.

In the estate's area photo above, part of the building's left side is an addition to the original structure.  I have toured the home and found many many original design details still intact in the older section of the home.  It is quite impressive and certainly unlike new construction today. 

The Wieboldt Family

From the Village of Glencoe's website:

The Tudor Revival style was very fashionable following the first World War and an elaborate example, with leaded windows, gables and four imposing chimneys, was built for department store magnate E.F. Wieboldt in 1929. The architect was Ralph Edward Stoetzel, who himself lived in Glencoe for 50 years.

Company Founder William A Wieboldt

The retail chain was founded in 1883 by William A Wieboldt.  Upon is retirement his sons Elmer and Werner took over the company.   The home in Glencoe belonged to Elmer.  Elmer primarily focused on his role as Chairman of the Wieboldt Family Foundation which is still in existence today.

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Here is a 1943 Chicago Tribune article mentioning Elmer's retirement.