Sarah Buys & Sells
  • Real Estate
  • Client Reviews
  • Real Estate & History Blog
  • Architectural Photography
  • Website Design
  • Video Design
  • Contact

Real Estate
&
History Blog

Goldblatt Homes, A Pink Palace & Wilmette

6/22/2015

3 Comments

 
In my last post I showed you how Louis Goldblatt's Wilmette estate if for sale.   Located at 15 Linden in Wilmette, Louis' magnificent home was built in 1941.   Just a bit north of that home sat the home of his older brother Nathan, 612 N Sheridan Road.   Nathan's home was built by noted Chicago architect and developer Benjamin Marshal in 1921 for himself.   The home was unconventional as its original owner.  
Picture
Picture
Born in Chicago in 1874, Marshall lacked a formal architectural education but compensated with drive, imagination and social connections. He apprenticed for a Chicago architect, then set up his own shop after the century turned. One of his commissions, the Iroquois Theatre, was the site of a disastrous 1903 fire that caused the deaths of more than 600 people. Yet Marshall’s star continued to ascend.

Today we are surrounded by Marshal designs - The Blackstone and Drake Hotels, the South Shore Cultural Center,  the Edgewater Beach complex, and the Cuneo Mansion in Vernon Hills as well as several grand east Lake Shore Drive residences.

Built in 1921 -- not as a home but as a place to entertain lavishly, according to a 1948 Life magazine article-- Marshall’s 32-room, pink stucco Wilmette mansion (below) was outfitted with rooms for exotic partying, including a tropical garden and Egyptian solarium.

Picture
Picture
From the Benjamin Marshall Society Facebook Page:
"In designing his (1921-1924) home and studio in Wilmette, Benjamin Marshall gathered exquisite and rare objects and elements from all over the world.

This is the glass enclosed two-story garden and swimming pool, with a ceiling and windows that would open with the touch of a button.

The garden in the 75' x 110' x 50' space was lined with tropical palms, hanging ferns, and other rare plants. The swimming pool was lined with turquoise tiles from Algiers."
Marshall sold the place in 1936 to department store executive Nathan Goldblatt, including the interior furnishings as we see in this Chicago Tribune article about the sale.
Picture
Nathan Goldblatt's family lived in 612 N Sheridan from 1936 to 1948.   We can see in this 1948 Chicago Tribune article that the home was still pink and most likely still contained a number of Marshall's distinct furnishings.  It is my guess that the home did not sell so the Goldblatt family then offered it to Wilmette and the village shortsightedly turned it down.  
Picture
The former Goldblatt properties today:
Picture
3 Comments
SUSAN F SIMONS
6/22/2016 02:30:58 pm

How absolutely wonderful to have experienced this remarkable Chicago history and to share it. Thank you from a Chicago native.

Reply
Dean Weller
5/26/2018 02:20:59 pm

As child my parents were invited by my father's sister to a party at a mansion in down town Chicago near UIC. It was hosted by a scientist that worked at Arrgone National Laboratories named Dr. Adams. I believe around this time he was a director. I don't believe this is an issue. Dr Adams has long since passed away. I remember the mansion's white washed marbel walls busts and columns and the garden backdrop. As an adult I have very feint memories of it. The mansion in particular had a third floor reserved for parties. I was wondering if you might know which mansion it was and who was its architect?

Reply
Logan link
12/26/2020 10:29:38 pm

Thanks greaat blog

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    January 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    Categories

    All
    Evanston
    Glencoe
    Highland-park
    Kenilworth
    Lake Bluff
    Lake Forest
    Morton Grove
    Skokie
    Wilmette
    Winnetka

    Author

    Sarah Rothschild, Realtor & Architectural History Nerd.

    RSS Feed

Picture
Sarah Rothschild reviews
Picture
Picture
Sarah.Rothschild@cbexchange.com
847/361.9057
© 2022  Sarah J Rothschild
Photo used under Creative Commons from Danijel J
  • Real Estate
  • Client Reviews
  • Real Estate & History Blog
  • Architectural Photography
  • Website Design
  • Video Design
  • Contact