Chicago Landmarks
 

Dewes (August) House

August Dewes House, photo by CCL, 2004     Address: 509 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Year Built: 1894 - 1896
Architect:
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: March 9, 2005

August Dewes House front and side, photo by CCL, 2004 This lavishly ornamented house is one of a pair of architecturally complimentary houses built by two German-born brothers who were executives of the Standard Brewery in Chicago. (The other house, built for Francis Dewes and located next door at 503 W. Wrightwood Ave., is also a Chicago Landmark.) With its handsomely-detailed stone facades and distinctive mansard roof, the August Dewes House is an excellent example of the Second Empire style. Cherubs, angels, seashells, and lion figures which decorate the exterior are drawn from German Baroque architecture. This impressive mansion reveals the prominence of German-American entrepreneurs in Chicago's history.