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of the five original founding clubs of the United State Golf Association (USGA),
was established in 1892 and moved to Wheaton in 1895. It is the oldest
18-hole golf course in the nation and the colony is the oldest of its type.
The current clubhouse, also designed by Hunt, was built in 1913. Inspired by
the Columbian Exposition, the formation of the club continued a theme
pursued by prominent Chicago businessmen to remove the stigma of Chicago as
the Second City. Driven by this theme, every aspect of the club, including
the "modern" cottages, were to be superior to their East Coast counterparts.
Among the Hunt-designed residences were homes for the club's founder,
Charles Blair Macdonald, known as the "father of golf"; Frank Gorton,
founder of the Chicago Edison Company and former private secretary to Thomas
Edison; Arthur Ely, industrialist, Ed Worthington, secretary of the Chicago
Board of Trade, and Jarvis Hunt, himself.
Current Condition and/or
Status: Now full-time residences, many of the homes are well maintained.
However, several of the estates and cottages have been demolished and
another, owned
by Marianjoy Hospital, is planned for demolition this fall.
Potential Threat: These
historic “Colony” golf estate properties are not protected by any local
landmark regulations. In unincorporated Wheaton, two residences on Hawthorne
Lane are for sale and vulnerable as tear-downs and a large, original
gatehouse on Plamondon Lane is being marketed as a tear-down. In the city of
Wheaton, one residence is part of the Loretto Convent, owned by the Sisters
of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which in recent years has sold
off sections of its campus for development.
What You Can Do: Urge
DuPage County officials to enact a county-wide historic preservation
ordinance, which would protect historic resources, such as these, in
unincorporated parts of the county. Urge the City of Wheaton’s mayor and
historic commission to recognize these important properties and to
strengthen its existing ordinance, which is only honorific.
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Chairman Bob Schillerstrom,
DuPage County Board: Jack T. Knuepfer Admin Bldg. 421 N. County Farm Road,
Wheaton, IL 60187; Chairman@dupageco.org
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Mayor Michael J. Gresk, City of
Wheaton: City Hall, 303 W. Wesley St., Wheaton, IL 60187;
mgresk@wheaton.il.us
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Chair, Thomas O. Kay, Wheaton
Historic Commission: City Hall, 303 W. Wesley St., Wheaton, IL 60187
Other Contacts:
Press
Chicago Tribune
May 11, 2010
Photos: 1 Marionjoy Hospital property; 2, 4
Hawthorn Lane properties; 3 Loretto Convent 5 realtor sign in front of
gatehouse
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