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Maywood Home for Soldiers’ Widows
224 N. First Ave., Maywood
(Cook County)
This handsome Georgian Revival building was constructed
by the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic in 1924.
It was designed by Francis E. Dunlap and exhibits simple
red brick, 2-story facades with Classical detailing and
a screened portico facing the Des Plaines River. Vacant
since a minor fire in 2003, it has been owned by the
Village since 2008. Although the village accepted a
redevelopment proposal in 2010 there has been no
progress since that time. The Maywood Historic
Preservation Commission is now concerned that the
building may be demolished to make way for new
development rather than incorporating this piece of Maywood’s history into the revitalization of an
important intersection at 1st Avenue and Lake Street.
Maywood has a long history of caring for veterans and
their families. It was the community that felt the
largest impact from the fatalities of the Bataan Death
March during World War II. The Hines Veterans
Administration Hospital is an important presence on
Maywood’s western border. The Maywood Soldiers’ Widows
Home was founded in 1912 and was first located in a
large house before moving to this building in 1924. The
Home was sold to private owners in the 1970s who used it
to house adults with mental illness. A small kitchen
fire in 2003 closed the facility down.
Although the Village would like to see the Home become part
of a new development it has been difficult to attract
imaginative proposals that will be financially
successful. The vacant land next door is currently being
marketed separately from the Home, making it more
difficult to attract developers to the Home’s restricted
site. As the owner of numerous historically significant
buildings, the Village should partner with its
Historic Preservation Commission to plan for the future
of these important community assets.
What You Can Do
Urge
Maywood officials to put together a viable plan for
the entire site, including the Maywood Home for
Soldiers’ Widows.
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