History

The History of 1810-12 Chicago Avenue and the Department of Sociology

It all started quietly enough 110 years ago when a Northwestern German professor named Hatfield moved into a new home at 1810 Chicago Avenue. Although he did not stay long, more than 45 years later he was contacted about the house: The City of Evanston wanted to know if it had, indeed, always been a boarding house.

According to documents at the Evanston Historical Society, the double house at 1810-1812 Chicago Avenue had a series of owners until the mid 1920s, when Frank C. Whitmore, an NU chemistry professor, assumed ownership of both addresses. He lived at 1812 while renting out 1810. The renter also rented out rooms, and a Mrs. Huxley, next door at 1808, was not happy with all the comings and goings. For more than 10 years she complained to Evanston's building commissioner. A letter written by the commissioner describes it this way: “the premises…are used contrary to the regulations of the Evanston Zoning Ordinance…It is reported that (the) premises are used for a commercial photography business, lodging house, and furniture sales and display rooms…”

Although Professor Whitmore moved on to Penn State in 1929, he retained ownership of the house. Through letters he defended the rights of his tenants to rent rooms, claming the houses had always brought in boarders, evidenced by their combined 31 rooms and nine baths. The city eventually contacted Professor Hatfield, now living on Foster Avenue in Evanston, to verify this information. With Hatfield's “testimony” the matter was settled in favor of Whitmore and his tenants – not to mention his tenants' tenants.

Northwestern acquired the property in 1948 and for a number of years used it as sorority housing. NU's auditing, parking and traffic, and personnel departments also have had stays at the double address. In 1980 the Sociology Department moved in. The house was deemed historically significant in 1972, and is an Evanston landmark building.

Before the Construction of 2006

In the summer of 2006 the Department received authorization to increase the number of offices in the department by dividing the Seminar Room in 1808 and the computer lab in 1812. The new offices are to be completed in the Fall of 2006. Here is a record of how these rooms once looked before the change.

1808 Chicago Seminar Room looking east

1808 Chicago Seminar Room looking west

1812 Chicago Computer Lab looking north

1812 Chicago Computer Lab looking south