While real estate agents often toss around the term "historic" with reckless abandon, this lovely 19th-century Italianate in Old Irving Park is the real McCoy and even earned itself a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. In addition to the Register committee describing the home as the "finest and best-preserved" Italianate in Illinois, it was once linked to the Underground Railroad by a series of tunnels used by escaping slaves.
The historic structure — known as the Ropp-Grabill House — is believed to have been completed in the mid 1860s. The lack of an exact date is due to the building’s original records being lost in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, a disaster that residents of the home reportedly witnessed from its prominent rooftop cupola.
Over the past 26 years, the home has been tastefully restored by a single owner. Stand-out updates include a new marble and stainless kitchen and a pair of fully renovated bathrooms. Situated on a 7,800 square foot lot with a detached two-car garage, the Ropp-Grabill House can be yours for $825,000.
- 4132 N. Keeler Avenue, Chicago, IL [Estately]
- Previous Old Irving Park coverage [Curbed Chicago]
Loading comments...