Ravenswood Victorian built by Abbott Labs founder fetches $1.75M

After years of hopping on and off the market and enduring multiple price cuts, Ravenswood’s historic Wallace C. Abbott House has finally found a buyer. The landmarked Queen Anne home at 4605 N. Hermitage Avenue changed hands on March 20 for $1.75 million—about half the amount it was seeking in 2016.

Built in 1891 by architects Rudolph Dahlgren and Oscar Livendahl, the stately North Side structure served as the personal residence of Dr. Wallace C. Abbott. The pharmacologist went on found to a company that became healthcare giant Abbott Laboratories. The Chicago-area corporation even built its own replica of the Victorian home at its suburban HQ.

As it stands today, Dr. Abbott’s original 7,000-square-foot manor features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a wrap-around porch, renovated kitchen, garage-top solar panels, and a standalone two-bedroom coach house. It sits on a massive corner parcel equivalent to five standard Chicago city lots.

The historically significant property was most recently listed by Jennifer Ames of Engel & Volkers with an asking price of $1.845 million. The home’s new owners have yet to be identified by public records. The March 20 sale was first reported by Crain’s.