2116 W. Pratt Boulevard

2116 W. Pratt Boulevard, Bergman House

This house was part of the 1996 Annual Fall House Tour

Circa: 1937

Original Owner: Peter Fox

Present (1996) Owner: Dr. Carl and Susan Bergman.

The exterior is so simple that many people overlook the rare Art Deco-era design whose features are skillfully blended with Neoclassical touches. Facade elements, such as windows, louvered shutters, and the center entry bay projection are obsessively symmetrical.

The bay projection draws an observer's eye upward past a half-round fanlight, or lunette, over the door to a second story deco ornamental grill and finally, to a cut stone relief centered below the roof line. The single pitch hipped mansard-style roof was a bold move and adds visual impact. Unobtrusive red brick belt courses divide each level and the overall feel blends seamlessly with its Georgian and Colonial Revival-style neighbors.

The house was built in 1937 for the family of Peter Fox, son of Harold Fox, owner of the Peter Fox Brewing Company (Fox Deluxe Beer). (Harold's home was just south of the Casa Bonita Apartments.)

In 1954, Peter Fox sold the house to Dr. Carl Bergman and his wife, Susan. Carl (deceased before 1996) and Susan were avid golfers and gardeners, so this almost suburban setting, across from the Edgewater Golf Club was a perfect example of Chicago's slogan, "City in a Garden."