Edward H. Bennett House and Studio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Edward H. Bennett House and Studio
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 89 E. Deerpath, Lake Forest, Illinois |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Edward H. Bennett |
| Architectural style | Châteauesque, Streamline Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000196 |
| Added to NRHP | March 3, 1995 |
The Edward H. Bennett House and Studio is a very special house in Lake Forest, Illinois. It was designed by and built for Edward H. Bennett. He was a famous architect and city planner. Bennett is best known for working with another important architect, Daniel Burnham. This house shows his amazing design skills.
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Meet Edward H. Bennett
Edward H. Bennett was born in Bristol, England. He loved art from a young age. Bennett began his architecture work in 1892. Later, he studied at a famous art school in Paris, France, called the École des Beaux-Arts. He finished his studies in 1900.
Starting His Career
After school, Bennett moved to New York City in 1902. He worked for a well-known architect named George B. Post. In 1903, Post sent Bennett to work on a project with Daniel Burnham. This was the start of a nine-year learning period for Bennett with Burnham.
Working with Daniel Burnham
Bennett moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1903 to work more closely with Burnham. He settled in the nearby town of Lake Forest in 1906. Burnham retired a year after finishing the famous Burnham Plan of Chicago. This plan helped shape the city of Chicago. After Burnham retired, Bennett started his own busy architecture business.
Designing His Dream Home
In 1913, Edward Bennett married Catherine Jones. Her father gave them a large piece of land in Lake Forest. It was at the corner of Deerpath and Green Bay Road. Two years later, Bennett started designing a grand house for this land.
The "Bagatelle" House
The house was finished in 1916. The Bennetts named it "Bagatelle." It was designed to look like a famous French country house called Le Chateau de Bagatelle. Even the gardens around the house were inspired by the beautiful Bagatelle Gardens in Paris. Bennett first thought the house would only be for summer visits. But the Bennetts ended up spending most of their time there.
The Modern Studio Addition
Edward Bennett designed a plan for Lake Forest's zoning in 1923. He also created a city plan in 1929. In 1930, he moved into the house full-time after getting married again. In 1936, he designed and built a studio on the property. This studio was built in a modern style called Streamline Moderne. This style was popular around the time of the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair in Chicago.
A Historic Landmark
Edward Bennett retired in 1944. He spent the next ten years living in his homes in Lake Forest, North Carolina, and New Mexico. The Edward H. Bennett House and Studio is very important. It was officially recognized by the National Park Service. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 3, 1995.
