Article: Parker Berry - Louis Sullivan apprentice

[DavidC]

Column: This young Chicago architect’s life was cut short by the 1918 flu pandemic. He could have been one of the greats.


David

[loo tee]

Not sure that Parker Berry would have become "one of the greats," but he was quick to pick up on Sullivan's style, like George Elmslie had been.
It is interesting that in Berry's time the euphemisms of today--such as "retirement community"-- were not prevalent, thus Berry's incompleted
commission in Princeton, Illinois, was called the Adeline E. Prouty Old Ladies Home. Similarly, in Springfield, Illinois, and not far from the Susan Lawrence Dana house, stood an institution named the Home for the Friendless.

[SDR]

"Old Ladies' Home" and "Old People's Home" were expressions heard in my youth, in the 'fiftes. "Home for the Friendless" is particularly frank; today any sort of prevarication, refined alternative or "politically-correct" paraphrase, would be found preferable, wouldn't it . . .

https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/ ... riendless/

"Home for Little Wanderers," indeed . . .!

S

[SDR]

https://greenfieldhome.org/history.html

( https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-pu ... e-r1105352 )

http://www.prairiestyles.com/berry.htm

http://chicagosteppes.mrdankelly.com/?p=373

S

[Roderick Grant]

Berry's one remaining work, First State Bank, is located in the village of Manlius, Illinois, population 355, one of the countless farming communities that are drying up all over the Midwest. Wikipedia shows only the bank, with its plaque. Google Maps confirms the bank is the only thing worth mentioning. Manlius reminds me of so many desolate places around my home town, like Ihlan or Florence, or even Casanovia, with a population of 1. And yet, Manlius can lay claim to one of the great tenors of the operatic stage, the late Jerry Hadley. His brilliant performance of the duet (with Alan Titus) from Les Pecheurs de Perles is on YouTube.

[SDR]

From the first of my three linked pages:

"Today there are only four examples of his design in existence. Two are banks, which are currently under renovation (one in Manlius, IL). The 3rd is an apartment house still being used for its original purpose. The final is, of course, our hallmark structure with its original owners, and occupied in its original design and purpose."

S