DuPont–Whitehouse House

Did the DuPont–Whitehouse House always stand here, so grand and imposing? No. This Italianate mansion, built between 1875 and 1876, originally graced a corner two blocks away at 36th and Western Boulevard. It was a strategic position, offering a commanding view of the DuPont explosives company’s operations. The DuPont company, known for its gunpowder production since the early 1800s, built this house for Junot J. Whitehouse, their plant superintendent. Whitehouse cleverly persuaded the company to construct this symbolic house. He argued that its prominent location on the newly constructed boulevard would not only provide him with a pleasant home. He said it would also allow him to keep a watchful eye on their “entire property connected with the powder business.” The DuPont–Whitehouse House, a testament to the area’s industrial past, witnessed a dramatic event that shook the city. In 1886, a lightning strike ignited a nearby gunpowder magazine. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves rippling through Chicago, shattering windows miles away, even on Michigan Avenue. This incident prompted gunpowder manufacturers to relocate to less populated areas. Years later, in the 1920s, the DuPont–Whitehouse House faced demolition to make way for a freight depot. Emil Klank, the original owner, orchestrated a remarkable rescue. The house was placed on locomotive wheels and moved along a temporary railroad track to its current location on Artesian Avenue. Although its front canopy was lost in the move, the DuPont–Whitehouse House remains remarkably intact. Today, the DuPont–Whitehouse House stands as a Chicago Landmark, a reminder of Brighton Park’s transformation from a livestock town to a manufacturing hub and finally a residential neighborhood. The house survived an explosion, a planned demolition, and a move. Now it serves as a poignant symbol of resilience and the enduring power of history.