Doesn’t this tower command attention? It’s the Kimball Tower, a structure with a past life as part of the Kimball Building. Let’s uncover its story.
Originally known as the Kimball Building, this edifice at 25 E. Jackson Blvd was completed in 1916. Graham, Burnham & Co., a Chicago architectural firm, designed it. The W. W. Kimball Company, a renowned piano manufacturer, called it home.
William Wallace Kimball’s pianos were very popular. Many European immigrants wanted pianos. It signified class and education. Kimball met the demand by manufacturing his own brand. Showrooms sprung up on Jackson and Wabash.
Kimball Hall was a jewel within the building. It was a five hundred seat recital hall. From its opening, it became a vital music venue in Chicago. This lasted until the 1950s.
Fast forward to 1955. DePaul University acquired the Kimball Building. Frank J. Lewis’s gift made it possible. It became the Lewis Center. An earlier Kimball Hall had existed on the site from 1891-1916.
But let’s go back further still. William and Evalina Kimball dreamed of living on Prairie Avenue. By the 1890s, only one plot remained. George Pullman, a friend, owned it.
Pullman agreed to sell, but with a condition. Kimball had to use Pullman’s architect, Solon S. Beman. The same Beman who designed Pullman village worker cottages. William agreed. But Beman created anything but a worker’s cottage.
Beman drew inspiration from French Chateauesque style. He looked to the 12th Century Chateau du Joselin in Brittany. The result was magnificent.
The Kimballs hosted a housewarming party. It included over 100 of Chicago society’s elite. Mrs. Kimball wore an Elizabethan gown of mauve satin. She was bordered with sable. Her skirt was canary yellow trimmed in gold.
The vestibule was formed of Sienne marble. The Reception Hall was finished in oak. A pipe organ was built into the walls just above the first-floor landing. A Kimball piano resided in the library overlooking Prairie Avenue.
Mrs. Kimball traveled Europe extensively. She collected 21 Old Master paintings. They hung in the Reception Hall. Upon her death, she gifted these to the Art Institute of Chicago.
The third floor held bedrooms for 10 to 12 servants. The fourth floor had a ballroom. From there, a ladder led to the widow’s walk.
William Kimball passed in 1904. Evalina Kimball passed in 1921. They are buried at Graceland Cemetery. Intriguingly, they lie across from George and Hattie Pullman. Neighbors in life and throughout eternity.
The Kimball Tower stands as a reminder. It is a reminder of musical heritage. It is a story of ambition and architectural vision. It is a testament to Chicago’s vibrant past.