Dec 18, 1978
George B. Dryden House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: As a design by George: Maher in a neo-colonial style, the Dryden house stands as a significant example of Maher's prowess as an architect and as an articulate testimonial to his ability to express the needs of the situation and of the client, who in this instance, showed an abiding interest in the Georgian Revival style. In designing the Dryden house, Maher provided a pure· Georgian composition that was carefully and accurately detailed. Although Maher's work is normally associated with the more progressive attitudes of the Prairie School the Dryden house. clearly illustrates that he was well versed in the architecture of the American past. Maher believed, as do some "progressive" architects today, that no architect is capable of doing creative work who is not so grounded. Much of Maher's work, before and after the Dryden house, is vaguely historic in character and, unlike Frank Lloyd Wright, Maher never totally made a dramatic stylistic break into modernism. It is well known that even Wright ventured into eclecticism when the need arose. The Blossom, McArthur and Bagley houses are manifestations of that need. Just as these houses demonstrate wright's facile mind and masterly control of his subject, the Dryden house affirms Maher's adroit manipulation of and versatility with a mode that he was not typically associated with. The Drydens were wise in their selection of Maher as their architect as he was able to give them a house that closely followed the spirit of "Uncle George's home in Rochester, New York, without replicating it. Eastman's house can best be described as Georgian Revival (built 1905) but it is somewhat ill-proportioned and contains a number of mixed metaphors. The Dryden house is a far more subtle and skillfully handled design. As such it was well suited to the social and economic position the Drydens held. The dignified and monumental quality of the house is still intact and it continues to set the tone for one of Evanston's most distinguished streets. The generous dimensions of the site were unusual in an intensely developed urban setting at the time and are even more so today as larger estates are inexorably subdivided. Thus, it is not only one of the few grand mansions of Evanston but also one of the very few with its original site remaining. Finally, the Dryden house stands as a memorial to a time in our history when architects were trying to develop a type of residential architecture that would best express the ideals of American democracy. The Dryden house represents a significant contribution to one of the avenues of expression being investigated. It explicitly combines the then current interest in historicism with a fervent patriotism in a way that is visibly notable and aesthetically gratifying. Photo by Evanston Preservation Comm.
George B. Dryden House - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: As a design by George: Maher in a neo-colonial style, the Dryden house stands as a significant example of Maher's prowess as an architect and as an articulate testimonial to his ability to express the needs of the situation and of the client, who in this instance, showed an abiding interest in the Georgian Revival style. In designing the Dryden house, Maher provided a pure· Georgian composition that was carefully and accurately detailed. Although Maher's work is normally associated with the more progressive attitudes of the Prairie School the Dryden house. clearly illustrates that he was well versed in the architecture of the American past. Maher believed, as do some "progressive" architects today, that no architect is capable of doing creative work who is not so grounded. Much of Maher's work, before and after the Dryden house, is vaguely historic in character and, unlike Frank Lloyd Wright, Maher never totally made a dramatic stylistic break into modernism. It is well known that even Wright ventured into eclecticism when the need arose. The Blossom, McArthur and Bagley houses are manifestations of that need. Just as these houses demonstrate wright's facile mind and masterly control of his subject, the Dryden house affirms Maher's adroit manipulation of and versatility with a mode that he was not typically associated with. The Drydens were wise in their selection of Maher as their architect as he was able to give them a house that closely followed the spirit of "Uncle George's home in Rochester, New York, without replicating it. Eastman's house can best be described as Georgian Revival (built 1905) but it is somewhat ill-proportioned and contains a number of mixed metaphors. The Dryden house is a far more subtle and skillfully handled design. As such it was well suited to the social and economic position the Drydens held. The dignified and monumental quality of the house is still intact and it continues to set the tone for one of Evanston's most distinguished streets. The generous dimensions of the site were unusual in an intensely developed urban setting at the time and are even more so today as larger estates are inexorably subdivided. Thus, it is not only one of the few grand mansions of Evanston but also one of the very few with its original site remaining. Finally, the Dryden house stands as a memorial to a time in our history when architects were trying to develop a type of residential architecture that would best express the ideals of American democracy. The Dryden house represents a significant contribution to one of the avenues of expression being investigated. It explicitly combines the then current interest in historicism with a fervent patriotism in a way that is visibly notable and aesthetically gratifying. Photo by Evanston Preservation Comm.
Dec 18, 1978
Posted Date
Mar 31, 2022
Historical Record Date
Dec 18, 1978
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
