1526 W Monroe St
Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Story-Camp Rowhouses (Hampton Story/Isaac Camp Rowhouses) - National Register of Historic Places

Statement of Significance:

The Isaac Camp/Hampton Story Bow houses are significant architecturally and historically.

These rowhouses are a standard type found in areas of Chicago developed during the early 1870's. Built of brick with limestone facing, they exhibit vigorous Italianate elements of this period. These once familiar Italianate proportions, round-headed windows, ornamented rooflines and decorative interiors which characterize this architectural type are now rare. They are present, however, in large part, throughout the Isaac Camp/Hampton Story Bow houses.

Their individual uniqueness is extended to the larger area as one of the few remnants of the early development of the important Union Park area of Chicago. The Union Park area was located within the boundaries of Chicago when the city was incorporated in 18S7. Prior to its residential growth, this section of the city was the site of several small farms and one of Chicago's earliest stockyards, Myrick's.

In 1864, Samuel J. Walker, a real estate speculator, developed Ashland Boulevard (Reuben Street) between Monroe and Harrison Streets by widening the street, planting trees and building six large houses on different corners. The desirability of the neighborhood was enhanced by its proximity to Union Park on the north which was a popular attraction with its lagoon, bandshell and landscaped grounds. In 1866 Carter H. Harrison, who was to serve two terms in Congress and then five terms as Mayor of Chicago, purchased the home at the southwest corner of Ashland and Jackson (two blocks from the Isaac Camp/Hampton Story Rowhouses).

At this same time Matthew Laflin, George Laftin and Alle n Loomis began developing elegant houses east of Ashland Avenue to accommodate the "captains of industry and kings of finance". ^ These homes were comparable to those built on Prairie Avenue or Pine Street and accommodated the Thomas & William Chalmers, the Alle n & William Pinkertons, the LeGrande Peroes, the Henry Honores, and the Leopold

In the 1890'8 the neighborhood began to change. Many of these once fashionable homes were converted from single family residences to flats of often six or more units. Factories replaced some homes, others simply collapsed from fire and neglect. By the mid-twentieth century rooming houses and nursing homes were the typical use for the old houses which survived. In the 1960 's came riots, fire and "urban removal". Almost at the significant architecture of the pre-1900 era in the Union Park neighborhood was lost; the Isaac Camp/Hampton Story Rowhouses remain.

The Isaac Camp/Hampton Story Rowhouses were purchased from Laftin and Loomis in October, 1870, by Isaac & Flora Camp and Hampton & Marion Story. Isaac Camp had formed a piano and organ business with Hampton L. Story in 1868 under the name of Story & Camp which continued until 1884 at which time Estey Organ Company purchased Mr. Story's interest in the business and the firm became Estey & Camp. At the time of Story 's withdrawal their capital exceeded half a million dollars and the business is cited in Prominent Men of the Great West as "one of the most substantial in the city of Chicago".