🌆🌿 Step Into The Villa: Prairie Homes & A Century of Stories 🏠🌸

🌆🌿 Step Into The Villa: Prairie Homes & A Century of Stories 🏠🌸

Let's explore Irving Park’s Hidden Prairie-Style Treasure on the northwest side on a lovely fall Sunday afternoon!

📆 Sunday, September 28, 2025
⏰ 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
👣 Approx. 2 hours of walking 1.5 miles
💵 Cost: $20 per person | Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle accepted (pay at start)
🌦️ Outdoors | Casual pace | Rain or shine

✨ Come explore a hidden treasure on Chicago’s Northwest Side! 🌆 The Villa neighborhood is a landmarked district and a true Prairie-Style gem. I’ve arranged a private architectural walking tour so you can discover one of the city’s most picturesque areas—filled with early 20th-century Craftsman & Prairie-style homes, leafy parkways, and charming stone planters. We’ll even step inside a house or two to see the interiors! 🏠🌸 Perfect for architecture lovers, history buffs, and anyone curious about a part of the city few ever see.

✨ The tour is led by Villa residents trained as Chicago Architecture Center docents. Our walk will be led by long-time Villa resident, Ruth Mugalian. Along the way, you’ll hear about the district’s 1902 origins, its connection to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style, and the work of architect Clarence Hatzfeld (who later designed the Portage Park fieldhouse & natatorium).

✅ Tour Highlights
· 🏡 Craftsman & Prairie style homes (inside views of 1–2!)
· 🌳 Parkway streets with distinctive stone planters
· 📖 Stories of The Villa’s development as the “Villa addition to Irving Park”
· 🏘️ Homes by Hatzfeld & Knox, and other Wright-influenced architects
· 🎉 A neighborhood featured in books, tours, and even its own centennial festival

📍 Tour Route & Logistics
· Start: NE Corner of Addison & Pulaski — 3950 W. Addison, Chicago
· End: About 2 blocks from where we started
· Length: ~2 hours, outdoors, 1.5 miles 🌞

🎒 What to Bring
· Water 💧
· Comfy walking shoes 👟
· $20 tour fee 💵 (Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle)
· Umbrella/rain jacket just in case ☔

🍽️ After the Tour
After the walk, join us for a late lunch nearby! Options include 🔥🍗 Brasa Roja Pulaski, 🍻🏈 Brudder’s Sports Bar, or 🍕❤️ La Villa Pizzeria—a local favorite since 1972.

🌟 About The Villa
A century-old neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side, The Villa is characterized by parkway streets, stone planters, and distinctive examples of early 20th-century residential architecture. The district was built in 1902 by several architects, many visibly influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style. Most notable are the bungalows by Hatzfeld & Knox, whose partner Clarence Hatzfeld went on to design the Portage Park fieldhouse and natatorium. Originally developed as the “Villa addition to Irving Park,” it showcases unique Craftsman and Prairie-style homes fronting on picturesque boulevard-style streets.

The Villa has been featured in magazines and books, and is a regular stop on Chicago Architecture Foundation tours. In 2007, the neighborhood celebrated its 100th anniversary with period costumes, horse-and-carriage rides, and recorded oral histories. 🎉📖

🚇 Transportation & Parking
CTA Trip Planner: https://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
🚇 Street parking available on Addison, Pulaski & side streets (watch for permit parking signs). 🅿️

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📸 While not a strict photo walk, there will be plenty of opportunities to capture homes, gardens & historic streets! 🌆

🙌 It’s a multi-meetup group event—please keep your RSVP updated and don’t be a no-show!

❗ No-Show Policy:
3 no-shows without updating your RSVP = 3-month freeze from future events. Please update RSVP by start time or message host if late.