545 Oak

The exquisite Greek Revival home at 545 Oak was built in 1937 for Dr. Paul and Eunice Greeley.

Dr. Paul W. Greeley, Jr. was a major figure in the field of plastic surgery. He was born in 1902 in Waterman, IL and moved to the Chicago area for medical school at Northwestern. He graduated in the mid-1920s and shortly after, in 1927, married Eunice Goebel. The couple moved to Winnetka, where Paul opened a medical practice in the Tudor Revival building at 545 Lincoln. In 1937, he was named Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine.

During WWII, Greeley enlisted in the Naval Reserve Medical Corps. A year later, in 1944, he was named Chief of Plastic Surgery at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, CA, where he stayed until 1946. He returned to Winnetka and in the 1950s was named Chairman of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Rush Medical College.

While living in Winnetka, the Greeleys hired noted architect Frank Polito in 1937 to design their home at 545 Oak. They reportedly requested that the design replicate Paul Greeley’s great-grandfather’s estate near Troy, NY, which had been built in 1811. Little is known about Polito’s personal life, but his work speaks for itself. In addition to the Greeley home at 545 Oak, he also designed St. Lambert’s Catholic Church in Skokie, 561 Earlston in Kenilworth, and 864 Boal Parkway in Winnetka, to name a few.

In 1960, the Greeleys sold the home to Mr. and Mrs. Philip Stone, who sold it to the present owner, Louise Holland, in 1970.

Louise has been an important figure in Winnetka for several decades. In 1997, she was elected as Winnetka’s fourth woman Village President. During her tenure, she saw the completion of the Comprehensive Plan and the classically styled Elm St. bridge. Post village-presidency, Louise became co-president of the Winnetka Historical Society. Her involvement in WHS was crucial in helping secure both the Schmidt-Burnham Log House and the museum and headquarters at 411 Linden for the historical Society. She has also served as the chair of both the Landmark Preservation Commission and the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In 2018 the Chamber of Commerce honored Louise with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Architectural historians agree that the house represents a wonderful example of the Greek Revival style. According to the National Register nomination, this house “exhibits remarkable historic integrity on all elevations as well as in all the interior living spaces. There have been no changes to any of the original architectural detailing.” The front façade illustrates the style well, with its low-pitched gable roof and a front-facing triangular pediment.

The interior is notable as well. The formal dining room is believed to have been designed by Eunice Greeley’s relative, Sydney Fiske Kimball, who was the director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, founder of the Institute of Fine Arts at NYU, and an expert on furniture and design of the federal era, during which Greeley’s great-grandfather’s New York estate was built. Aside from changes to an enclosed porch in 1975, no notable changes have been made to the original structure.

In addition to her many, many accomplishments, Louise has provided impeccable care for her historic home at 545 Oak. This house is now a locally designated landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.