577 Oak

The Queen Anne Victorian at 577 Oak was first built by Theodore S. Dick c. 1887.

Dick was born in Kingsville, Ohio in 1849 but moved to Darlington, Wisconsin at a young age. In 1871, while living in Wisconsin, he met and married Delia Sprague and shortly after, moved to Chicago.

By 1874, Dick was living downtown and working for FitzSimons and Connell, a dredge and dock company that played a significant role in the development of Chicago’s waterways, transportation access, and public works. That experience served Dick well when he and Delia moved to Winnetka in the 1880s, building the house at 577 Oak.

Once in Winnetka, Dick quickly became involved in village governance, serving as a trustee for many years and as village president in 1894. As a member of the village trustees and as president, Dick was instrumental in creating Winnetka’s modern water system. His experience working at FitzSimons and Connell surely contributed to his extensive knowledge of modern water delivery and drainage methods. In 1894, the village’s water system was installed Dick’s own house at 577 Oak.

In addition to his role in creating Winnetka’s water system, Dick was also responsible for the village’s first paved roads and sidewalks. While most would now agree that improvements such as water access, paved roads, and cement sidewalks were positive developments, interestingly, at the time, Dick faced significant opposition from conservative Winnetkans who feared such modern improvements would ruin the country-feel of the village. Dick proceeded nonetheless and, years later, was honored with a plaque for his contributions to village development.

Unfortunately, Theodore Dick died suddenly in 1896. Ownership of the house at 577 Oak was transferred to Delia, who lived there with her daughter and son-in-law until the 1920s.

While updates to the home have certainly been made over the course of its 130+ year history, 577 Oak is remarkably well-preserved and appears much the same as it did in the earliest image of the house from 1913.