777 Rosewood

The beautiful Tudor Revival house at 777 Rosewood was built in 1929. The first owners of 777 Rosewood were John and Ruth Jirgal, who owned the house until Ruth died in 1950. The most significant person related to this house is not its original owner, however, but rather its architect, Spencer Solon Beman.

Spencer Solon Beman was born in Chicago in 1887. Son of famed architect and Pullman designer Solon Spencer Beman, he followed in his father’s footsteps and became an architect at a young age. He practiced alongside his father until his death in 1914, after which he worked largely on his own. Beman is perhaps best known for designing Christian Science buildings, including the First Church of Christ, Scientist’s original building at 440 Ridge (which is now home to Grace Presbyterian Church).

He is also the architect of several notable North Shore homes. In Winnetka, for example, Beman designed the houses at 597 Oak, 614 Willow and, of course, 777 Rosewood, to name a few. He also designed the McNabb house at 950 Hill, which became a local Designated Landmark in 1995.

Some of Beman’s best-known designs are Tudor Revival styles, and 777 Rosewood is a great example. While this property does not currently have any historic designations, it has been identified as potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.