800 Prospect

The beautifully preserved Tudor Revival cottage at 800 Prospect was built in 1928 and designed by Spencer Solon Beman. Beman was the son of Solon Spencer Beman, the famed architect of the Pullman neighborhood in Chicago, the Pabst Building in Milwaukee, and several of the World’s Columbian Exposition buildings.

Born in 1887, Spencer Beman followed in his father’s footsteps at a young age, joining his practice until 1914 when his father passed away. He then largely practiced on his own, and while he became best-known for designing Christian Science buildings, he also designed several opulent Tudor and French Revival residences on the North Shore. In Winnetka, Beman designed at least 20 houses, including the F.H. McNabb House at 950 Hill Road (a Local Landmark), 777 Rosewood and, of course, 800 Prospect.

Beman designed this home for Alexander P. Thoms, a native Chicagoan who worked as a superintendent at the Electric Light Company in the city. Thoms and his wife Anna lived in the house until 1943, when it was sold to Morris Bloomberg, an executive at a clothing company in Chicago.

Stylistically, 800 Prospect is easily one of Winnetka’s most charming Tudor Revival structures. The steeply pitched roof, arched doorway and cream stucco with half-timbered upper siding above the first floor stone and brick are particularly representative of the style, and appear today much the same as they originally did. The bay window in the front is also original and representative of the style.

While this house does not currently have any historic status, it was identified as a significant structure and potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.