recently demolished 19th century bell avenue chicago workers cottage lives on through salvaged remnants of its facade

the time finally arrived - and within a day of the senseless destruction of nearby 1870s italianate residence - for the humble bell avenue workers cottage, erected between 1884-1887, to fall to the wrecking ball the other day.

after documenting the brick cottage before, during, and after its disappearance from the cityscape ever since it landed on the demolition delay list some months ago, i managed to salvage the four unornamented lemont limestone window and door keystones buried in the rubble.

unfortunately, the fret-sawn bracketed wood cornice and double arched window with incised spandrel, were reduced to splinters and trucked off to the landfill. 

images and ornament courtesy of eric j. nordstrom, bldg. 51 archive, and the chicago workers cottage association (cwca). all rights reserved. 2023.