16 Mar post-fire commercial block bearing white body terra cotta ornament recently discovered in pilsen neighborhood of chicago
a three-story red brick post-fire commercial building at 2008 south blue island avenue was recently discovered exhibiting rare in situ “gray body” terra cotta window trim made by the chicago terra cotta company, the city’s earliest known terra cotta manufacturer.
“gray body” terra cotta refers to an early form of architectural ornament used in chicago during the 1870s and 1880s. fabricated primarily by the chicago terra cotta company, these pieces were made from distinctive white clay sourced from indiana, which resulted in a natural gray-toned clay “body” rather than the typical red or orange hues.
historical significance in chicago:
post-fire reconstruction: following the great chicago fire of 1871, architects like william le baron jenney and william w. boyington used gray body terra cotta as a fireproof, affordable alternative to carved stone.
key manufacturers: the chicago terra cotta company (founded in 1866) was the pioneer of this material before evolving into the northwestern terra cotta company.
notable extant examples:
edward k. rogers commercial block (436 n. clark st.): one of the few remaining buildings showcasing widespread ornamental gray body terra cotta on its facade (see below).
luther mcconell house (1401 n. dearborn st.): features hand-carved gray body panels sculpted by isaac elwood scott in 1877 (see below).
photographic images of the post-fire edward k. rogers commercial block (436 north clark street), designed in 1872 by architect wm. w. boyington.
it’s only one of a few known extant chicago buildings that showcases widespread use of ornamental “gray body” terra cotta on its facade.
the custom-designed ornament was executed by the chicago terra cotta company, which was founded in 1866, but did not begin operations in chicago until 1868. the company later became the northwestern terra cotta works, with their first factory built in 1881-82 in lakeview.
chicago terra cotta company’s distinctive colored clay (see examples of salvaged ornament from jenney’s 1874 starkweather building and “stock” pattern keystone from an 1870s catalog) was sourced from abundant clay deposits in indiana.
these hand-carved “gray body” terra cotta panels were sculpted by isaac elwood scott for the chicago terra cotta company (later became northwestern terra cotta company). the panels were plugged into the facade of luther mcconell’s house, completed in 1877.
isaac scott, a self-taught wood carver from philadelphia, moved to chicago in 1873, shortly after the great chicago fire. within a few years after arriving in chicago, scott became a partner with architect frederick w. copeland, which according to city directories, lists the firm as “scott and copeland, designers, carvers, and art wood workers.” a display featuring scott’s carved household furnishings was organized by architects william le baron jenney and p.b. wright for the 1875 inter-state industrial exposition.