06 Jun documenting the destruction of dankmar adler’s house in 1961
the death of dankmar adler’s house as documented by richard nickel in 1961.
the architectural firm of adler and sullivan designed three adjoining rowhouses, located at 3541-45 s. ellis avenue, between 1885-1886. dankmar adler lived in the middle house between adler’s close friend and family lawyer eli b. felsenthal and abraham kohn, who was adler’s father-in-law and founder of the kehilath anshe ma’ariv synagogue (also designed by adler & sullivan in 1891).
the kohn and felsenthal houses were demolished in 1958. adler’s house was the last to go – demolished in 1961.
in addition to the images of the house’s destruction i included nickel and vinci photographs of the three rowhouses while still standing/occupied, followed by images taken shortly before the houses were set to be demolished in 1958 and 1961.
nickel, john vinci, charlie gregerson, and david norris salvaged several pieces of ornament, including exterior wood panels, carved sandstone, staircase railings and newels, wrought iron grilles, cast iron tie rod rosettes, and carved millwork.
additional images of demolition and salvaging ornament below. the carved wood butternut fireplace panel was salvaged by john vinci from the kohn residence in 1958 (an image of the mantel against a wall is shown above).
scanned and edited images courtesy of the richard nickel archive, ryerson and burnham archives, art institute of chicago and john vinci.