The name Henry Fiddelke may not sound as familiar as the name Frank Lloyd Wright, but like Wright, Fiddelke had an impact on architecture in Chicago’s Western suburbs.
On Saturday, Feb. 8, local resident Michael Thomas will lead a free presentation on the career and legacy of Fiddelke, who was born in 1865, and produced various designs that live on in the neighborhoods of Forest Park, Oak Park and River Forest. These include commercial buildings found on Forest Park’s Madison Street, which date back to the late 19th century.
Some of the takeaways that Thomas hopes people will get from his presentation include a new appreciation for the architectural sophistication of Fiddelke’s work, his personal integrity and his love of community.
“Something so wonderful, sitting there – it deserves attention,” Thomas said. “I think Fiddelke is a treasure, and I think his buildings are treasures in plain sight.”
Thomas said he became interested in architecture because he has an arts background. His curiosity surrounding Fiddelke began after he learned that the architect was responsible for Forest Park Baptist Church, where Thomas is a member and serves as an usher.
The design of one room in particular, the cloakroom, is what caught the attention of Thomas.
“Standing in that room, the door frames and the window frames are all this rich, brown oak,” Thomas said. “Most of the windows are this amber stained glass, so when the light comes in, that amber makes that oak kind of glow.”
The stained-glass windows have a “living” quality to them when illuminated, Thomas said. Thomas’s presentation will offer the attendees an in-person view of the windows, which have the likeness of a Van Gogh painting when the light shines through, Thomas said.
“There’s something alive about stained-glass windows,” Thomas said. “Stained-glass windows are all about light. I think Fiddelke had a real feel for light.”
It was a visceral experience for Thomas, and it is one he has worked to share with others since. After conducting his own research at the Oak Park and River Forest Historical Society, Thomas curated his findings to make the presentation that will be shown in February.
The architect’s life began in Matteson in 1865. While pursuing his interests in design, Fiddelke began working under the Chicago architect Joseph Silsbee in 1885. Once Fiddelke received his architecture license, he eventually moved to Oak Park with the architect Frank Ellis in 1894. The following year saw the birth of Fiddelke’s own architectural offices in Oak Park.
In 1916, Fiddelke contributed to the design of the Parkside Building on North Boulevard and the state bank in Oak Park. Although it is no longer standing today, the original Homes School in Oak Park was also created by Fiddelke. The Hales mansion, the Hemingway boyhood home and the Forest Park Baptist Church were all designed by Fiddelke.
Thomas says that Fiddelke’s ability to create designs in multiple architectural styles is one of the notable attributes of his work. Some of the styles that Fiddelke’s buildings included was colonial revival, second empire style, Victorian, Tudor Revival and Prairie.
In addition to his impressive design choices, the presentation will also reveal the human behind the architecture. Thomas points out that Fiddelke’s buildings not only appear visually pleasing, but serve a larger purpose, such as providing a welcoming space for a diverse community.
Some of the high-profile people that Fiddelke collaborated with include Grace Hemingway for the Hemingway boyhood home and Flora Gill, who was one of the first female entrepreneurs in Oak Park.
An example of Fiddelke using his talents to serve his community include his contribution to his hometown. In 1897, Fiddelke designed the Matteson Village Hall, which was demolished in 1948.
The presentation will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Forest Park Baptist Church, located at 133 Harlem Ave. The lecture is free to the public, and attendees are encouraged to RSVP at www.forestparkhistory.org.
