Dexter House

1721 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois

Built in 1863, for Wirt Dexter (1832-1890) and his wife, Josephine Moore (1846-1937). Dexter was a native of Michigan and a prominent attorney who served as President of the Chicago Bar Association. He was the son of a Judge and the grandson of Samuel Dexter, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President John Adams. His daughter, Katharine, who grew up here was a well-known pioneer of women's rights and almost single-handedly funded the research for the development of "the pill"....

2 images

This house is best associated with...

Wirt Dexter

President of the Chicago Bar Association

1832-1890

Josephine Moore

Mrs Josephine (Moore) Dexter

1846-1937

The Dexter house featured a cupola and in 1889 he added a large brick extension to the front of the house which irked his neighbor, George Pullman, who preferred to see large lawns in front of houses. The next owners - Henry Harrison Walker (1840-1917) and his wife, Jessie Spalding - pulled down the original house and moved the large brick addition back to the center of the lot, but that was also demolished by 1921.