Tales from the Bungalow Belt

Some of the City’s most famous, influential and interesting residents have called Historic Chicago Bungalows home since their boom nearly a century ago, including Mayor Richard M. Daley.  The stories below tell about the unique histories of individual Bungalows, their architecture and the families that have made them their home. 

Learn how to submit your own Tale from the Bungalow Belt >

Ravenswood Manor Bungalow

Growing up in Oak Park, Sylvia Kete has always had a love for bungalows.

Old Irving Park Bungalow

This Chicago neighborhood links its past to its present through the preservation of its houses.

West Lawn Bungalow

Although this bungalow saw several other families move through before Alice and Steve finally made it their own in 1988, the Puszkiewicz family has kept wonderful care of the home since then.

Rogers Park Bungalow

Jay Lenn and Greg Diercks found the bungalow they were looking for in the culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhood of West Ridge.

Beverly Bungalow

It wasn't difficult for Brian and Patricia Egan to make the decision to purchase their historic bungalow in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood.

Austin Bungalow

In a stroke of luck, Paul checked the realtor's website one more time. It was then that he noticed the ad for a one-and-a-half story, single-family home in the Austin area.

Portage Park Bungalow

Maureen vividly remembers her feelings of excitement as they walked through into each room.

West Ridge Bungalow

The house is built with red brick and features a simple front bay with curved bargeboards and continuous, deep overhanging eaves.

Auburn Gresham Bungalow

Inside, original tile work graces the entryway and French doors lead to a formal dining room.

Lincoln Square Bungalow

Hidden on a quiet side street in the Lincoln Square neighborhood sits a lovely red brick bungalow.

Brighton Park Bungalow

As a young girl, Liliana Alverez remembers riding on her bike and waving to the owner of the bungalow she now owns.

Hegewisch Bungalow

The Laski's colorful brick bungalow was built by local architect Lymon J. Allison in 1930 and originally owned by a family named Burhardt.

West Ridge Bungalow

Nestled in the quiet West Ridge neighborhood is the unpretentious, blond brick bungalow belonging to the Nesbitt's.

Gage Park Bungalow

For Michelle and Ricardo Magana, their Gage Park bungalow has been a labor of love.

North Park Bungalow

For Jon and Tatiana Bergbom, their Chicago bungalow is more than a home,it's a family tradition.

Beverly Bungalow

The octagon front Chicago bungalow on South Hoyne Street seemed to fit the bill perfectly, it was large enough for the couple and their youngest children, and would allow them to stay in the community they knew and loved.

Austin Bungalow

From the front, the Austin bungalow looked modest enough, but when she looked inside, Julia discovered the secret of Chicago bungalows.

Edison Park Bungalow

Deb and Karl Lust had out grown their very small cottage in the Edison Park neighborhood, but wanted to stay in the community where they had been living in for the past 10 years.

Avalon Park Bungalow

The yellow brick octagonal bungalow was graced with stained glass windows of simple geometric line and shape.

Ravenswood Bungalow

When they read an article in the Chicago Tribune about the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative, Bill and Julie had finally found a link to information about their bungalow.

Galewood Bungalow

In the Galewood community of northwest Chicago, Jim and Margaret DeLauriea have spent the past year enjoying the charm and comfort of bungalow living.

8200 Block of South Aberdeen Avenue

It all started with a little friendly competition. After hearing about the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative certification program for Chicago bungalows, the Foster Park Community Council, decided to organize a competition between two of its blocks, to see which block could get the most bungalows certified by the HCBA.

West Elsdon Bungalow

As soon as Jennifer Welch and Mark Vancura walked into the front room of their West Elsdon bungalow, they knew their search for the perfect Chicago bungalow had ended.

Portage Park Bungalow

This bungalow features a working fireplace, stained glass windows, plaster crown moldings in the living room and wood crown moldings in the dining room, cedar lined closets and a cement tile roof just to name a few amenities.

Edgewater Bungalow

This house boasts of two working fireplaces, original casement windows, a breakfast nook, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a living and dining room, a finished basement with a wet bar, cypress paneling and funky 1940's floor tile, and a partially finished attic that is original to the house.

Chatham Bungalow

This bungalow features a sunny yellow brick façade with decorative pilasters, original windows, and an original front door. A period garage, done in yellow brick to match the house, provides parking behind the house and privacy for the well-tended backyard garden.