John and Frances Glessner were prominent members of Chicago society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Their 17,000 square foot house on Prairie Avenue, the city’s most exclusive residential street at the time, was regarded as the urban residential masterpiece of architect H. H. Richardson, but was criticized by neighbors. It narrowly escaped demolition in the 1960s and has since been fully restored and contains most of its original furnishings.

In the late 1870s, the family first visited the White Mountains of New Hampshire, at the recommendation of their son’s doctor, who believed the environment would relieve his severe hay fever. It did, and by 1882, the Glessners had purchased their first 100 acres of land which they named The Rocks, and where they completed their home the next year. The estate eventually grew to more than 1,500 acres and it had a significant impact on the economy of the surrounding area. The majority of the acreage was donated to the Forest Society in 1978 by two of their grandchildren.

This presentation will explore the lives of John and Frances Glessner, with a focus on their two homes. It will also look at the life of their son George, who served several terms in the New Hampshire state legislature, and their daughter, Frances Glessner Lee, the mother of forensic science, who created her famous Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death at The Rocks in the 1940s and 1950s.

This event is free to the public. RSVPs are strongly encouraged, though walk ins will be welcomed.

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