Boyce Block
Life Span: 1871-1871 (Not completed
Location: Northeast Corner State and Madison
Architect: W. W. Boyington
Chicago Tribune, March 5, 1871
Another Business Palace
Arrangements have already been completed, and ground will at once be broken, for the erection, on the northeast corner of State and Madison streets, of a magnificent five-story building, by the Boyce Brothers, under the immediate management of their attorney and business agent, Mr. James Leonard. The building will have a frontage of 53 feet on State street. The lower floor will consist of a single room, 50 by 120 feet, to be used by a well known jeweler of 50 by 120 feet, who intends converting it into the finest jewelry store in the world, and who has contracted in advance for a ten years’ lease. The structure will be adorned with an elaborate front in the gothic style, and the plans, as drawn by W. W. Boyington, the architect, indicate that it will be one of the very finest buildings in the city. It is to cost $100,000, and will be completed on or about the first of May, 1872.
Chicago Tribune, December 2, 1871
The Boyce Block, at the corner of Madison and State streets, partially finished at the time of the fire, is one of the best examples of the texture of the (Lake Superior sand) stone and its building capacities. It can be seen here and there in buildings all over the city. Among the costly residences constructed of this material are the houses of Mr. Hongh, on Prairie avenue, of Mr. Crane, on Wabash avenue, of Mr. Boughton, on Indiana avenue, and of Mr. Boyington, the architect, also on Indiana avenue. Owing to tho Arctic climate of Lake Superior, operations at the quarries cannot commence before May, and must end in October. The supply of the stone now in the market is very light. A vessel loaded with it is on the way, but it 1s doubtful if she makes the port before spring. We are informed that a third firm here expended about $40,000 in opening another quarry on an island near the bottom of the lake, under discouraging circumstances, but will re-new operations in the spring. This stone has been sold in this market during the past season for from $1 to $1.25, but the price will be in the future materially increase.
- State and Madison
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1869
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1871
① NE Corner
Boyce Block, ground broken May 1871, designed by W. W. Boyington, 123-127 State. Part of the walls were left standing.
② SE Corner
Collins, Kessler & Co.’s Mourning Store (1870) 131-137 State buildings Old buildings removed by Bowen, Whitman & Winslow in 1868
③ NW Corner
Raymond Block, 122-124 State (1863)
Carson, Pirie & Co., 118-120
④ SW Corner
Buck & Rayner, 132-134 State (1868).
⑤ SE Corner Dearborn Madison
Chicago Tribune Building 137-141 Dearborn (1869)
- State and Madison photograph was taken from The Tribune building at the southeast corner of Dearborn and Madison Streets.
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