Relic House
Life Span: 1872-1929
Location: Clark Street and Centre, near Lincoln Park
Architect: TBD
The Standard Guide to Chicago for the Year 1891
Fire Relics.—The finding of a large mass of molten iron by workmen excavating for the new Masonic temple in 1890 called attention to the fact that there were a number of interesting collections of relics of the great fire in Chicago. The most interesting and ornamental monument of the fire Is the ” Relic House,” well known to North S’ders and Lincoln Park visitors. In 1872, when the “leavings ” of the fire could be had for the asking or the trouble of picking them up, a man named Rettig1 conceived the idea of building a small cottage out of such material as a melted mixture of stone, iron and other metals. The queer structure was built at North Park avenue and Central street. Ten years ago it was removed to its present site near the junction of Clark street and North Park avenue (take North Clark street cable line), Philip Vinter becoming the proprietor. Four years afterwards the “Relic House” passed into the hands of its present owner, William Lindemann, who has added a refreshment parlor to the saloon and made quite a rustic spot out of the relic. The only ruin of the ’71 fire which remains standing is on a large vacant lot between Nos. 907 and 915 North Clark street, a few doors north of the “Relic House,” on the opposite side of the street. The ruin consists of three sections of red brick wall with stone foundations showing where the chimneys, doors and windows formerly were. The lot is owned by Hugh A.White, a lawyer who lives in Evanston, The Chicago Historical Society has a large collection of fire relics, some from the ruins of the society’s building, which was then near the corner of Ontario street and Dearborn avenue, but most of the relics are donations from Maria G. Carr, Mrs. E. E. Atwater, and various business firms who were burnt out. The Historical Society also has the key to the vault-door in the office of the Assistant Treasurer of the United States at Chicago, which was destroyed together with $1,500,000 in currency and the books and vouchers in the office. The key was presented by Henry H. Nash, Cashier. Large oil paintings of General Grant, J. Young Scammon and Miss Sneed (the woman who. Napoleon thought, was the most beautiful in the world), which were saved from the fire, adorn the walls of the society’s room. Mrs, Carr’s collection is a curious one among the burned, melted, scorched and twisted things being a bunch of forks, a mass of type, bunch of tacks, pack of cards, a lot of knitting-needles, a spool of thread from Field, Leiter & Co.’s dry-goods house at Madison and Franklin streets, hooks and eyes, a package of buttons, three jew’s-harps. thimbles, marbles, a bundle of melted glass, a piece of glass from Bowen Bros., Lake street; an old fashioned clay pipe, china dolls’ head, three crucibles, a door bell, penknives, one being found under the site of a pulpit; a package of glass beads from Schweitzer & Beer’s store, a bundle of screws, a walking cane without head or ferrule, necks of glass bottles from Jasger’s place, and a package of slate pencils from the Western News Company’s place. In Mrs. Atwater’s collection is a lump of black stuff which was coffee once upon a time, labeled, “Browned too Much,” remnants of the stock of a toy house, china dolls and playthings, a bundle of hair-pins, scissors, rosaries without the crucifix, glass beads, and a jet necklace well preserved, a box of charred biscuits from the ruins of Dr. Rice’s church, a lot of stained and plain window-glass from various city churches, and a variety of blackened cups and saucers from the ruins of crockery houses.
Relic House
Photograph by John J. Kanberg
1891
“The Relic House,” located on North Clark Street, near the main entrance to Lincoln Park, at Centre Street, is one of the curiosities of and further away from that great historic event—the burning of Chicago; and as time carries us further the city in 1871—the interesting relics of that conflagration out of which “The Relic House” is constructed, must gather around it increased interest.
Already it is visited by great numbers of curiosity- seekers, especially those from abroad, who cannot resist the temptation to make the occasion of their visit to Lincoln Park an opportunity to see this memento of the most noted event in Chicago’s history. “The Relic House” was first constructed in 1872, when the mementoes of the fire were plenty and could be had anywhere for the asking. It was erected at a point over 100 yards from its present location, of half-melted masses of iron, glass, pottery, stone and other materials, deftly worked in together in such way as to preserve their curious features. The house was afterward raised and moved bodily to its present location. It has been fitted up for the entertainment of visitors, and includes a restaurant, hall and saloon.
Relic House Promotional Piece
1906
The Relic House
1890
Chicago Tribune, December 28, 1890
RELICS OF THE FIRE
The most and ornamental monu-ment of the fire is the “Relic House,” well known to North-Siders and Lincoln Park visitors. In 1872, when the “leavings” of the fire could be had for the asking or the trouble of picking them up, a man named Rettig conceived the idea of building a small cottage out of such material as a melted mixture of stone, iron, and other metals. The queer structure was built at North Park avenue and Center street. Ten years ago it was removed to its present site near the junction of Clark street and North Park avenue, Philip Vinter becoming the proprietor. Four years afterwards the “Relic House” passed into the hands of its present owner, William Lindemann, who has added a refreshment parlor to the saloon and made quite a rustic spot out of the relic.
“Yes, I will move it to the World’s Fair grounds if I am paid enough,” said Mr. Lindemann to The Tribune reporter yesterday. “It would make a good American curiosity. I would take shares in a stock company and have a wall built round the house, the same as Libby Prison.”
Relic House
Chicago Tribune, February 29, 1929
WRECKERS BEGIN DESTRUCTION OF NORTH SIDE LANDMARK.
Tearing down the Relic house, Center and Clark streets, built of material that passed through Chicago fire, and once owned by father of Gloria Swanson, titled moving picture stat.
Chicago Tribune March 10, 1929
HUGE APARTMENT BUILDING REPLACING RELIC HOUSE
The above huge apartment building is being erected by Peter F. Reynolds on a triangular site fronting on Lincoln Park West, Clark street, and Garfield avenue—opposite Lincoln park. A part of the land was formerly occupied by the Relic house—built of materials salvaged from the Chicago fire. McNally & Quinn are architects for the building, which will contain 210 flats.
Relic House
Robinson Fire Map
1886
NOTES:
1 Albert Rettig operated a saloon at 900 N. Clark st., and resided at 948 N. Clark st., according to the 1880 Chicago Directory. The 1885 Directory, his saloon was listed at 976 Clybourn av.
Brian Fat says
is the relic house still around today???