ELIZABETH F. CHENEY MANSION HISTORY

One of Oak Park's finest showplaces, the Cheney Mansion has been home to distinguished families. The house was designed in 1913 by architect Charles E. White, Jr., for the C. E. Sharpe family, who lived here until 1921. Their son, Nathan, and his wife, Marie Walsh, were married in the Mansion's library.

In 1922 the home was purchased by Andrew and Mary Hooker Dole. Andrew was a successful businessman in the Dole Valve Company, later becoming chairman for Mary's father's business, Hooker Paint and Glass. Strong supporters of learning, the Doles funded the north branch of the Oak Park Library which bears their name. In addition to their civic and charitable work, the Doles became important collectors, amassing large collections of fine silver, Oriental carvings, screens, and rugs.

In 1945, after Andrew's death, Mary's niece, Elizabeth Cheney (born in 1902) came to live in the Mansion. Elizabeth, whose own mother had died when she was 2 1/2, and whose father had squandered much of his wife's fortune, had always been a frequent visitor to the house. Elizabeth worked for 15 years in the book department at Carson Pirie Scott in downtown Chicago, and in 1949, after inheriting the house from the childless Doles, she also began to travel and collect antiques. In 1975 she deeded the home to the Park District of Oak Park. She lived in the Mansion until she died in 1985. In her will, Elizabeth established the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation which continues to support cultural and artistic endeavors in Chicago.

In both 1986 and 2007 the Mansion was featured as the Oak Park-River Forest Infant Welfare Society's Showcase House.

The Architect
A graduate of MIT, Charles E. White, Jr., came to Oak Park after marrying local resident Alice Roberts. For two years, beginning in 1903, White worked in Frank Lloyd Wright's studio, and was strongly influenced by Wright's credo that a building should express the spirit of its natural surroundings. White's interest in nature was further reflected in his involvement in the movement that created the Village of Oak Park Park District. White also foresaw the value of zoning ordinances, and initiated a set of municipal zones still used in Oak Park today.

One of White's most important works, the 12,000 square foot Cheney Mansion, designed in 1913, boasts many handsome reception rooms, 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, and separate servants' quarters. The two acres of beautifully landscaped grounds also include a coach house and greenhouse.

A 1970 Survey of Historic Buildings in Oak Park describes Cheney Mansion as a “simplified rectilinear design of first rank in architectural quality, significance, and originality.” The architect, Charles E. White, Jr., a graduate of MIT, came to Oak Park after marrying local Alice Roberts. For two years, beginning in 1903, White worked in Frank Lloyd Wright’s studio, and was strongly influenced by Wright’s credo that a building should express the spirit of its natural surroundings. White also designed a number of Oak Park residences and the Oak Park Post Office. Jens Jensen, a well-known landscape architect, worked with White on several projects.