Borden House Sold in 1960

The historic Borden mansion, located at the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Bellevue Place, and a Gold Coast landmark since 1884, went on the market in 1960 and was demolished two years later. The property was being offered for sale by Mrs. Ellen Borden Stevenson, the former wife of Adlai Stevenson, a twice-defeated Democratic candidate for President, along with her sister and mother. This information was revealed on February 27, 1950. Mrs. Stevenson, who spent her childhood in the 36-room chateau-like home, hosted an art club there from 1953 to 1958. While she confirmed the sale of the building, she chose not to disclose the selling price. Mrs. Stevenson mentioned that, in addition to herself, the other sellers are her sister, Mrs. Ralph Hines, and her mother, Mrs. Ellen Waller Borden Carpenter.

The purchaser was the International Rolling Mill Products Corporation, located at 5000 Whipple Street, under the leadership of Barney E. Hokin, a Chicago industrialist. LeRoy A. Listug, the company's vice president, confirmed that, apart from acquiring the Borden home, the corporation has also entered into an agreement to purchase the adjacent property to the north at 1038 Lake Shore Drive, owned by Mrs. Florence McGinley.

The corporation already possessed the three remaining structures on Lake Shore Drive between Bellevue and Cedar Streets. Listug stated that by purchasing the Bordon mansion, the company would own a continuous block of Lake Shore Drive frontage. The Borden home, characterized by its three-story gray stone construction, stood as one of the few remaining mansions constructed by affluent Chicagoans on the near north side before 1900.

Initially, the residence was inhabited by William Borden and his family. William Borden, the grandfather of Mrs. Stevenson, distinguished himself as a lawyer and a successful mining engineer. The architectural style of the home was French Renaissance, with stone carvings adorning the exterior that were imported from France, as disclosed by Mrs. Stevenson.

Following the 1924 divorce between John Borden, Mrs. Stevenson's father, and Mrs. Carpenter, John Borden granted his ex-wife a lifetime interest in the property. Later, he officially conveyed ownership of the home to his two daughters, Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs. Hines, with the provision that Mrs. Carpenter retained her life interest in the property.

This article was written by Chicago Tribune reporter Ernest Fuller and published on February 28, 1960.