Powhatan Apartments

Landmark Context

Powhatan Apartments is tied to 4950 S Chicago Beach Dr in the city's landmark file. Even in summary form, the record keeps together a construction date of 1927-29 and credits Robert DeGolyer & Charles Morgan. It was designated on January 12, 1993. Powhatan Apartments already ties domestic design, residential development, and block-by-block neighborhood change to one real building before archival digging begins.

Powhatan Apartments gains definition in the field when attention concentrates on lot width, setbacks, porches, bays, and rooflines, the rhythm between neighboring houses, and alterations that show changing domestic use. Those observations help show how one domestic building can still clarify the growth of an entire residential block.

Research Starting Points

Powhatan Apartments starts to deepen once research reaches real-estate atlases and fire insurance maps, permit files and census or directory material, and historic photographs and neighborhood histories. Those materials are usually what turn site observation into a more convincing historical record.

Powhatan Apartments still needs permits, photographs, and comparison, but the landmark record gives that work a stable point of return.