This house has a rich heritage. The massive Georgian structure was erected in 1905-6as a private residence by Dr. Ephraim Fletcher Ingals and his wife, Lucy Storrs Ingals Dr. & Mrs. Ingals and their two children occupied the first two floors of the house, the third floor being largely for the household staff. Dr.Ingals, a prominent physician, taught at the Rush Medical College and is said to have been influential in the founding of what is now the Pritzker School ofMedicine at the University of Chicago.
One of several properties built by Dr. Ingals here in Chicago, the house was designed by the noted firm of Holabird & Roche, architects of the Palmer House,Chicago Temple, Old City Hall and a host of the city's finest buildings.Descendants of the Ingals family recall that Mr. Roche, a close personal friend of Dr. Ingals, was the principal architect for the project. The house is of unusually substantial construction, even for a building of the period, due perhaps in part to the architects' extensive experience in commercial design.The house was quite advanced for its time, employing steel beams stablizing each story, combination gas/electric fixtures, a sophisticated ventilation system and what appears to have been a central vacuum system of early vintage.Many of these features were altered or lost in subsequent renovations.
Bishop Brent, who had lately died, had been Bishop of the Philippines, Chief of Chaplains in World War I, and was one of the pioneering founders of the World Council of Churches. It was evidently felt that his own devotion tointer-religious and ecumenical dialogue was aptly represented in the international work of this house. It was thus designated as a memorial to him. When the house opened in 1929, the dining room and the Conservatory beyond were filled with serviceable tables where the boarders gathered for their meals. The former library on the north end of the living room was opened to enlarge the space for gatherings and a beautiful Mason & Hamlin grand piano accompanied song fests and musicals.
Bishop Brent, circa 1928; pictured left in an undergraduate production at Trinity College in Toronto, performing "The Gobble Duet" with fellow student C. (Charles) Skadding, who later became bishop of Oregon. [photo courtesy of the Trinity College Archives and Trinity College Chaplain, Robert Black]
Dr. Williamson was succeeded by Mrs. Madge Stewart Sanmann (right) in 1946. The Reverend Philip Lewis (far right) assumed oversight for the work upon her leaving in 1952, and was followed in 1954 by Acting Director, Frank Nelson. But 1954 was also the year that Bernard Iddings Bell came to Hyde Park, recently retired from his position as President of Bard (then St. Stephen's) College in Annandale-on-the-Hudson, New York. A well-known priest and educator, Canon Bell enjoyed a public recognition and reputation. Widely-published, and quoted, he authored over 25 books and exercised tremendous influence. His eyesight fading, he nonetheless established a chaplaincy to the students and faculty at the University of Chicago and organized a congregation that worshipped regularly in Bond Chapel on campus. The Reverend William H. Barr assumed directorship of Brent House in 1955 and his ministry brought several significant changes as he worked to consolidate the work of Canon Bell's chaplaincy into the existing international student work, fashioning a full ministry to the University of Chicago campus. In 1957 he oversaw the expansion of the Coach House with the addition of a modern wing that rendered it a full residence for the Chaplain. The original garage for the house is still discernible as the one-story wing of the Coach House, whose brickwork matches that of the main building.
In 1960 the Reverend John W. Pyle became Chaplain and Director of Brent House. International student work continued and a strong counseling ministry was added under his capable leadership in that field. The late 1960's and early 1970's were turbulent times for all campus ministry. Student residency in the house gave way to other priorities and, for a time, several denominational ministries shared offices in the house. For a while the building also served as the Center for Religion and Psychotherapy. In 1975, when John Pyle retired, the house was sold to the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.
The second floor houses additional residents in three corner bedrooms. The two eastrooms were originally designed as a suite, now housing the resident manager, the northeast room being a den or sitting room, with fireplace, and the southeast room a bedroom. The southwest corner of this floor formed the second portion of the suite, the first room (now the office of the Administrative Associates) being a bedroom and the sunny space beyond, a sunroom and/or sleeping porch(now the office of the Chaplain). These rooms were all joined by a private master d-ressingroom and bath, now open to the landing. A west bath has been converted to a firehall, with a powder room retained to serve the offices.
The first floor public areas -- living, dining, and conservatory-- now serve as meeting rooms for a variety of programs and groups. In these areas we have attempted to retain the ambience of the original building with the restoration of period light fixtures and furnishings. The original wood floor of the foyer has been replaced with new marble, matched to the original marble of the entry, for practicality.
Below stairs a large chapel/multi-purpose room has been fashioned from what was once a maze of smaller rooms.
The unusual skylight is part of the original design of the house and believed to have been designed as a greenhouse/potting shed for the gardens. Replaced some years ago with a makeshift dormer, this architectural feature was restored as the focal point of a contemporary worship space adaptable to many different purposes. An old laundry room has been refitted as a vesting sacristy. In another portion of the basement there is a second office space. The gardens of the house have, in recent years, been revived and restored. In season, we invite you to include them in your visit. They may also be viewed from the Conservatory.
