The Jonasson House is a 136-year-old brownstone row house located in the Jackson Boulevard district bequeathed to UIC by the late Olga Jonasson. A well-known philanthropist and pioneer in medicine, she was the last private owner before donating the house to the University of Illinois Foundation for the Chancellor to use the property as their official residence. As a graduate and faculty member of the UIC Medical School, Dr. Jonasson had strong ties to the institution.
The Jonasson House has undergone many transitions. In the 1850’s, Chicago had a population of 30,000 people, and the neighborhood that is now the West Loop was a scarcely populated district. Very soon, middle and upper-middle class Chicagoans began to move into the area and houses began to appear on the 1500 block of W. Jackson. The Jonasson House was one of the first structures on that block.
Construction began on July 1, 1884. George Ross, a salesman from Vermont, had the house built for $3,000, and John Mills Van Osdel was the architect. Van Osdel is considered the city’s first professional architect and was a member of the University of Illinois’ original Board of Trustees.
In the early 20th century, the influx of immigrants and the unfavorable economic circumstances created a pressing need for affordable housing. Like many houses in the area, the Jonasson House became a multi-resident dwelling with numerous tenants living under its roof. It remained a boarding house for fifty years.
In the 1950s, crime and dilapidated buildings in the West Loop led the city to launch an effort to revitalize the area. Families began to buy houses and the entire block was given a historic landmark status in 1976. Felix and Dorothy Candela were part of the newcomers and bought and restored the Jonasson House. After living in the house for ten years, they sold it to Olga Jonasson.
Today, the Jonasson House remains at the front and center of the University. Every year, hundreds of students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and community members are invited to a variety of events in an effort to forge strong relationships and advance the ideals of public higher education.
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