John S. Van Bergen

John Shellette Van Bergen (October 2, 1885 – December 20, 1969) was an American architect born in Oak Park, Illinois.

Van Bergen designed prairie style homes in the Chicago area, mostly in the suburbs of Oak Park and River Forest.

[1][2] At the time the Van Bergen family resided in a home on Euclid Avenue in Oak Park, a building that no longer exists.

John Van Bergen began his career as an apprentice draftsman working with Walter Burley Griffin in 1907.

[7] Van Bergen designed many Prairie style residences in and around Chicago, especially in the suburbs of Oak Park and River Forest.

While the interior design is still immature the home's massing and flow already have the unique subtlety characteristic of Van Bergen's work.

[11] Little research has been done on Van Bergen's career because a 1964 fire destroyed his Santa Barbara, California home along with many of his architectural drawings and records.

[12] For many years the assumption by those who studied the Prairie School was that there were few records of Van Bergen's work thus the search would be fruitless.

[11] Van Bergen designed Prairie style homes, influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, as demonstrated in this quote from Van Bergen: Since the American architect has a great opportunity as a leader of the people toward honesty, simplicity and directness, he can educate their tastes and control, to a great extent, their morals and happiness.

The driveway retaining wall is made of the original rough-cut and stratified limestone, a style Van Bergen used in many houses after the 1920s.

[11] The renowned Prairie style, “Fireproof House for $5,000”, was a design developed by Frank Lloyd Wright and later adapted by Van Bergen in his practice.

What also adds to the unique character of this home is a specifically designed upstairs art studio, for then noted local artist Mary Agnes Yerkes, over its main entrance.

[8][16] The city of Chicago declared the Miller House, a 1915 example of Van Bergen's Prairie style on South Paxton Avenue, a landmark on December 1, 1993.