Hull House
Hull House is a term that is variously applied to the house built in 1856 by Charles Hull at 800 South Halsted Street in Chicago (which survives today on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago), the residence established at that address by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr in 1889, the "social settlement" or settlement house by that name established by Addams, Starr and others, the many diverse and pioneering educational and social reform programs carried out by Addams and the other residents over four decades, or as the most celebrated and influential representative of the late 19th century settlement house movement in the U.S.
Although the Hull House social settlement was initially modeled on Toynbee Hall the university settlement established on Commercial Street, Whitechapel in the East End of London by Canon Barnett and named for Arnold Toynbee, the Hull House program eventually far exceeded the Toynbee Hall effort in ambition, extent and international influence.
The House That Charles Hull Built
The house is a large Italianate brick structure built as a single family dwelling with large front, rear and side yards in 1856 by Chicago real estate man Charles Hull. (Characterizations of the comodious 9-room structure as a "mansion" may be somewhat exaggerated.) Owing partly to its brick construction, the house was one of the few buildings in the vicinity to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and subsequently served various commercial uses, including as a warehouse and funeral home, before it was rented to Addams in 1889 by Mr. Hull's niece, Helen Culver for $60 a month. Ms. Culver had inherited the house and 40 acres of land from her uncle. The house was vacant at the time she rented it. Addams and Starr took occupancy of the house on September 18, 1889 and moved in along with a third woman who served as housekeeper.
Hull House served as the principal residence and center of operations for Addams during the remaining 40 years of her life, until her death from cancer in 1935. It also became the centerpiece of a cluster of more than a dozen other buildings constructed between 1895-1912 on the surrounding land, which was subdivided into 19 adjacent lots in three large parcels, separated by two alleys. All of the buildings in the complex, with the exception of the original house and the dining hall, were demolished in the 1950s to make way for the UIC campus.
The Hull House That Jane Built
Governance
Addams was, according to most contemporary sources, a very charismatic personality, and most of those involved in the Hull House operation during her lifetime appear to have deferred to her personal authority about many things. She served as President of the Hull House Association from its incorporation in 1895 until her death.
Incorporation
According to Farra,[1] pre-1930’s settlement houses in New York City (and presumably elsewhere) were organized on three bases: As limited corporations, as membership organizations or as auxiliaries of other organizations. Holden says that the general practice of settlements on the question of incorporation was mixed: Some were and others weren't. Hull House appears to have originally been unincorporated and established as an Illinois corporation after several years of operation on March 30, 1895.
The Original Board
The seven members of the original board of Trustees were: Helen Culver, Jane Addams, William H. Colvin, Allen B. Pond, Mary H. Wilmarth, and Mary Roset-Smith. In an article published in Charities during the 1930’s, Ms. Addams referred to this original board as composed of club women and business men. Ms. Culver was the niece (and heir) of C.J. Hull. She had inherited the house and 40 acres from her uncle. Pond, secretary of the association for __ years, was an architect and partner in the firm of Pond and Pond, whose firm designed many of the buildings constructed at Hull House. Both he and his brother, _____, were long-time supporters of Hull House, and residents there from ____-____.
Hull House Board Members, 1895-1935
Only 19 board members served on the Hull House Association board from its formation until Ms. Addams' death. The following shows the available information about those board members. The incomplete blocks show the seven members serving at the time Ms. Addams died.
| Name | Appointed | Term Ended | Years | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addams, Jane | 1895 | 1935 | 41 | Died |
| Butler, Edward | 1895 | 1912 | 17 | Term Ended |
| Culver, Helen | 1895 | 1920 | 25 | Resigned |
| Colvin, W.H. | 1895 | 1897 | 2 | Died |
| Pond, Allen | 1895 | 1929 | 34 | Died |
| Smith, Mary Roset | 1895 | 1934 | 39 | Died |
| Wilmarth, Mary | 1895 | 1907 | 12 | Resigned |
| Dewey, John | 1897 | 1903 | 6 | Resigned |
| Bowen, Louise deKoven | 1903 | |||
| Hutchison, Charles L. | 1908 | 1924 | 24 | Died |
| Rosenwald, Julius | 1912 | 1931 | 19 | Died |
| Ewing, Charles Hull | 1920 | |||
| Avery, Sewall L. | 1926 | 1936 | 10 | Resigned |
| Blair, Mrs. Wm. McCormick | 1929 | |||
| Harrison A. Dobbs | 1932 | |||
| Haskins, Mrs.Dorothy North | 1934 | 1935 | 1 | Resigned |
| Regerny, William H. | 1934 | |||
| Abbott, Grace | 1935 | |||
| Chandler, Henry P. | 1935 |
- ↑ Katherine Farra. “Organization and Administration.” Social Settlements in New York: Their Activities, Policies and Administration. Albert J. Kennedy, Katherine Farra and Associates. Columbia University Press, for the Welfare Council of New York City. 1934, p. 486.