Old Irving Park in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

John and Phebe Gray House

ca. 1856

— Chicago Landmark —

John and Phebe Gray House Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Gull, August 23, 2026

1. John and Phebe Gray House Marker

Inscription. Constructed around 1856, this farmhouse was built by Phebe and John Gray on what was once a large farmstead in Jefferson Township, prior to annexation by the City of Chicago. The Grays were early settlers to the area who moved to Illinois from upstate New York. John Gray served as the first Republican Sheriff of Cook County from 1858-1860. Plans for the Italianate Style farmhouse were likely derived from pattern books of the period, then constructed by local builders. The original T-shaped building footprint, crowning 3-story square tower, and wood trim moldings have remained intact for over 160 years.

Designated on March 20, 2024
Brandon Johnson, Mayor

Erected 2026 by Commission on Chicago Landmarks, City of Chicago.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Architecture • Government & Politics • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Chicago's Surviving Pre-Fire Structures, and the Illinois, Chicago Landmarks Commission series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.

Location. 41° 57′ N, 87° 44.269′ W. Marker is

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in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Old Irving Park. It is on West Grace Street east of North Kostner Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4362 West Grace Street, Chicago IL 60641, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: John and Phebe Gray (here, next to this marker); John and Clara Merchant House (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Carl Schurz High School (approx. 0.2 miles away); Stephen A. Race House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Charles N. Loucks House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Villa District (approx. ¾ mile away); Florsheim Shoe Company Building (approx. one mile away); Veterans Memorial (approx.

Photographed by Tom Gull, August 23, 2026

2. John and Phebe Gray House Marker

1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

More about this marker. The home was designated a landmark in 2024, and the plaque was added in August 2026. Another marker was added to this site by the home's 2026 owners, offering a deeper description of the Grays and, in particular, their link to the anti-slavery movement.

Regarding John and Phebe Gray House. This home is the rare Chicago structure that pre-dates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The Grays land was later subdivided into a suburb called Grayland. Jefferson Township was annexed into the City of Chicago in 1889.

As described on the other plaque at this home, Gray was a well-known anti-slavery advocate, and there are long-standing rumors that the home was a stop on the Underground Railroad. In 2017, the home's owners opened up the home to archeologists from Lake Forest College, however no direct evidence of a tie to the Underground Railroad has been found.

Also see . . .
1. Old Irving Park residents obtain landmark status for their home, where two plaques tell its history.

Excerpt: "The Clouds began seeking landmark recognition
Photographed by Tom Gull, August 23, 2026

3. John and Phebe Gray House
after learning about the property’s historical significance from friends and neighbors. It was the only house in the immediate area when it was built, and residential development grew around the original farmstead as Irving Park developed into a railroad suburb. It remains the oldest residence in Old Irving Park."

(Submitted on August 24, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. Historical John Gray House In Irving Park Is Now A Chicago Landmark. From Block Club Chicago.

Excerpt: "A short account of Gray’s life as it relates to the Grayland rail station and the settlement that sprung up next to it appears in manuscripts about Chicago and Cook County history written by 19th-century historian Alfred T. Andreas. According to neighborhood lore, the Gray home had a room under the front foyer leading to a tunnel that was used in the Underground Railroad. Historians haven’t been able to substantiate those claims, according to the landmarks commission."

(Submitted on August 24, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

3. Was This Irving Park Home Part Of The Underground Railroad? Archaeologists Aim To

Courtesy of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks

4. John Gray

Gray died in 1889.

Find Out. A 2018 Block Club Chicago about archeological excavations done by a professor and students from Lake Forest College. (Submitted on August 24, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 24, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 24, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.