B. Harley Bradley House

Frank Lloyd Wright’s home in Kankakee, IL

The original owners of the B. Harley Bradley home were Anna Hickox and B. Harley Bradley. They received the lot from Anna’s father, Warren Hickox Sr.. Warren Hickox Sr. purchased two lots, giving one to his daughter, Anna, and the other to his son. Anna and B. Harley Bradley resided in the house from 1901 until 1913. 

In 1913 the house was sold to A.E. Cook, who then traded the house to Joseph Dodson in Evanston, IL for his home in Michigan and a quarrying operation. 

Dodson was known for saving birds. He named the house “Bird Lodge.” Joseph Dodson turned the home into his business. He devised a law to protect the Herons and wrote books about birds. He died in his Kankakee home on October 7, 1947. After his death, the home was passed on to Mr. and Mrs. James F Neil. Lillian Neil was Joseph Dodson’s secretary for more than 15 years. 

In 1951 Businessmen Edwin P. Bergeron and his wife, Alice, purchased the house. In 1954 Marvin Hammock and Ray Schimel converted the home into a restaurant called “Yesteryear”. In 1983 the restaurant was purchased by Richard Murray. The business was not successful and closed down. 

In 1986 Stephen B Small purchased the property and began to renovate it, including putting a new roof on the house. Mr. Small later died in a kidnapping attempt and his wife sold the property. 

In 1990 Glenlloyd Attorneys purchased the house and converted it to offices. In 2005 Gaines and Sharon Hall acquired the property. They renovated the carriage/stable house to the original design at the end of 2005. 

In 2009, the non-profit organization Wright in Kankakee was formed. In 2010 the Halls and Wright in Kankakee reached a purchase agreement. The B. Harley Bradley home is now open to the public for tours and entertainment. Their first tour was on July 16, 2010.