From December 2004 through July 2005, the Hinsdale Historical Society led the effort to preserve the home and studio of noted Hinsdale architect R. Harold Zook, originally located at 327 S. Oak St., Hinsdale, Illinois, by relocating them to Katherine Legge Memorial Park, 5941 S. County Line Rd., Hinsdale after demolition was imminent.
The Zook home and studio are a celebration of the talents and unique designs of Hinsdale’s own architect, R. Harold Zook. The English Cotswold-style house – with brick and stone walls, casement windows with leaded diamond patterns, heavy wooden arched doors, custom wrought iron fixtures (hardware, lights, gates, posts), an undulating wood shingle roof with rolled eaves to resemble a thatch roof (the undulations are illusory, having been created by careful placement of the shingles in gently curving lines), and a large art-deco masonry wall curving around the backyard – was designed by Zook and built in 1924 for Zook and his family. The garage/studio sits next to the home and showcases many of Zook’s distinctive elements. A detailed wrought iron stairway leads to Zook’s studio on the second level. It is here that Zook worked. Zook occupied the home until his death in 1949. The home has had two other owners and has remained largely intact. It continues to embody Zook’s craftsmanship and distinctive architectural elements.
