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Lakewood Balmoral's Beautiful Historic Homes Open To The Public Sunday

By Linze Rice | September 12, 2016 8:16am
 Lakewood Balmoral is one of several historic districts in Edgewater.
Lakewood Balmoral is one of several historic districts in Edgewater.
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EDGEWATER — The detailed and historically rich homes of the Lakewood Balmoral district will open their doors to neighbors Sunday as part of the Edgewater Historical Society's 26th Annual Home Tour

From noon-4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, participants can sign up for the $25 per-person tour at Unity Lutheran Church, 1212 W. Balmoral Ave. where they will receive an informational booklet on the six homes included.

The tours start at noon and last until 5 p.m., rain or shine, with volunteers offering guided walks through the homes' interiors.

The Lakewood Balmoral Historic District is bound by Byrn Mawr, Magnolia, Wayne and Foster and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Its roots stretch back to 1890, when developer John Lewis Cochran bought the plot of land, which once extended slightly west to Glenwood Avenue.

The area was built as Cochran's third and last addition to his "original" vision of Edgewater. Cochran is largely credited with founding the neighborhood, which was meant to cater to middle-class families, while his lakefront mansions were more designed for the elite. 

According to the historical society, the first homes were constructed in 1893, mostly on Lakewood and Magnolia Avenues, with more structures popping up between 1894-95 and more still in 1898-99.

In 1899, Cochran also set up a development office at the corner of Broadway and Catalpa where he continued to develop the neighborhood, including building up transportation, business, access to electricity and more.

Today, as Cochran's lakefront mansions have been replaced by thousands of high-rise condos, the Lakewood Balmoral homes are listed in the $1 million range.

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