Berwyn Historical Society

09/06/2026

3 Weeks Until The Bungalows and More Tour!

Join the BHS on 9/27/26 and Step inside 5 private homes for an exclusive look inside Berwyn's vibrant tapestry of architecture and history. We are excited for this curated tour to explore living history and see how these historical structures have been preserved and adapted for modern life. 100% of proceeds support the BHS, Tickets on-sale now at https://berwynhistoricalsociety.org/bungalows-and-more/

09/03/2026

With four bedrooms and three baths, the Dvorak house is an excellent example of a classic, jumbo bungalow. The lavish decorations reflected the affluence and taste of the burgeoning Czech population of Berwyn in the 20's. And, in fact, the original owner, Mr Dvorak, had been born in Czechoslovakia. Yet it was hardly the largest or most splendid home in Berwyn. What sets it apart now is the fact that so little has been changed on it over the years. It has become increasingly rare to find these vintage elements in our homes, as the trend in real estate these days seems to be to whitewash or remove much of the interiors of our homes.

09/02/2026

When the Dvorak House was sold last, the Realtor referred to it as a "Jazz Age" house. When asked why, he said, "Because nobody had money like this after '29." Indeed, the house was built in 1928. What that Realtor was referring to was the lavish use of architectural decoration in the home. Every piece of it designed to communicate to the visitor the elevated taste and success of the homeowner. The house has 34 art glass windows, including in the bathrooms and the basement. Fancy plaster stucco, moldings, and a column. A grand curving staircase, a Claycraft art tile fireplace and the latest in 1928 chic - bathrooms with colored fixtures. Perhaps most surprising is that the basement has a large formal party room, complete with a sprung wood dance floor.

The Dvorak house has been on the historical society's Bungalow walk twice in the past, but you can take a peek right now by scrolling through some of these photos of the home's detailing.

09/01/2026

In 2013, the Berwyn city council designated the Dvorak House as a Berwyn Historic Landmark. One of the reasons for this honor was that the home was exceptionally well preserved and was one of the few remaining Bungalows that had retained almost all of its historic features. You will notice the glaze terracotta decorative features over the front porch, an unusual and costly addition to a bungalow.

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

In advance of our much anticipated Bungalows and More housewalk on September 27th , we thought we would take another look at one of the houses we featured in the past. Check in over the next few days, as we explore this house inside and out on our page.

The Dvorak Bungalow is one of the most recognized houses in Berwyn, not only because of its extra large size and lavish use of ornamentation, but because it is one of a pair of identical twin houses that stand mirroring each other on Riverside Drive.

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

Happy 100th Birthday, Route 66! (Otherwise known as Ogden Avenue in Berwyn!)

08/28/2026

Two Berwyn beauties, painted and refreshed.

08/26/2026

The exceptional woodwork in our vintage homes used to be common, but now it's rare to find a house like this. This home was sold to a developer a couple of years ago, and we have to wonder how much of the Interior he preserved.