Schoenhofen Tomb, North Clark Street and West Irving Park Road, Chicago, Cook County, IL

Significance: Peter Schoenhofen was a Prussian immigrant who came to Chicago at the age of 27. In 1861 he partnered with Matthias Gottfried to operate a brewery at 18th Street and Canalport. The Gottfried Brewing Company produced about 600 barrels of lager beer a year. Favored by the German and Irish communities, lager beer was a lighter, more carbonated version of the English-style ales and porters. Schoenhofen bought out his partner in 1867 and the company then bore his name...The tomb's pyramid-inspired style of Victorian idealized Egyptian Revival is distinctive with its odd combination of an Egyptian pyramid, and angel, and a sphinx. The two statues flank the bronze lotus-motif entry door. The cavetto cornice has an exaggerated overhang on which is carved a winged bird, disc, and two snakes. The same carving is on the rear of the tomb above a grated stained glass window. These Christian and pagan symbols were common statuary in cemeteries of the late 19th century, and were thought, respectively, to represent a heaven-gazing host and a protective, enigmatic guard. The gray granite pyramid is set on a pedestal. The bronze entryway door has a stylized lotus plant, bundled reeds, and a handle on which is a coiled asp. The screening behind the bronze door detail reveals a pedestal flower table, intricate bronze floral panels, a stunning stained-glass window, and drawers with coiled asp handles. Mr. Schoenhofen rests in the tomb, as does his wife, who was interred June 28, 1907
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N1221
Survey number: HABS IL-323-D
Building/structure dates: 1893 Initial Construction