Olsen-Hansen Row Houses, Chicago (must see)

Primarily used in residential architecture, the Queen Anne style was highly influential in Chicago from the mid- to late 1800s. Here, as well as in other American cities, the name does not reflect a historical period or a specific formulaic style; instead, the look of the buildings is hybrid, mixing Classical, Tudor, Victorian, and Colonial elements together.

Along with Crilly Court (1885), the elaborate Olsen-Hansen Row Houses (1886) on West Eugenie Street are fine expressions of Queen Anne style. Although only five of the original twelve houses remain (No. 164 was the Norwegian-born architect's own residence), their turrets, various window styles, irregular roof-lines, Victorian porches, and combinations of building materials and colors typify the most exuberant design of the period.