Henry Gerber House

The Henry Gerber House is a brick row house in Old Town with Queen Anne architectural details, including two asymmetrical front bays and arched transom windows above the doors. The structure sits on North Crilly Court and remains a private residence visible from the street.

Henry Gerber founded the Society for Human Rights at this address in 1924, establishing the first chartered LGBT rights organization in the United States. Police raids in 1925 brought the early movement to a halt and seized materials related to the organization.

The residence served as a meeting place where people gathered in the 1920s to discuss and challenge social prejudices against LGBT individuals. Walking past the address today, one can recognize its role as an early gathering point for those seeking to change public understanding.

The house is privately occupied in a quiet residential area near the lake, so visitors cannot enter the interior. Walking through the neighborhood, people can appreciate the exterior details from the street and view the commemorative markers that identify its historical importance.

The residence housed the production of America's first gay-oriented periodical before police raided the building and confiscated the equipment. This publication was largely unknown to other activists at the time and was nearly lost to history until the house's significance was rediscovered.

Location: Chicago

Architectural style: Queen Anne style architecture

Part of: Old Town

GPS coordinates: 41.91320,-87.63600

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:04