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Boyington's buildings
incorporated a neo-Gothic style, complete with castles and turrets. One
of his trademarks was the use of Joliet limestone for his buildings. The
famous Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station (1866 and 1869), which
survived the great Chicago
fire of 1871, are two of Chicago's best-loved buildings.
The oldest surviving
Boyington building is the Joliet
Penitentiary (1858), located on Collins street.
The magnificent Hegeler-Carus Mansion in nearby La Salle (1874) is also noteworthy.
The magnificent Hegeler-Carus Mansion, located 30 minutes from Joliet,
is a must see.
For 45 years, William
W. Boyington (1818-1898) was one of the most prolific architects
in Chicago. His buildings are found in Joliet and throughout the entire
I&M Canal Heritage Corridor.
A native New Yorker,
Boyington arrived in Chicago in 1853 and
immediately began designing a variety of structures, including churches,
hotels, railroad stations and other public buildings. He once bragged
that if all of his
buildings were laid side by side they would span 25 miles.
