305 Kenilworth Avenue was built for Frank and Lillian Ely by George Maher in 1910. Unlike other Prairie-style structures, 305 Kenilworth Avenue has a cubic shape that can also be found in other Maher designs in Kenilworth. This blocky form first appeared in Maher’s work in his famed John Farson House in Oak Park, Illinois.

305 Kenilworth Avenue serves as a notable example of Maher’s “motif-rhythm theory”, wherein a symbol, often a plant or geometric design, is chosen as a decorative element incorporated throughout the residence. There are two motifs present in 305 Kenilworth Avenue: first, the partially flattened arch, which can be found in the column capitals of the porch, in the door frame, and in the hood over the second-floor window; and, second: the sloping form, seen in the overall shape of the house and in the porch columns.

Similar Centennial Homes: 336 Essex Road (1896), 322 Woodstock Avenue (1900), and 307 Melrose Avenue (1910), all by George Maher.