326 Essex Road was built for Frank and Harriet Elizabeth Root in 1896. Frank Root was a music publisher whose brother, Walter Root, also lived in Kenilworth. In 1900, A. Shreeve Badger, a lumber merchant, and Sarah Frances Cowles Badger moved into the residence. The Badgers kept horses and a donkey on the property. In 1992, the home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

326 Essex Road was designed in the Classical Revival style, which gained popularity following its prominent use in the White City of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Inspired by classical Greek and Roman architecture, Classical Revival homes feature symmetrical facades with a central entrance and low-pitched or flat roofs. The entryway often includes a pediment, portico, or a porch. The homes are adorned with columns, pilasters, balustrades, and other classical detailing.

The Kenilworth Historical Society holds original architectural drawings of the house, which include an inscription at the bottom that reads: “The Franklin Burnham Co. Architects, Chicago, ILL.” Although a few secondary sources attribute the design to Daniel Burnham, the renowned Chicago architect, it is more likely that Franklin Burnham was the actual architect of the home. The two are of no relation.

Similar Centennial Home: 236 Cumnor Road (c. 1905)