David J. Kennedy and his wife Carrie bought this property in early 1888; they bought a substantial lot, 172 feet wide by 250 feet deep — close to a full acre.  By the end of the year their house was completed.  Click here for a picture of the original house, and some discussion of alterations made over the years.  Built at a cost of approximately $13,000 — a considerable sum in those days — it was considered one of the finest houses in the village.  Mr. Kennedy started in the lumber business, later he was a partner in Kennedy and Ballard, a Chicago real estate firm, and he was one of the organizers of the Cicero and Proviso street railroad company.  But later on the financial fortunes of the family faltered — in 1904 the family declared bankruptcy and the house was sold.  Between 1909 and 1957 the property was subdivided into 5 separate plots and 4 of them sold.  The houses at 313 Kenilworth and 11, 9 (originally the coach house), and 7 Elizabeth Court were built on the remains of the Kennedy estate.  See the entries for these houses for the individual lot sale dates.

The house has recently been extensively restored.

Thanks to Doug Gilbert, Peg Zak and previous Wright Plus researchers for their research on this house.