Chuck Berry House | |
Location | 3137 Whittier Street, St. Louis, Missouri |
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Coordinates | 38°39′51″N 90°13′53″W / 38.66417°N 90.23139°W |
Built | 1910 |
Architect | William Moxey and James Podmore |
Architectural style | Shaped- parapet single-family |
NRHP reference No. | 08001179 |
Added to NRHP | 2008 |
The Chuck Berry House is the former home of American rock and roll musician Chuck Berry in St. Louis, Missouri located at 3137 Whittier Street. [1] The house was Berry's home when he wrote and first performed the majority of songs with which he is identified, including " Maybellene" (1955), " Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), " Too Much Monkey Business" (1956), " Rock and Roll Music" (1957), " School Day" (1957), " Sweet Little Sixteen" (1958), and " Johnny B. Goode" (1958). [1]
Built in 1910, the house is located in the Greater Ville, an economically depressed neighborhood of north St. Louis. [1] The house is vacant, but retains features and integrity dating to Berry's residence, including an awning with a letter "B" for Berry on the front porch. [1] The house is located on a narrow lot and is closely built to other similar houses; the exterior is red brick except for a small concrete-block addition in the rear built by Berry in 1956. [1] The addition was built both to accommodate his growing family and perhaps to allow greater space for musical practice sessions. [1]
The interior of the house includes its original floor plan, hardwood flooring, plaster walls, doors, and fixtures. [1] The kitchen underwent a renovation in the late 1950s, while a metal front door and metal window grilles were installed at a later date. [1] The house otherwise retains its appearance from the time of Berry's residence. [1]
Berry and his wife Thelmetta moved into the house in 1950 and lived in it for eight years. [2] The house was Berry's home during the most critically acclaimed part of his career, and it represents the most significant site associated with Berry. [2]
In 2008, the Chuck Berry House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, which was an uncommon listing due to the house's association with a living figure. [3]
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