File:Hammond House (7345685934).jpg

The Hammond Home, part of the Evanston Lakeshore Historic District (1892). It was designed in 1892 by Joseph Lyman Silsbee, who is most famous for taking a young Frank Lloyd Wright under his wing. William Hammond was a successful banker, who became overwhelmed by his company's demands and committed suicide in 1898. His daughter was one of the founders of Poetry magazine. His son, Laurens Hammond, was a famous inventor. He founded the Hammond Clock Company, which produced one of the first automatic clocks. However, the Great Depression took a toll on the company, and Hammond needed a new way to make money. He tinkered with a piano until it produced an organ-like sound and, in 1935, he released the Hammond organ. Originally intended only to be a cheap alternative to pipe organs for churches, the Hammond became one of the most famous instruments of the 20th century, contributing to countless gospel, jazz, blues, and rock songs.

This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 80001353.