The South Side home where Harold Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor, once lived has officially changed hands. The historic greystone at 3936 S. King Drive, a property rich with both architectural character and cultural legacy, was sold in August 2025, marking the start of a new chapter for one of Bronzeville’s most storied residences.
A Greystone with Legacy
Built in 1894, the white stone Victorian three-story mansion at 3936 South Grand Boulevard, now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, became home to the Washington family in the summer of 1929. According to historian Dempsey Travis in An Autobiography of Black Politics, Roy Lee Washington, Sr. moved Harold and his brother Edward into the residence, which was owned at the time by a family friend, Mrs. Davis.
It was within these walls that a young Harold Washington grew up, long before he would rise through Chicago politics to make history in 1983 as the city’s 51st mayor and first African American to hold the office. Washington served from April 29, 1983, until his sudden passing on November 25, 1987, at age 65.
The mansion still carries many original details, including ornate fireplaces, wood inlays, and a castle-like tower, hallmarks of the boulevard’s architectural grandeur. According to Redfin, the property spans about 4,522 square feet with 7 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, offering a large but aging canvas in the heart of Bronzeville.
From Listing to Sale
The home was first listed in October 2024 for $715,000, but the asking price went through several reductions over the following months:
| Timeline | Asking Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | $715,000 | Initial listing |
| Dec 4, 2024 | $685,000 | First price cut |
| Apr 2025 | $589,000 | Mid-market reset |
| Aug 2, 2025 | $550,000 | Final pre-sale listing |
| Aug 20, 2025 | $490,000 (Sold) | Closing price |
Harold Washington’s childhood home finally sold on August 20, 2025, for $490,000, nearly $225,000 below the original listing price. The listing was represented by Coldwell Banker Realty agents Paulette Edwards and Sybil Martin.
When the property first hit the market in October 2024, Edwards told Crain’s Chicago Business that bringing the house up to date would cost around $300,000, making a buyer’s total investment close to $1 million. “And that’s a price we’ve been seeing on King Drive,” she said at the time, pointing out that three new-construction greystones on the boulevard sold in 2023 and 2024 for between $1.15 million and $1.35 million.
Directly across from the mansion once stood the legendary Grand Terrace Night Club, a hub for Earl “Father” Hines and his orchestra. For a young Harold Washington, watching the nightly arrival of well-dressed crowds was an early glimpse into a segregated Chicago. Nearly a century later, the sale of his childhood home raises new questions: will its next chapter honor its history, or will it be transformed to showcase a new Chicago?
