Own the First Chicago Home of Al Capone — Escape Route Not Included

It was his first home in Chicago, and his mother lived there until her death, and in 2019, you could own a slice of Al Capone history for practically a song.

“I came to Chicago with $40 in my pocket,” Alphonse Gabriel Capone said once, and not long after that he began working for mobster Johnny Torrio. Not long after that, he and his family moved into the six bedroom, two apartment Park Manor home located at 7244 South Prairie Ave.

“This was the Chicago home of Al Capone and Family. Al Capone and family began to move into the place on August 8,1923,” explained listing agent Ryan Smith with Re/Max Properties. “The ownership was under Mae and Theresa Capone.”

The home was built by its original owners in 1914 for $5,000, the site myalcaponemuseum.com said. When Capone purchased it, he put it in the name of his wife, Mae, and his mother, Theresa.

As his dubious career attracted more danger to the family — and as he got busier, Capone rarely lived in the home. It’s been rumored he had a tunnel from the home to the detached garage to facilitate a quick getaway, but if it existed, it’s long since been filled in.

He died in January 1947, and by November of that year, ownership had been transferred to his sister, Mafalda Maritote. Theresa died in the home in 1952, and Mafalda sold the home in 1953, and it has passed through a few owners hands since then.

Nowadays, the home has two spacious apartments, and while the home needs a few updates, for a list price of $109,900, you can easily afford to renovate both units.

Want to see more? Head over to SecondShelters.com.