Pettit Memorial Chapel (1906)
On a recent trek to Rockford, Illinois to tour the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home of Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent, we took a short detour in order to stop at the Belvidere Cemetery. Since 1847 the cemetery has served Belvidere and the surrounding area; there are former U.S. Congressmen, Civil War Generals and sports stars buried […]
The Rookery (1905)
Originally constructed in 1888, the Rookery Office Building is the oldest remaining high-rise in Chicago and was built by Daniel H. Burnham & J. W. Root. It’s name probably came from the previous building on this site which was an old city hall and was a favorite roosting spot of pigeons. The lobby was remodeled […]
Frank Smith Bank Building
The Frank Smith Bank Building is one of two banks that were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Now known as the Peoples National Bank of Dwight, the building is unassuming from the outside and tucked into the middle of the block across the street from the Amtrak station. This page may contain affiliate links. See […]
Unity Temple (1906)
Photo Credit: “Unity Temple” by Teemu008 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. During the very late 1800s, Frank Lloyd Wright became increasingly innovative in terms of his architectural style; this period was the beginning of what came to be known as Wright’s Prairie style. Inspired by the low and mostly flat landscape of the Midwest, the Prairie style home, […]
Arthur Heurtley House (1902)
Another in a long and impressive list of homes designed in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Arthur Heurtley House was constructed in 1902 and is perhaps one of the earliest examples of a full-on Prairie-Style home; many believe it to be one of Wright’s greatest residential designs. This page may […]
Dana-Thomas House (1902)
The Dana-Thomas House is an incredibly well-preserved and exquisite example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture. Located on the corner of 4th and Lawrence Streets, the house is just blocks from the capitol and minutes from downtown — easily within walking distance of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum in good weather. The home itself […]
F. B. Henderson House (1901)
That Frank Lloyd was a famous architect of the Prairie School style is a well-known fact. Contrary to what some might like to believe, he was not the solitary contributor of that style. Henry Webster Tomlinson was a lesser-known Prairie-School architect; he enjoyed a brief partnership with Frank Lloyd Wright, a fact that was first […]
Hickox House (1900)
The Warren Hickox House, a testament to Frank Lloyd Wright’s early Prairie style, stands as a captivating example of the architect’s innovative approach to domestic design. Built in 1900, this Kankakee, Illinois residence exemplifies Wright’s exploration of horizontal lines, open floor plans, and a seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Notably, the Hickox House […]
Bradley House (1900)
The world is filled with ironies; one of the strangest being a little known fact that I ran across this morning while researching this story: when former Illinois Governor George Ryan placed a moratorium on executions and commuted all death sentences to life terms in January of 2003 for those who had committed heinous crimes, […]
George Smith House (1898)
The George Smith House last sold in March of 2023. View the listing on Zillow here. Photo Credit: “George W. Smith House” by Teemu008 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Wright’s Early Career Historic Oak Park, Illinois boasts 23 structures either designed or remodeled by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Of those 23, one is his original home and […]