The Thomas Gale House is a historic house located on Chicago Avenue in Oak Park, Illinois. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1892 and is one of his earliest works. The house is a Queen Anne style structure with a high-pitched roof, octagonal dormers, and a bay window. It is made of wooden clapboard with horizontal bands of windows. The interior of the house is spacious and well-lit, with large windows and high ceilings. The house has a number of original features, including oak woodwork, custom windows, and a fireplace in the living room.
The house was built for Thomas Gale, a real estate developer and businessman. Wright designed the house while he was still working for the architectural firm of Adler & Sullivan. Wright was not allowed to take outside commissions while he was working for Adler & Sullivan, so he designed the house in secret. It is one of the few houses that Wright designed while he was still working for Adler & Sullivan and is known as one of his “Bootleg Houses”. The Thomas Gale House is a significant part of the history of Oak Park and is a popular tourist destination and is often featured on the annual Wright Plus Housewalk.
Wright also designed a summer cottage for Laura & Thomas Gale in Whitehall, Michigan in 1897.
