Frank Lloyd Wright home 951 Chicago Ave Oak Park
Frank Lloyd Wright home 951 Chicago Ave Oak Park
While visiting Chicago we took an afternoon to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s home (1889 – 1909) in Oak Park. We took the EL from downtown, a thirty-minute ride on the green line to Oak Park Green then a 10 minute walk to 951 Chicago Avenue. We had not made advanced reservations so had to wait a while in the air-conditioned comfort of the shop….a welcome relief from the summer heat…you can make reservations online: http://gowright.org/calendar/69/10738-Tour-of-the-Home-and-Studio—Guided.html. Docents guide the tour, the size of the group is controlled, and photography is not allowed. Our guide was very informative. The home and adjacent studio (Frank’s office when he established his own practice) have been restored to how it looked in 1909. I was surprised at the modest size of the house (just two bedrooms for Frank, his wife Catherine and six children), the beauty of the Children’s Playroom (a later, much needed, addition with a piano jutting into the stairwell), and the innovative design of the studio with its octagonal workroom. After the tour, we walked back to the El down Forest Avenue where Frank designed 5 homes (400, 333, 318, 313, 210). An excellent day out.
951 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302
gowright.org
Studio exterior detail, Frank Lloyd Wright home, Oak Park
Studio exterior detail, Frank Lloyd Wright home, Oak Park
