A 1953 Frank Lloyd Wright With Views Over Lake Michigan Asks $1.9 Million
Meticulously cared for by its current owners and featuring a harmonious addition, the Wright-designed home in the town of St. Joseph is now up for grabs.
Meticulously cared for by its current owners and featuring a harmonious addition, the Wright-designed home in the town of St. Joseph is now up for grabs.
Michigan has its share of Frank Lloyd Wright–designed homes, but in the little town of St. Joseph, there are just two. Between them, only one has vistas of Lake Michigan via a myriad of cascading windows—and it’s now on the market for the first time in 25 years. Built in 195o, it is believed to be the last home that Wright, then 83, designed in Michigan.
A combination of pitched, angled, and flat rooflines make up the home. The pitched and angled roof was repaired in 2012, and the flat roofs worked on in 2018.
Photo by VHT Studios
Built of tidewater cypress and Chicago common brick, two of Wright’s signature materials, the L-shaped Harper House is named after Dr. Ina M. Harper, who lived here with her husband, F. LeRoy Bradford. With her pioneering spirit, Dr. Harper became a physician, specializing in women and children’s health in a time that was uncommon for women to become medical practitioners.
Original stained glass and mahogany doors allow light to permeate the entry.
Photo by VHT Studios
Dr. Harper is responsible for commissioning the Wright design—her husband played no hand in the plans—but just three years after the house was built, she died in a tragic accident in Cascade, Michigan, at 77 years old. However, her gumption didn’t go unnoticed.
The home is made up of two signature Frank Lloyd Wright building materials—Chicago common brick and tidewater cypress, which he used often for their durability and minimal need for an artificial finish.
Photo by VHT Studios
See the full story on Dwell.com: A 1953 Frank Lloyd Wright With Views Over Lake Michigan Asks $1.9 Million
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