Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District: Oak Park, Illinois
Summary
A virtual living museum of the last 150 years of architecture in the U.S., the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District contains the world's single greatest concentration of residences designed by architects collectively known as the Prairie School. The extraordinary range of architecture illustrates Oak Park's evolution from rural village to urban suburb.
Designated Area
The neighborhood has irregular edges but is generally bounded by Division Street to the north, Lake Street to the south, Ridgeland Avenue to the east, and Marion Street and Woodbine Avenue to the west.
The streets are frequently dotted with tourists taking in the beautiful architecture and scenery. Photo courtesy of the Village of Oak Park.
Planning Excellence
A virtual living museum of the last 150 years of architecture in the U.S., the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District contains the world's single greatest concentration of residences designed by architects collectively known as the Prairie School. The extraordinary range of architecture illustrates Oak Park's evolution from rural village to urban suburb.
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright moved to Oak Park in 1889 at age 21. The neighborhood contains 23 buildings that he designed or remodeled, including his own home and studio, before he left the village in 1913. Characterized by their horizontal form, low-pitched roof lines, restrained ornamentation, and open floor plan, the Prairie style homes in Oak Park are among more than 1,700 residential and commercial properties that contribute to the area's designation as a local and national historic district.
Incorporated in 1902 and just nine miles from Chicago's downtown Loop, Oak Park developed its first plan in 1925. A village-wide architectural survey, completed in 1970, formed the basis for many community plans and village actions, including the 558-acre neighborhood's designation as a local and national historic district.
A model of smart growth — its compact design features a connected street grid with alleys and sidewalks — the neighborhood has embraced transit-oriented design and adaptive reuse. Here residents, tourists, commuters, bicyclists, and motorists move seamlessly through what is one of the most architecturally endowed urban landscapes in the country.
The historic neighborhood contains 23 buildings designed or remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright, including his own home and studio (seen above). Daily tours are offered through the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. Photo courtesy of the Village of Oak Park.
Defining Characteristics, Features
Architectural Diversity
- Nearly 90 percent of 1,934 structures in this neighborhood contribute to its status as a local (1972) and national (1973) historic district
- District contains largest concentration — more than 80 examples — of Prairie style structures by Frank Lloyd Wright and other architects
- District known for mix of architecture; early Gothic Revival and Italianate structures give way to styles from the late Victorian era
- Survey of historic resources (1970) is blueprint for local preservation efforts; identifies 328 structures of significance, recommends creation of historic district
- Historic Preservation Commission (1972) reviews building permit applications affecting properties and landmarks in the district
- Architectural review guidelines (1994), mandatory for modifications to landmarks, protect the unique visual qualities of buildings and surroundings
- Historic Preservation Commission documents every property within district; survey leads to district's expansion (2009)
- District is site of Frank Lloyd Wright home (1889) and studio (1898); today the building is owned by the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust; daily tours offered
- Ernest Hemingway, Oak Park's Nobel Prize winning son, born (1899) in historic district; home now a museum. Neighborhood also site of Hemingway's boyhood home (1906-1920), a large house with Prairie-style influences
Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School homes are scattered between older architectural styles, such as Gothic Revival and Queen Anne. The contrast highlights Oak Park's transition from rural village to urban suburb. Photo courtesy of the Village of Oak Park.
Reliance on Planning
- First plan (1925) guides Oak Park's transition from rural village to Chicago suburb
- Planning Commission established 1968 to guide development of comprehensive plan (1973, updated 1979); plan recommends designation of historic district and structures
- Comprehensive plan (1990) highlights importance of Oak Park's architectural heritage by including a specific historic preservation objective
- Chicago-Harlem Avenue District Neighborhood Plan (2008) establishes goals including attracting high quality retail, enhancing the pedestrian experience, and improving parking
- Zoning changes modify building height, lot coverage requirement in the single-family and two-family zoning districts to discourage teardowns, out-of-scale buildings
- Certain areas zoned multiple-family residential to reduce likelihood of apartments and condos replacing single- and two-family style homes
- Among first communities to pass fair housing law (1968); recently analyzed impediments to fair housing
Self-Contained, Sustainable
- Several higher-density, mixed-use redevelopment projects constructed near Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Green Line
- Composed of some 97 blocks on the north side of the Village of Oak Park, the neighborhood offers diversity of housing stock; while housing market is competitive, village programs provide loans and grants for first-time buyers
- District served by several train and commuter-rail lines and buses; multi-modal transportation center on western edge; car sharing at two nearby public parking garages
- Car Free Sundays and Idling Gets You No Where reduce auto use; Bicycle Plan (2008) places every Oak Park resident and destination within two blocks of a bikeway
- Neighborhood home to Austin Gardens, site of village's summer theater program; site master plan (2005) serves as blueprint for park's preservation and improvement