active congregations of all of the mainstream Protestant denominations and widely Frank Lloyd Wright– advertised the fine homes of its leaders. The architecture of the early homes Prairie School built in the historic district was quite of Architecture typical of any community of the era. The For more information, call or write: cottages and homes designed in the Oak Park Historic Historic District popular Greek Revival and Italianate Preservation Commission styles of the first years of the nation were Village of Oak Park yielding in the 1880s and 1890s to the 123 Madison Street various styles of the late Victorian era Oak Park, IL 60302 designed by local and regional architects. 708.358.5417 Some of the first Prairie designs would 714 & 716 Columbian [email protected] be tried during this period in reaction to Or visit the Village’s web site at the highstyle, overly ornate and exuberant continued to grow, doubling every ten years www.oak-park.us Victorian architecture favored by Oak to nearly 60,000 people in 1930. Today, Park’s prominent citizens. The Prairie style the district encompasses the architectural On the cover: Heurtley House, provoked responses, both favorable and development throughout that period. 318 Forest Avenue unfavorable, and drew attention across Guidebook the country. The Oak Park Historic Preservation Commis- This brochure has been financed (in part) By 1920, as a building boom ensued, sion published a guidebook to the Frank Lloyd with federal funds from the Department the various revival styles came into vogue, of the Interior, administered by the Illinois Wright-Prairie School of Architecture Historic supplanting both the late-Victorian and Historic Preservation Agency. However, District in 2000. The guidebook offers various the contents and opinions do not neces- Prairie styles. Colonial, Classical and tours through the historic district and more sarily reflect the views or policies of the Tudor Revivals were the most popular, Department of the Interior nor the Illinois information on Wright and the Prairie School. used widely in typical singlefamily homes Historic Preservation Agency, nor does The guidebook is sold at local bookstores and the mention of trade names or commercial products and larger estate homes, as well as available in the Oak Park Public Library. Many constitute endorsement or recommendation by the apartments and commercial buildings. In Department of the Interior nor the Illinois Historic Pres- books on the subject also are available. 1902, as Oak Park severed its ties with ervation Agency. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic Cicero Township and incorporated as a properties under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, selfgoverning municipality, 10,000 people Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the called the Village home. The population Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office for Equal Opportunity National Park Service P. O. Box 37127 Washington, D.C. 20013-7127 or Equal Employment Opportunity Officer Illinois Historic Preservation Agency 1 Old State Capitol Plaza Springfield, IL 62701 Frank Lloyd Wright–Prairie School 639 Fair Oaks of Architecture Historic District REV. 8.13 he Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of landscape in the setting and repose of TArchitecture Historic District contains buildings, reflected the openness of the a truly remarkable collection of late prairie, exalted honesty in craftsmanship 19th and early 20th century residential and the use of natural materials. architecture. Within the historic district is Wright’s Influence the world’s single greatest concentration Frank Lloyd Wright, the most famous of residences designed by architects architect of this group, lived and worked collectively known as the Prairie School. in Oak Park for 20 years. During that time, The historic district also contains other he developed his unique interpretation excellent examples of architectural styles, of the Arts and Crafts Movement later including Queen Anne, Stick, Italianate, described as the Prairie style. The historic 175-181 Linden Shingle, Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival, district contains 23 buildings designed Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, Art 636 N. East or remodeled by Wright between 1889 Deco, Craftsman, Bungalow and the What is an Historic District? and 1913, including his own home and ever-popular American Foursquare. This contribute to its historic character. The studio. Two others remain in the nearby phenomenal range of architecture is district is an excellent living museum of Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic District. a visual documentation of Oak Park’s the past 150 years of architectural history Talented architects who worked in his evolution from a rural village to an urban in the United States. studio collectively evolved the style suburb. Prairie School Architecture and continued to do so later in their Created in 1972 by the Village of Oak As reflected by the name of the historic independent careers, both in Oak Park Park, and expanded in 2012, this historic district, there were many architects, in and elsewhere. district was listed in the National Register addition to Wright, who designed in or Development of the District 710 Augusta of Historic Places in 1973. The district is were influenced by the Prairie style. The generally bounded by Division Street on phrase Prairie School refers to a group Although still unincorporated and with the north, Lake and Ontario Streets on the only a few thousand residents, as early An historic district is an area with of architects working in the Chicago geographically definable boundaries, south, Ridgeland Avenue on the east, and metropolitan area between 1890 and as 1872 Oak Park was becoming an elite Harlem Avenue on the west. Approximately suburb that had outlawed the sale of possessing a significant concentration 1917, who shared the common idea of of properties united aesthetically by 2,000 buildings are located within the producing an original American style of alcohol, spearheaded construction of a historic district, about 1,700 of which substantial brick schoolhouse, boasted plan or physical development, or by architecture that was not wholly derived past events, that has been designated from historic styles. as an Oak Park Historic District pursu- The buildings by the prairie architects ant to Village ordinance. In an historic are of interest because they are clearly district, most buildings contribute to exceptional works of art. Equally important the significance of the area without is the significant historical position individually having the credentials of a occupied by the prairie architects. This landmark. These buildings are referred movement produced the first truly to as Contributing Resources. They American style of modern architecture. help to maintain the historic integrity Influenced by the philosophical writings of the neighborhood. Buildings that do of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David not contribute to the significance of the Thoreau, Walt Whitman and John historic district are usually less than Ruskin, and drawing from the English 50 years old or have been significantly Arts and Crafts Movement, the Prairie altered in the recent past. These build- style was uniquely American both in its ings are referred to as Non-Contributing manifestation and its point of view. It Resources. 300 Forest celebrated the horizontal, Midwestern 637 N. Euclid