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October 17, 2011/Mid-Century Modern /by Mid-Century Mike

The Homes of Tomorrow, Today

Century of Progress Homes

I hope you were able to get to the National Building Museum’s Designing Tomorrow: America’s World’s Fairs of the 1930s, which closed recently. The first-of-its-kind exhibit highlighted the innovative design displayed at the world’s fairs of the 1930s. One of the most interesting sections of the exhibit was on homes featuring the latest in modern technology and convenience  that were introduced and marketed to the fair goers. The 1933 fair in Chicago–the theme was a Century of Progress–highlighted the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition, a dozen, mostly modern-style homes that sat along lake Michigan.

Florida Tropical House

Florida Tropical House by Robert Law Weed.

After the fair, developer Robert Bartlett purchased five of the homes, the Wieboldt-Rostone House, the House of Tomorrow, the Florida Tropical House, the Armco-Ferro House and the Cypress Log Cabin, loaded them on barges and floated them across Lake Michigan to Beverly Shores, Indiana, where is was developing a new resort community. (The log cabin was dismantled and trucked to Indiana.)  Bartlett bought the homes so he could use them as a marketing device to bring people to see his development.

Today the houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are in various states of repair. The houses have been leased to the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. In turn, private individuals or families have leased the homes and are rehabilitating them. On my my way back home from my recent visit to Chicago, I drove through  Beverly Shores to see these landmark homes. In addition to these homes, there are a number of other modern homes in the lakeside community, including a National Register-designated home by Swiss architect Otto Kolb. I even spotted a Lustron amid the sand dunes.

House of Tomorrow

House of Tomorrow by George Fred Keck.

Armco Ferro House

Armco-Ferro-Mayflower Enamel Frameless Steel House by Robert Smith, Jr.

Weibolt-Rostone House

Weibolt-Rostone House by Walter Schuler.

Cypress Log Cabin by Murray D. Heatherington.

Horner House

The 1949 Horner House by Otto Kolb is also on the National Register.

Horner House

A side view of the Horner House.

Lustron in Beverly Shores

A Lustron in Beverly Shores.

New modern home in Beverly Shores

New modern home overlooking Lake Michigan.

Mid-century modern for sale

I spotted this mid-century modern project for sale along Dunes Highway not far from the the Homes of Tomorrow.

Related posts:

  1. Exploring the Pre-Fab Designs of Blu Homes
  2. Update: More Modern to See in Columbus, Indiania
  3. Blu Homes Model in MD Opening to the Public
  4. Area Mid-Century Vacation Homes
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https://www.moderncapitaldc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/modern-capital-logo.png 0 0 Mid-Century Mike https://www.moderncapitaldc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/modern-capital-logo.png Mid-Century Mike2011-10-17 23:35:432020-07-07 15:38:02The Homes of Tomorrow, Today

Call Modern Capital founder and Realtor Michael Shapiro for your mid-century real estate needs.
301-503-6171
michael@moderncapitaldc.com

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