The 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is just a few days away. Today, reader Blair explains how a innocuous-looking mid century modest house — the Ruth Paine House Museum, above — came to be associated with this tragic event. Blair visited the house this weekend and submitted this report and photos:
Frankly, there’s nothing particularly noteworthy about the 1,300-square-foot ranch home at 2515 W. Fifth Street in the Dallas suburb of Irving. Built in 1956, it is otherwise indistinguishable from hundreds of other two-bedroom post-war homes constructed during the post-World War II housing boom in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. But this home, recently opened to the public after two years of restoration to its appearance 50 years ago, holds a place in history few Mid-Century residences can claim — a link to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy 50 years ago this week, November 22, 1963. And this connection saved not only a piece of history, but allowed for the preservation of a classic Mid-Century “modest” dwelling. Heck yeah there is more →
Philip Johnson Glass House — 1949 mid-century modern masterpiece
The Glass House at dawn.
Photo by Stacy Bass, courtesy of the Glass House.
One of the key architectural characteristics of ranch homes is that they blur the line between inside and outside. Our merchant-builder ramblers are often low-profile homes with large windows, built-in areas for plants and an orientation to the backyard patio — all in service of a more sunny, casual way of life. But can you imagine living in a house where all four walls let nature peer in? Famed architect Philip Johnson was exploring this very vision when he designed and built the Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut between 1945 and 1949. Johnson lived in the home until his death 55 years later.
1930s pink bathrooms — Leo Carrillo Ranch, Carlsbad, Calif.
Snaps to the king and queen of pink bathrooms — Nancy and Thommy. You may recall, Nancy’s pink poodle bathroom is world famous, not just here at Retro Renovation but also as headliner of the New York Times pink bathroom story. Now, our daring duo has served up a pair of pink potties from the Leo Carrillo Ranch, an historic site in one my original home towns, Carlsbad, California.Heck yeah there is more →
Video tour of The Miller House in Columbus, Indiana
The next time I visit my family in Kentucky, I am scooting over to The Miller House — a mid century modernist masterpiece — built in 1953 and located in Columbus, Indiana, about an hour from Louisville. The Miller House was just acquired by the Indianapolis Museum of Art last year. And, this year is the first it’s been open for tours. In fact, tours started just 10 days ago, and today (May 20) there is a daylong symposium about the house at the IMA in Indianapolis. According to the Museum, what makes this house exceptional is that it was a collaboration of three great designers: (1) Eero Saarinen [padre of the tulip chair] was the architect… (2) Alexander Girard did the interior design… and (3) Dan Kiley was responsible for the gardens. To me, the big draw, is: The Girard interiors. I want to see all those technicolor textiles!!!
Read all our stories about historic mid century houses you can visit here.
Video: The Wilson House — shrine to mid century laminate
I’ve written before about the Ralph Sr. and Sunny Wilson House in Temple, Texas — an amazing showcase of the innovative use of laminate that was built by the head of Wilsonart in the 1950s. The Wilson House is the the first and only home that has ever been named to the National Register of Historic Places specifically because of its innovative use of materials. How ironic, that with the mainstream masses all gaga about granite, our little community is equally crazy about our laminates. Watch this video — historian Grace Jeffers takes us on a tour, and explains the important context for the use. It’s wonderful — and I assure you, you will be lovin’ your laminate more than ever.
Read all our stories about historic mid century homes you can visit here.
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site: Historic mid century homes to visit
Credit: NPS Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Courtesy of Carl Sandburg Home NHS
Matt’s back with a new contribution to our to our series on historic, mid-century homes…
Thanks to reader David for letting us know about The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in Flat Rock, North Carolina. He wrote:
Love your website so very much. I wish we’d had a tradition of mid century design in the UK, but alas no. I think we were about 20 years behind the U.S., until not too long ago. Check out some of the 70’s UK houses, and design. Anyway I digress, last time I was in the U.S., I was staying with some friends in Asheville, NC. If you’ve not seen it yet you should visit the Carl Sandburg home in Flat Rock, NC. It amazed me the National Parks Service have really done a great job in keeping the house like it was when Carl Sandburg lived there, even down to the original 60’s Kleenex in the living room.
— David
Russel Wright’s Manitoga & Dragon Rock: Historic midcentury homes to visit
6th in a continuing series on historic mid century homes open to the public.
Mid century modern design enthusiasts are likely familiar with the work of Russel Wright — an iconic designer of furnishings and dinnerware beginning in the 1930s. His “American Modern” dinnerware, which sold 250 million pieces from 1939-1959, is considered the best-selling dinnerware of all time (although I tend to believe Corelle has now outsold them.) Russel and his wife and business partner Mary also attained a level of celebrity for their best-selling 1950 book, “Guide to Easier Living,” which promoted a more casual American lifestyle. Mary is even credited with coining the term “blonde” to describe that particular shade of furniture — Russel’s American Modern line of furniture manufactured by Conant-Ball also was quite popular. After Mary died… quite young, sadly… Russel built a house on the estate they had purchased in Garrison, New York, one hour north of New York City. Completed in 1961, the house is another mid century jewel that we can add to our list of historic sites to visit.Heck yeah there is more →
Graceland: Mid century homes open to the public
Our series on historic, mid-century homes open to the public continues.
Continuing on the hunt for retro inspired Historic Homes you can visit I was reminded of Elvis Presley’s Graceland, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Of course I’d heard about this 14 acre white columned estate before, but I never could have imagined the lavishness (if that’s what you want to call it) in which Elvis decorated it. The American Colonial style mansion was originally built in 1939 for Grace Toot, heiress of a successful printing firm. Elvis bought the home in ‘57. He enjoyed the privacy and security Graceland offered — plus, for only $100,000 it was hard to pass up. Elvis immediately began extensive renovations on the 23 rooms in the house & its surrounding grounds. He added the musical inspired wrought iron gate, a fieldstone wall to match the tan limestone on the home, racquetball court, swimming pool & the infamous jungle room. Finally, he designed & developed the meditation gardens — Elvis’ preferred reflection place — where his twin brother Jesse, parents and grandmother are buried.Heck yeah there is more →
Gropius House: Historic mid century homes to visit
Fifth in our special series on mid century historic house museums…
Located in Lincoln, Mass. the Gropius House is viewed as one of the most influential homes in modern American architectural design. Built by Walter Gropius in 1938, the home today a National Historic Landmark owned by Historic New England. Walter Gropius was one of the most renowned architects of his time — founder the the famed Bauhaus school of design. In 1938 he moved from Bauhaus, to Lincoln so he could teach architecture at Harvard. Heck yeah there is more →
The Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio: Historic mid century homes to visit
Fourth in our continuing series of mid century historic home museums open to the public.During my recent visit with Aunt Pam she took me to a historic home just a mile from her house — The Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio. Located in Lenox, Mass., this estate features features the home built by George Morris and Suzy Frelinghuysen in 1941-2, which is attached to the studio that George built before they were married, in 1930. Together, these spaces comprise a gorgeous example of International Style — and the first “modern” home built in New England. Heck yeah there is more →