Century of Progress Architectural District, 1933
Included properties: Wieboldt-Rostone House, Cypress Log Cabin, Florida Tropical House, House of Tomorrow, Armco-Ferro-Mayflower House
208, 210, 212, 214 & 215 Lake Front Drive, Beverly Shores, IN 46301
Architect/Designer: Walter Scholer, Murray Hetherington, Robert Law Weed, George Fred Keck & Robert Smith, Jr.
DESCRIPTION:
Wieboldt-Rostone House: The Wieboldt-Rostone house is a simple structure designed with clean lines and formed in a series of square or rectangular rooms. The house features a flat roof with minimal windows. Rostone was an experimental manufactured stone that was used to cover the entire exterior and majority of the interior in large slabs.
Cypress Log Cabin: The Cypress Log Cabin deviates drastically from the other Century of Progress homes in appearance. The house was designed to recreate a rustic, log cabin with exposed rafters and a simply lay out. The house was constructed using cypress wood siding, giving the appearance of hewn log without the cost and labor.
Florida Tropical House: The Florida Tropical House was sponsored by the state of Florida for the World’s Fair and was constructed using only materials native to the state including its stucco exterior. The house is designed with clean lines and flat roof, similar to the Wieboldt-Rostone House except with large windows and more open interior space. The roof of the house was designed to be an extension of the living space with tiled floors and a railing.
House of Tomorrow: Perhaps the most famous Century of Progress home, the House of Tomorrow is a circular structure with a glass curtain wall and central “core”. The house has three levels, the first floor has an exterior of painted copper, and the second floor is the large living space with floor to ceiling windows. Above the second floor is a large deck surrounding the third floor, a smaller extension of the second story design.
Armco-Ferro-Mayflower House: The Armco-Ferro-Mayflower House is the only symmetrically designed home of the district with two stories and a forward extending central bay. Within the central bay is the main entrance with a second story window, a first and second story window on either side completes the simple but elegant design. Like many of the other houses in the district the Armco-Ferro-Mayflower House has a flat roof that was created to be an extension of the living space. An entirely steel house the structure was constructed with porcelain steel tiles, a design that was intended to become the future of residential architecture. Due to the highly corrosive nature of the porcelain steel, it was proved to be an unrealistic building material.
SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT – INCLUDING SPECIAL STATUS AND AWARDS WON:
The Century of Progress homes were designed for the 1933 world’s fair in Chicago and displayed in the Century of Progress Exposition. Displaying innovations within architecture, engineering, material usage and interior design the homes became a turning point in modern residential architecture.
DESIGNATION STATUS:
National Register of Historic Places, 1986
Style: Modern
Owner (past/present):
Past: Robert Bartlett, purchased after World’s Fair
Current: National Park Service, leased for private residences
Materials: Rostone, travertine, painted copper, porcelain steel
Additions and/or changes with date:
1935, moved from original Chicago site to Beverly Shores Indiana. Various changes were made to the homes when they were relocated due to new soil and bedding conditions.
1950, Wieboldt-Rostone House exterior altered to repair deteriorated rostone, the house covered with perma-stone.
1950-2015, various restoration projects throughout district
Historic use/current use:
Historic: residential
Current: residential
Is building open to the public?: Tours available annually in October
Condition: Fair
Website and/or sources of information:
Website: http://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/historyculture/centuryofprogress.htm
Research Sources:
National Park Service. “Century of Progress 1933 World’s Fair Homes and More.” Accessed July 28, 2015.http://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/historyculture/centuryofprogress.htm
National Register of Historic Places, Century of Progress Architectural District, Beverly Shores, Porter, Indiana, 1986.
