In 1933, more than 38 million people packed the Chicago World’s Fair for a peek into the future. Organized around the theme “Century of Progress,” the Homes and Industrial Arts exhibit stole the show, unveiling 12 innovative home designs. Each was aesthetically unique and incorporated groundbreaking technology, including central air conditioning and dishwashers.
After the fair, five homes were moved for preservation to the Indian Dunes National Lakeshore. Overlooking Lake Michigan, the exteriors are visible from a park road, and tours are offered once a year, usually in the fall. Residences are owned by the National Park Service, and maintained through private parties responsible for restoration and protection. Monica Brooks, associate dean of libraries at Marshall University, has been to the site a few times to marvel at the quirky architecture that never became mainstream. “I find it so interesting how these futurist ‘homes of tomorrow’—weren’t,” she says. “Perhaps the designs were too radical for the average person.” Tell us what you think on our message board at community.coastalliving.com.
For more information, contact the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore at 219/926-7561 ext. 225, or visit nps.gov/indu/historyculture/centuryofprogress.htm.
• The Wieboldt-Rostone House. Rostone (a mix of shale, limestone, and alkali) was thought to be the future of home construction. Unfortunately, it proved unreliable. Most of the Rostone deteriorated by 1950, and was replaced with Perma-stone. Touches can still be seen around the front door of the Wieboldt-Rostone House.
• The Florida Tropical House. Inspired by—you guessed it—southern Florida, this home is easy to spot, thanks to its bright pink walls. Balconies and large terraces on the roof encourage the fusion of indoor and outdoor spaces.
• The Cypress Log Cabin. Reminiscent of a mountain lodge, this home was designed to show off the qualities of cypress.
• The House of Tomorrow. Originally enclosed by fixed, solid windows, the existing house has operable panes that permit air circulation. Originally, the garage area was built to accommodate a plane, since fair organizers assumed air traffic was the wave of the future.
• The Armco-Ferro House. The only remaining example of a house from the fair designed for mass production, this building is composed of fused steel panels. This method of construction is said to have inspired post–WWII prefabricated housing.
