The nation's first Post WWII suburban subdivision historic district

As promised, here is the historic district of suburban MCMs that has made its way onto the National Register of Historic Places. It's called the Arapahoe Acres Historic District, out of Englewood, Colorado--some seven miles from Downtown Denver. Some are distant cousins to Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie and Usonian styles, while others forge a wholly new, 1950s modernist vision of the good life.


The Beville House, 1955


The Boxer House, 1955 - Streamlined Prairie?


The Fish House, 1953 - A more modest example...


The Frison House, 1952 - ...and a much more bold residence.


The Holland House, 1953 - The classic barely peaked roof, the orange brick, and the noticeable but not flamboyant car port all make this MCM example field guide worthy.


The Perdue House (no date given) - Notice that even the garage sports a half peak roof in imitation of the main structure.


The Irish House, 1953 - This one looks like a nearly direct FLW inspiration.



The Halpin House, 1952 - This structure could be mistaken for commercial architecture in a different context (say, a large road). Several gas stations and automotive shops of the 1950s might have even featured a larger relative to the mini-car port that this house boasts. The "glassiness" is a marker of the era and will eventually sugue into the even less ornate and more glassy "International" style craze of the 1960s.


The Orr House, 1955 - A pronounced break from pre-War classicism and yet an appeal to simplicity and mutedness define the MCM period. This house, though odd in its proportions, somehow manages to pay some respect to its natural landscape.


If you'd like to see more (and read descriptions), try clicking here.