Introduction
This is an article I’ve been meaning to write for a while. It was actually the inspiration to start this blog in the first place.
This past spring, my wife and I went for a bike ride through Beverly Shores. I was armed with my shiny new camera (EOS Digital Rebel, which I had to sell two months ago for various reasons) and my goal was to document the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes in their derelict/ongoing restoration state. I thought it would present an excellent opportunity for arty looking pictures.
So, armed with a camera and my lovely wife, we set out for a very memorable ride and I got some excellent pictures. So, without further ado, here’s the best pictures from the day along with a write up the famous World’s Fair Homes in Beverly Shores also known as the Century of Progress Homes.
If you’re interested in seeing more artistic photos of the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes, check out this gallery I set up.
What Are They Doing There?
The Chicago World’s Fair Century of Progress homes were a feature of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Called the ‘Century of Progress Homes,’ they were designed by leading architects of the day to demonstrate the latest technologies and designs in home construction. They were also meant to be a look forward into the optimistic future of home construction.
When the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair ended and the massive displays began to be dismantled, a local Beverly Shores developer named Robert Bartlett bought the homes and had them moved by barge over Lake Michigan to their new location in Beverly Shores. That was in 1935 and it was meant as a sort of publicity stunt to help encourage settlement in Bartlett’s new development, Beverly Shores.
They were lived in and loved for many years and became local landmark of sorts. In Chicago itself, there are very few remnants of the 1933 World’s Fair and here in the Indiana Dunes we have 5.
Each house is distinctive and, while they may look antiquated to us, they were cutting edge in the 30’s and showed what direction home architecture would be going in the proceeding years.
While the homes were modern and cutting edge, they were not made to stand the test of time as it was thought they were only temporary. So, they’ve been decaying for many years. Then when the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was founded, they were appropriated by the Federal Government and subsequently abandoned as the National Park swallowed up large parts of Beverly Shores.
The Beverly Shores World’s Fair homes were later added to the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring their ongoing survival. See the end of the article for details on the future of these magnificent homes. They all are being lovingly restored under a historic agreement between leasees and the National Park Service.
The Wieboldt-Rostone House - Walter Scholar
The Wieboldt-Rostone House in 1933.
This home was sponsored by the Rostone Corporation and was meant to be a showcase of it’s new pioneering cladding material that they called, Rostone. Rostone was a composite material made up of shale, limestone and Alkali.
Despite the fact that the material was cutting edge, it did not stand the test of time and had to be replaced in the 1950’s with Perma-Stone. As the home is restored, the original Rostone Exteroir will be restored to it’s former glory.
The Wieboldt-Rostone House Today
As you can see, the house is quite a shambles currently. It’s restoration is in process, but it’s slow going. It’s been reported that restoration is costing way more than estimated due to the unique nature of these homes. Currently, the exterior is clad in plywood. One day the Rostone Exterior will make a new appearance. You can see a hint of what it will look like in the moldings around the door.
The Florida Tropical House - Robert Law Weed
The Florida Tropical House in 1933
The Florida house was sponsored by the state of Florida to encourage Tourism to the state. As you can see, the house in designed in that distinctive Miami Art-Deco Style. This is probably my favorite house. They don’t design them like this anymore.
The house is wood framed and the exterior cladding is stucco. It was designed to blend indoor and outdoor living, which you can see with it’s sweeping balconies and outdoor spaces. Though, one may not wish to combine indoor and outdoor living with Lake Michigan winters. The current color is the original color.
The Florida Tropical House Today
Restoration is in progress and this one looks a little further along compared to other houses. The big bay living windows are an amazing site and when you look inside, you see a huge open plan living room area and you can also see the lake on the other side.
The Cypress Log Cabin - Murray D. Heatherington
The Cypress Log Cabin in 1933
The Cypress Log Cabin was sponsored by the Southern Cypress Association to help sell the qualities and multuple uses of the venerable wood.
It was designed in a Swiss-chalet mountain lodge style. Originally the house had many wood carvings of animals and distinct molding features. All of these wonderful details were lost when the house was relocated in 1935.
The Cypress Log Cabin Today
This house is fortunate, it has been completely restored and is actually being lived in. The people are very lucky, they have an incredible lakeview in a sparsely populated area. They’ve restored the house lovingly and returned it to it’s former glory. Very impressive.
The House of Tomorrow - George Keck
The House of Tomorrow in 1933
The House of Tomorrow was designed by the famous George Keck and was designed to show off futurisitic home design. The house featured a steel frame, something usually reserved for skyscrapers. Oriignally it featured class curtain walls but these were thrown out by Bartlett after the relocation.
The house was spacious and unique in it’s geometric shape. The house also featured an airplane hanger, garage and machine shop.
The House of Tomorrow today
The restorers will recreate the original glass curtain wall according to the original specs. Currently the house is surrounded by plastic and is in the midst of full restoration.
Armco-Ferro House - Robert Smith Junior
The Armco-Ferro House in 1933
The Armco-Ferro house was sponsored by the American Rolling Mill Company and Ferro Enamel Corporation to show off the potential of steel and porcelain as construction materials.
This was the first house to have a frameless steel construction and an enamel exterior. This house would later inspure the Lustron Homes and many gas stations built in the same period.
The Armco-Ferro House Today
The house is also being full restored to it’s former glory. The unique enamel exterior will also be restored. Right now, it’s still looking a bit rough.
Old North Church
Old Picture of the Old North Church
The Old North Church is a replica of a church in the American Neo-classical style. I could not find as much information on this house as the others.
The Old North Church Today
Along with the Cypress Log House, only one of the only other six homes still inhabited as a private residence. This house is not part of the restoration project and is in a different location in Beverly Shores. Still very worth the visit.
The Future
All the homes are in various states of restoration. I haven’t been up there since the spring (2008), so I don’t know what progress the restoration has taken over the summer. I plan to make a trip up there soon and get some more pictures and see the progress.
All the homes are being restored under a historic agreement between the National Park Service, Indiana Historic Landmarks Foundation and private buyers. The buyers get a 30 year, renewable lease of the homes and have to pay all the restoration cost themselves. They get the house at no cost.
So, they get a prime lakefront home for 60 years if they bear the restoration costs themselves. The catch is that the homes HAVE to be restored to their original glory (some changes are allowed as long as the fronts stay the same and are restored).
Progress is slow but in a few years time all of these homes will be fully restored. Many local contractors and unions have donated time and materials so the houses can be used to train people in skilled labor.
Visiting The Beverly Shore World’s Fair Homes
Another part of the agreement is that once a year the homes have to be opened for tours to the public. The last time there were tours was October 2007. So, stay tuned, I’ll keep my ear out for when the next tours of the Beverly Shores World’s Fair Homes are.
Keep in mind that two of the homes are occupied, so you are asked to respect the privacy of occupants during times when the homes are not being shown. Also, they sit on a fairly busy road, to take care when walking between the homes.
See below for a map of where the homes are.
View Larger Map
With the exception of the Old North Church, all the houses are on Lakeshore Drive in Beverly Shores. Drive down US Route 12 and look for the signs for Kimmel Beach or Beverly Shores. It’s very easy to find.
More Pictures of the World’s Fair Homes
Check out the gallery of World’s Fair Home Pictures I’ve set up on my main site to show off the best arty pictures I took of the day. If you’re interested in prints, please contact me and I can arrange it.
jonathanwthomas.net - Beverly Shores World’s Fair Pictures
