1933 Chicago World's Fair: A Century of Progress

Home Planning Group “Homes of Tomorrow” Exhibition

 

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THE HOMES OF TOMORROW & OTHERS SHOWN IN THE HOME PLANNING GROUP EXHIBITION, 1933-1935

001-ROS.jpgWeibolt-Rostone House, Walter Schuler, Architect

 

001-STRAN-SM.jpgGood Housekeeping Stran-Steel House, O'Dell & Wirt C. Rowland, Architects

 

001-HOT-1.jpgHouse of Tomorrow, George Fred Keck, Architect

 

001-MAS.jpgMasonite House: Frazier & Raftery, Architects

 

001-Arm.jpgArmco-Ferro-Mayflower Enamel Frameless Steel House, Robert Smith, Jr. Architect
001-CB.jpgHouse for Brick Manufacturers Association of America: Andrew N. Rebori, Architect

 

001-FL2.jpgFlorida Tropical House, Robert Law Weed, Architect

 

001-LHI.jpgAmerican Forest Products & Lumber Industries House: Ernest A. Grunsfeld, Jr. Architect

 

001-GENHH.jpgGeneral Houses Inc., House, Howard T. Fisher, Architect

 

design_1_crop.jpgDesign for Living Home, John C.B. Moore and Horsley & Wood, Architects

 

001-CLH.jpgCypress Log Cabin

 

Capecod.jpgCape Cod Cottage

 

001-CHFH.jpgUniversal Houses' Country Home

 

001-FRIDG.jpgFrigidaire House

 

001-HOUSE-OF-TODAY.jpgHouse of Today

 

001-GH-Garden.jpgGarden Home (?)

 

 

 

 

Kaufmann & Fabry Co., Official World’s Fair Photographers

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A Century of Progress:

The 1933 Chicago World's Fair boasted a Century of Progress celebrating man's innovations in architecture, science, technology and transportation.  One interesting and enduring exhibit was the Homes of Tomorrow Exposition that demonstrated modern home convenience and creative practical new building materials and techniques.  These two compilation photos are from an original Century of Progress brochure for the Home Planning Group. 

After the exposition ended in 1936, the homes were put on barges and moved across the lakes to Indiana and Illinois.  A couple of homes were moved to Chicago suburb s while five were placed at Beverly Shores to help spark development in the late 30's.  The development never happened; however, the Indiana park service maintained the homes after the original occupants moved.  Five of the original homes have survived the last 70 years on the shores of Lake Michigan.  Several of the designs have also been erected in other states. 

Five Remaining Homes at Indiana Dunes:

The Armco-Ferro-Mayflower House, House of Tomorrow, Wieboldt-Rostone House, Florida Tropical House, and Cypress Log Cabin are all from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and on the National Register of Historic Places. The homes are not open to the public. However, there is a driving tour guide that can be picked up at the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center and they can be viewed from the road. There is a parking lot near the Rostone House on Lake Front Drive and Dunbar Streets in Beverly Shores. Also take a look at the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.

cypress_10.jpg  hot26.jpg  armco12.jpg

L-R: Cypress Log Cabin, House of Tomorrow, Armco-Ferro

ros1.jpg   rostone_9.jpg  flor21.jpg

L-R: Rostone Home, Rostone panels, Florida Tropical Home

More Indiana Dunes Info:

Photos:

·         Armco Ferro at the Library of Congress online

·         Armco Ferro in Popular Mechanics

The Century of Progress Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition:

·         Homes of Tomorrow Gallery

·         Photos of the homes at Indiana Dunes under construction (2005)

·         Photos of the homes at Indiana Dunes (2001)

·         Floor Plans for Nine of the Exhibition Homes

·         The Good Housekeeping Stran-Steel Home

·         Stran-Steel Interior Photos - Originals from Good Housekeeping Magazine, 1933 & 1934

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1933 Chicago World's Fair Resources

 

A Century of Progress Homes of Tomorrow as they are Today:

Chicago World’s Fair Homes at Indiana Dunes in 2001

Same homes after some renovation and repair in 2005

Bibliography

  • 1933 Homes of Future May Have one: Chicago World's Fair Exhibits to be Restored as Historic Landmarks and Private Residences Along Indiana Dunes. The Washington Post, A3, Sunday, October 22, 2000.
  • Century of Progress: Chicago Exposition. Architectural Record,  73:342-367, May 1933.
  • Century of Progress: Chicago Exposition. Architectural Record,  73:368-374, May 1933.
  • Century of Progress: Chicago Exposition. Architectural Record,  74: 72+, July 1933.
  • Century of Progress Anticipates Homes of Tomorrow. American Home, 10:18-19, June 1933.
  •  Chicago and Tomorrow's House? Pencil Points, 14:245-251, June 1933.
  • Exhibits at Century of Progress Exhibition: Houses Constructed for the Home and Industrial Arts Exhibit (Floor Plans). Architectural Record, 73: supplement 16(?), May 1933.
  • Holleman, T., Savage, R.B., & Scott, S.  (2005).  Wirt C. Rowland Exhibition Catalog.  Michigan Humanities Council: West Metro Printing Co., Livonia, MI.
  • Kaufmann & Fabry Co., Official Photographers, Official World's Fair In Pictures: Chicago - 1933. The Reuben H. Donnelley Corporation: Chicago, 1933.
  •  Kaufmann & Fabry Co., Official Photographers, Souvenir Book - 1934: World's Fair Chicago. Curt Teich & Company, Inc.: Chicago, 1933.
  • Look Homeward America! Homes of Tomorrow.  Review of Reviews, 90:27-30, October 1934.
  • Partsch, Dori. Historian, Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore Park, Indiana. Interviewed 1992.
  • Stran-Steel House, Chicago World's Fair, 1933: external view, floor plans, and details. Architectural Record, 75:14, January 1934.
  • Trends in House Design at a Century of Progress.  Ladies Home Journal, 50:26-29, June 1933.
  • Trends of Progress in House Design.  American Architect, 143:22-29, July 1933.
  • Unique Home at Chicago World's Fair has Modern Features. Architect and Engineer, 111:58, 74, December 1932.
  • Why the Century of Progress Architecture?  Saturday Evening Post, 205:16-17, June 10, 1933.
  • World's Fair Architecture. American Magazine of Art, 26:292-298, June 1933.

 

If you have more information, please share it with Dr. Monica Brooks at brooks@marshall.edu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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