Before Frank Lloyd Wright became an internationally-recognized name in the world of design, the architect spent many years in Oak Park, Illinois, designing homes for Chicago-area residents. Wright got his start working for the famed Sullivan & Adler firm from 1888 to 1893, and it was under the tutelage of Louis Sullivan specifically that Wright began to explore the elements that would later define the Prairie School movement. For the rest of the 1890s and the first decade of the twentieth century, Wright continued to live and work in Oak Park and designed dozens of structures here.
There are several ways to experience the Frank Lloyd Wright/Prairie School of Architecture Historic District. You can buy a ticket for the annual Wright Plus housewalk, which provides rare glimpses inside some of the historic homes. Scheduled for May 16, this year’s event features will showcase Wright’s Isabel Roberts House, J. Kibben Ingalls House, and Oscar B. Balch House as well as other homes designed by Wright’s colleagues and contemporaries.
But for fans looking for a free self-guided tour of the district, we’ve mapped 25 buildings in Oak Park that were designed or remodeled by the iconic American architect. The points are listed by direction, starting from the north and heading south.
This story was originally published on April 29, 2015 but has been updated with the latest information.
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