Martin House
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
The Martin House was built in 1905 and remains one of Frank Lloyd Wright's best works.
Interior view of the main house. Credit: Biff Henrich
The conservatory
The Greatbatch Pavilion
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Wright designed a home for Dawin's brother, William in Oak Park, Illinois and Darwin was so impressed that he hired Wright to build his home as well. The Martin family--Darwin, Isabelle, and their two children Dorothy and Darwin Jr.--lost their wealth in the Great Depression, and Darwin passed away in 1935. The Barton House and Gardener's Cottage--two other Wright-designed houses on site--were sold off. Isabelle left the main Martin House in 1937 and it stood vacant for 17 years. Throughout a series of owners, the pergola, conservatory, and carriage house were demolished. The Martin House Restoration Corporation formed in 1992 and officially received the title in 2002. Restoration of the houses on site, as well as the historic landscape, were completed in 2019.
Sources
Pitts, Carolyn. "Darwin D. Martin House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. February 24, 1986. http://focus.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/86000160.pdf.
"The Story." Darwin D. Martin House. Accessed October 13, 2015. http://www.darwinmartinhouse.org/learn.cfm.