Wright Plus, the housewalk centered on showcasing the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries, returns to Oak Park this Saturday, May 17.
This year, the walk is returning to south Oak Park for the first time since 1997.
Christine Trevino, a digital communication manager with the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, says that by showcasing both the north and south sides of Oak Park, “We can show guests and visitors how vibrant the village is.”
On the north side of town, four homes in close proximity showcase Wright’s work as well as of that of other significant architects.
The Vernon W. and Mary Skiff House was designed by Nimmons & Fellows in 1909. The Skiff family moved to Oak Park from Iowa. Skiff’s son and son-in-law were founders of the Jewel Tea Company, which later became known as the Jewel grocery chain. Architects George Nimmons and William Fellows also designed the company headquarters in Chicago as well as the Sears, Roebuck Company complex on Chicago’s West Side. Legend has it that Skiff interviewed a young Frank Lloyd Wright to design his home but was unimpressed and turned to Nimmons & Fellow for the strength of their designs which incorporated brick, limestone and steel beams.
Across the street from the Skiff house is the William E. and Winifred Martin House. Designed in 1903 by Frank Lloyd Wright for the president of the Martin and Martin Stove Polish Company, the home is one of nine buildings Wright worked on for the Martin family. Wright later designed a home for William’s brother Darwin Martin and the headquarters for his company, the Larkin Company, in Buffalo, New York.
Just a block away is the housewalk’s second Wright-designed home on the north side of Oak Park: the Harry and Louisa Goodrich House, designed in 1896. Wright remodeled the house in 1908. The current owners have completed a painstaking restoration of the home, which garnered them a village Historic Preservation Award in 2015.
Trevino says of the house, “The homeowners are dedicated Wright stewards. In 2023, they won a Wright Spirit Award from the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. “People often ask what it takes to live in a Wright-designed home. This house is a great example of that kind of historic preservation.”
The final home on the north side of town is the E.E. and Ina Andrews House, which is new to Wright Plus. The home was designed by Charles E. White Jr. in 1905 in a style influenced by the Prairie style. Trevino says of White, “He joined Wright’s studio in his late twenties and worked on Unity Temple before breaking off to form his own studio. It’s very cool to see one of the first homes he designed after leaving Wright’s studio. White ended up designing 48 buildings in Oak Park including the Oak Park Post Office and the Cheney Mansion.”
On the south side of Oak Park is a Wright design making its Wright Plus debut.
The George and Lucy Smith II House, designed by Wright in 1898, has been recently restored. Trevino says of the home, “It’s a very exciting house to see. It’s been completely reimagined but in a way that’s so honest and true to the character of the house.”
Next door, the Sanford S. and Grace Vaughan House is also new to Wright Plus. It was designed by E. E. Roberts in 1898. After a basement fire, the home has been newly restored. Trevino says, “We have two really great examples of restoration right next to each other. It’s very exciting.”
Also new to the housewalk is the John and Annie Shapcott/John and Margaret Coumbe House. Designed by E.E. Roberts in 1905, the home was a gift from John and Anna Shapcott to their daughter Margaret when she married John Coumbe.
Trevino says that Coumbe was a builder who built the house himself. The Shapcotts ended up moving in with their daughter and son-in-law and sharing the home.
Last but not least is the George Smith I House. The home was on the last Wright Plus in south Oak Park in 1997. Trevino says the long-term homeowners ran an interior design business. “This house is a real showpiece. It’s an amazing Queen Anne style house,” she says.
On the day of the walk, entrance to Unity Temple will be included for ticket holders for the first time in recent years. Trevino says visiting Wright’s Home and Studio, which is also included as part of the ticket, and Unity Temple makes a nice bridge between the north and south sides of Oak Park. Shuttle service is also available to ticket holders.
Trevino says this year’s Wright Plus is unlike other years that focus on one distinct neighborhood. She says, “I feel like it’s a bit different. It’s really an all-encompassing look at the village.”
While tickets to Wright Plus are sold out for this year’s walk, a limited stash of 60 tickets will be released the day of the walk at 8 a.m. at the Home & Studio, 951 Chicago Ave., Oak Park.
For those planning ahead, tickets for the 2026 walk will be for sale in early 2026.