This year’s Frederick Law Olmsted Society Housewalk showcases seven residences that illuminate the transition from the extravagance of the early-20th century Babson estate, through the opulent styles of the “roaring” 1920’s and the “comeback” 1930’s, and culminates in the spectacular “Brady Bunch” modernity of the mid-20th century Baltis subdivision homes.

The event takes place Sunday, May 16 from noon to 5 p.m.

The 20th century was a time of tremendous upheaval in America. Upward mobility was achieved by millions of hard working citizens, despite a crushing depression and two world wars. This upward mobility was reflected in the homes that people built and the lifestyles they chose.

In 1905, before World War I and the income tax, when the northern part of Riverside was mostly open prairie, wealthy entrepreneur Henry Blake Babson bought more than 20 acres of this land and established an estate.

He hired renowned architect Louis Sullivan to design the main house and famous landscape architect Jens Jensen to plan the landscape, which included extensive gardens of native plantings, many beautiful trees, a three-hole golf course, a large pond and roaming peacocks.

It was a rich man’s paradise.

In 1915, Babson engaged Purcell and Elmslie to design the estate’s Prairie-style service buildings, the last remnants of the estate. In the 1930s, they were converted into two separate residences, one of which will be on this year’s housewalk.

After World War I came the Roaring Twenties an era of growth and upward mobility, combined with reckless excess, that all came crashing down in the Great Depression. Then, as now, bankers played a key role in funding the growth, and built their own stately homes in styles that reflected their status in the community. Such a home is the Skala-Bartizal residence, solid, formal, grand, in a style that befits a banker.

In the late 1930s, as the nation slowly climbed out of the Great Depression, people entering the middle class wanted homes that displayed their improved condition while retaining elements of their pastoral “old country” origins. Such a home is the Baker residence on a lovely site next to the Babson estate with a spectacular view of the Longcommon. It adjoins two parcels that Frederick Law Olmsted chose as partial payment for his work on Riverside.

In 1945, near the end of World War II, Babson offered his estate to the village of Riverside as a park and community recreation center. Unfortunately, the timing was bad and the village citizens, in a referendum, turned down Babson’s offer. Ultimately, the estate was purchased by local builder and developer Walter S. Baltis in 1953.

Baltis, known for building quality homes, subdivided the estate into the Baltis Riverside Estates, a.k.a. the “Fortunate Forty,” for the approximate number of lots that would become available.

Having also been unsuccessful in offering the Sullivan-designed home to the village, and unable to find a buyer, Baltis had it demolished in 1960 much to the distress of the architectural community and preservationists.

Initially, Baltis built four demonstration homes on the east side of his property, styled after homes he had seen in Williamsburg, Va. They failed to sell because homebuyers, having shaken off the Depression and world war, and finally making money in an expanding economy, wanted to look forward not back.

They wanted the new, exuberantly expansive, modern ranch-style homes that could accommodate and reflect the modern lifestyles. So Baltis moved his own family into one of the “Heritage” homes and let his customers choose the homes they wanted.

The results, including the final four homes on this year’s housewalk, are dazzling. The Jahn, Vesecky, Kratochvil and Emanuele residences epitomize the American mid-20th century “Brady Bunch” dream of a better life in a modern American paradise.


1 Babson Estate service buildings

Meticulously designed by Purcell and Elmslie in 1915 to complement the Sullivan-designed main residence, the service buildings originally included housing for the gardener and chauffeur, a green house, stables, workshops, a guest house and a three-car garage.

The style is an interesting precursor to the mid-century ranch style homes on this year’s housewalk. They are constructed of maroon tapestry brick with stucco and dark cypress trim, and have large projection roofs with impressive eaves, colorful art glass windows and decorative ornamental details in the shape of ducks and rabbits.


2 Skala-Bartizal Residence

This A.J. Zelenka-designed American foursquare with Beaux Arts detailing was built in 1925 for the president of the Berwyn National Bank, and is banker ready. It has a dark red tile hipped roof with wide overhangs and is constructed of brick with stone trim.

The front elevation is symmetrical, with a front-center entrance having a curved stone entry arch, stone pilasters on each side and an entrance porch of stone balustrades with stone caps and flower pots. The house contains a remarkable chandelier collection.


3 Baker Residence

This 1936 two-story brick residence features a charming dooryard shaded by large trees, a turreted main entrance, irregularly bonded masonry, stone trim and randomly projecting bricks which all contribute to the picturesque Old World effect. The rear addition melds this home into its mid-century modern neighbors with its walls of glass, providing unobstructed views of the garden and Babson Estate service buildings.


4 Vesecky Residence

This 1955 Anton Johnson-designed, Baltis-built residence, though an unsymmetrical arrangement of building volumes, flat overhanging roofs, window groupings and masonry, nevertheless presents a balanced, serene, street presence.

The brick masonry and overall style reflect the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian homes and the International style, both popular in the 1950s. As an asset to the streetscape, the attached garage is tucked discretely behind the house.

An amazing rondelay mobile created by Higgins Glass Studio in Riverside is the centerpiece of the foyer. This house was built for the owner of the Troy Department store and sits on a parcel once owned by Edith Rockefeller McCormick in the pre-Babson era.


5 Jahn Residence

This 1961 brick residence was designed by the architect Martin Jahn for his family. It features a long thin gable roof line that covers the split-level arrangement of rooms within and visually lowers the apparent height of the structure.

The roof’s overhanging eaves are supported by the projecting structural beams. The recessed entrance has a full-height wood and glass window wall. The other principal windows are grouped in a sill to ceiling arrangement that enhances the tasteful simplicity of the building, which utilizes just three materials-brick, wood and glass to achieve its effect.


6 Kratochvil Residence

A circular drive greets visitors to this sprawling 1965 ranch-style residence of Norman brick masonry. This is contrasted by a low fieldstone retaining wall that emphasizes the ground-hugging character of the design.

An ample fieldstone garage is attached to the front of the building, near the entrance. The roof is unusual, a combination of mansard and hip, and features lovely skylights and two large brick chimneys, which hint at the generous rearward extent of the structure.


7 Emanuele Residence

This 1961 Edward Page-designed ranch-style residence has buff brick walls and front windows arranged in unusual groups of two and three, related to the double door entrance.

The large gable roof is interrupted by a wide brick chimney. The gable over the garage is visually reinforced by three projecting roof beams. The front wall of the garage features a panel of stone, an interesting panel of fluted glass, and a panel of buff brick. The interior features wood siding, built-in music system, spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows to the garden and a stone fireplace.

Sunday, May 16, Noon to 5 p.m.

 

  • The housewalk features seven homes that showcase the transition from the early-20th century Prairie-style of the former Babson Estate service buildings to the opulent 1920-1930s traditional styles of the Skala and the Baker residences. The grand culmination comes in the four residences representing the superb mid-20th century modern architecture of the Baltis Riverside Estates, called the” Fortunate Forty.”
  • Houses are staffed courtesy of docent volunteers. There is a map of Riverside and the featured sites printed on each ticket. Parking is available on streets along the route. Please observe all posted parking signs.
  • Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 day of the walk (there’s a $5 discount for Olmsted Society members).Pre-sale tickets may be purchased at Aunt Diana’s, 29 E. Burlington St., and the Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road. To order tickets online, visit the society’s Web site at www.olmstedsociety.org.
  • On the day of the housewalk, tickets and restrooms will be available at Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road. Tickets and Will Call will be available at 274 North Delaplaine Road.
  • For more information, please contact Housewalk@olmstedsociety.org or call (708) 447-2311.