Located along the 104th Place block between Wood Street and Prospect Avenue, the Walter Burley Griffin Place District contains the largest concentration of Prairie school architecture in Chicago. Evolving from the subdivision of land near the historic 103rd Street junction of the Rock Island Railroad , this district showcases the integration of innovative architectural concepts into moderately priced, middle-class homes built in the early twentieth century. The area has maintained a consistent suburban character, defined by its historic architecture and the topography of the Blue Island Ridge.
The district is anchored by a collection of Prairie school homes built by developer Russell L. Blount between 1910 and 1914. Most of these homes were designed by Walter Burley Griffin , a leading architect of the movement and former associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. The district is historically and architecturally significant for several key features:
The “$5,000 Fireproof House” Plan: The Griffin-designed homes on this block are all based on a highly influential floor plan originally published by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. These plans featured a central fireplace and an open, L-shaped configuration for the living and dining rooms.
Prairie School Aesthetics: The homes demonstrate core principles of the Prairie movement, including a strong horizontal emphasis achieved through low hipped or gable roofs, bands of casement windows, and dark wood trim.
Griffin’s Distinctive Approach: Griffin’s designs introduced a somewhat rustic appearance, utilizing unplaned wood trim against stucco walls, deep overhanging eaves, and distinctive geometric detailing.
Integration with “Builders’ Houses”: The Prairie homes are interspersed with more traditional “builders’ houses” constructed from popular magazine plans, including several built by Blount. Despite their stylistic differences, all the homes share a pleasing architectural scale, creating a cohesive visual rhythm throughout the district.
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