Coonley House facts for kids
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Avery Coonley House
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U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 300 Scottswood Road and 281 Bloomingbank Road, Riverside, Illinois |
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| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Architectural style | Prairie School |
| Part of | Riverside Historic District (ID69000055) |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000243 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | December 30, 1970 |
| Designated NHLDCP | August 29, 1970 |
The Avery Coonley House is a famous home designed by the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was built between 1908 and 1912. This large house is located in Riverside, Illinois, a suburb near Chicago. It sits right on the banks of the Des Plaines River. The Avery Coonley House is so important that it is a National Historic Landmark. It is also part of the larger Riverside Historic District, which is also a National Historic Landmark.
Contents
A Special Home by a Famous Architect
The Avery Coonley House is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's biggest and most detailed homes. It shows off his unique "Prairie School" style. This style uses flat, wide roofs and open spaces. The house is on a small piece of land almost surrounded by the Des Plaines River.
A Home with Different Zones
Wright designed the Coonley House with different "zones" or areas. The second floor had three main parts. There was a public area for guests, like the living and dining rooms. Another part was for bedrooms. The third area was for the kitchen and staff. The house was very large, over 9,000 square feet. It was built on a ten-acre plot of land.
Gardens and Other Buildings
The estate included many buildings and beautiful gardens. These gardens were designed by a landscape architect named Jens Jensen. The main house had a living room wing and a separate bedroom wing. There was also a stable (for horses) and a small house for the gardener.
What is Prairie Style?
The Coonley House is a great example of Wright's Prairie Style. This style often has wide roofs that hang over the edges. It also uses special art glass windows. Inside, the rooms flow into each other, feeling very open. Wright wanted his buildings to blend in with nature.
The Coonley Family and Their Vision
Avery Coonley was a rich businessman from Chicago. His wife, Queene Ferry, came from a family that owned a large seed company. They had a lot of money to build their dream home. They admired Wright's work and believed in his ideas about design. Wright felt honored and put his best effort into the Coonley House.
A Home Like a Village
Wright thought the Coonley House was one of his best projects. He designed it to feel like a small village, not just one house. The courtyards, buildings, and garden walls all connected. He even designed the furniture, rugs, and fabrics inside the house.
The Avery Coonley School Playhouse
The Coonleys were very generous people. They believed in good education for children. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was too young for the local school. So, Queene Ferry asked Wright to design a special kindergarten. This school, called The Avery Coonley School Playhouse, was built in 1912. It was just a block away from their main house.
Unique Windows for Kids
The windows in the Coonley Playhouse are very famous. They have a fun design with balloons, confetti, and American flags. This was a new style for Wright, who usually used only straight lines in his art glass. The colorful side of the windows faced inside the school. Many of the original windows are now in museums, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The School Today
The kindergarten moved to a bigger building in 1916. It grew into a full elementary school (kindergarten to 8th grade) and is still open today. The original Coonley Playhouse is now a private home.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the Coonley Estate has been changed by different owners. Wright himself made some changes after the house was finished. He added more art glass doors and windows to let in more light. He also added a special covered walkway called a pergola.
New Owners and New Features
In 1921, the Coonleys sold the house to Peter Kroehler. He was a furniture maker. During his time, a sun-room was added. A lily pond was changed into a swimming pool, and a pool house was built.
Dividing the Estate
In 1952, there was a plan to tear down the house to build new homes. Instead, a deal was made. The main house was divided into two halves. Five new houses were built on the property. The gardener's cottage and stable were also turned into separate homes. Even with these big changes, most of the original design of the house is still there. This includes about 270 original art glass windows and doors.
Fire and Restoration
In 1978, a fire damaged the living room and a bedroom of the main house. In 2000, work was done to fix and restore parts of the house. They repaired the roof and stucco. The swimming pool was even changed back into the original lily pond. The north side of the house was carefully restored to look like it did when it was first built.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Legacy
Frank Lloyd Wright designed about 532 buildings in his lifetime. Many have been torn down, but over 400 of his buildings are still standing. The Avery Coonley House is one of twenty-eight Wright-designed buildings that are National Historic Landmarks. It is the largest Frank Lloyd Wright home that is privately owned and recognized as a National Historic Landmark. It received this honor in 1970.
Riverside Village Design
The village of Riverside, where the house is located, was founded in 1869. It was the first planned community in the United States. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. He also designed famous places like Central Park in New York City. Unlike the straight streets of Chicago, Riverside's streets curve and wind. This creates small areas of houses and green spaces.
