AT THE PALMER HOUSE IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. SEPTEMBER 2, 2024.

Frank Lloyd Wright in Michigan

Prologue…

Early in the Summer of 2024 I received an invitation to attend my nephew’s wedding in Flint, Michigan.  At the time I was in the middle of a difficult recovery after prostate surgery, so I declined the invitation — I was in no shape to travel to the corner store, much less Michigan.  Toward the end of July, I suddenly began to feel better and make rapid progress in my recovery.  So I called my nephew and asked if I could change my mind and attend his wedding.  He replied in the affirmative, so I began to plan my trip.  After finding that there were a number of Frank Lloyd Wright houses within easy driving distance of Flint, I decided to stay a few days after the wedding to visit some of the FLLW sites.  I eventually booked three nights in two different FLLW houses through Airbnb, and was excited about the prospect of staying in these two houses and visiting other FLLW that were nearby.  This blog covers the FLLW portion of my trip to Michigan during the late Summer of 2024.  I hope you enjoy hearing about my experiences and seeing my photos!

 

Saturday, August 31, 2024 — I Tour the Smith House and Drive By the Affleck House and the Turkel House


I flew from my home in McQueeny to Flint Michigan on Friday, August 30, 2024.  I flew from Austin Bergstrom to Ohare in Chicago, then caught a smaller plane to Flint, Michigan.  That night I attended the rehearsal dinner for my nephew’s wedding. I was up early the next morning, headed south for Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and an 11:00 a.m. tour of the Melvyn Smith House.  Since I had plenty of time before my tour, I decided to do a quick drive by of the Affleck House and the Turkel House, as well as make a brief visit to Cranbrook Gardens.

 

The Gregor S. and Elizabeth B. Affleck Residence


Arriving a little after 7:00 a.m., my first stop was the Affleck House, located at 40925 N. Woodward Ave. in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.   It was a cool morning and the light was perfect as I explored the outside of this beautiful structure.  I knew the house was not occupied, since it was owned by the Lawrence Institute of Technology.  I spent about 50 minutes at the house and gardens.  What a beautiful place!  Here are a few photos I took that morning.  For a more complete gallery of photos and for some history about the home, go to my Affleck Residence page. 

THE AFFLECK RESIDENCE, DESIGNED BY FRANK LLYOD WRIGHT IN 1940.
PART OF THE REAR OF THE RESIDENCE. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE INSIDE OF THIS HOUSE SOMEDAY!

Dr.  H. and Dorothy H. Turkel Residence


From the Affleck House, I drove further south into Detroit to drive by the Turkel Residence, located at 2760 W. Seven Mile Road near the Detroit Golf Club.  This is one of those drive bys that is bittersweet, you can see just enough of the structure from the street to really spark your interest.  I walked the area, including a back entrance to the property and a butterfly garden off of a side street.  What an intriguing looking house!  For more about the house and a few more pictures, go to my Turkel Residence page. 

THE TURKEL RESIDENCE IN DETROIT, AS SEEN FROM SEVEN MILE ROAD.
THE CURRENT OWNERS ADDED PROPERTY TO THE WEST OF THE HOME, INCLUDING TWO GATES, THIS ONE ON SEVEN MILE ROAD, AND ANOTHER GATE AROUND THE CORNER AT THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN.

Cranbrook Gardens and the Sara and Melvin Smith Residence


After spending about twenty minutes walking the area around the Turkel house, I headed back north to Bloomfield Hills.  Since I still had plenty of time before my 11:00 a.m. tour of the Smith House, I stopped at the Cranbrook House and Gardens for a stroll around the beautiful grounds.  For more photos of this beautiful  place, look here.   

YOURS TRULY, AT THE CRANBROOK GARDENS ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 2024.

After finishing my walk around the Cranbrook House and Gardens, I drove the short distance to the Smith Residence, located at 5045 Ponvalley Rd. in Bloomfield Hills.  The docent who led our tour was already there, and, after introducing myself, I walked around the beautiful grounds and lake at the property.  Our tour started promptly at 11:00 a.m.  Mel and Sara Smith had a remarkable history with their Frank Lloyd Wright home.  They became friends with Mr. Wright and he visited their home on several occasions.  Mel Smith was always willing to show his home to others, even complete strangers.  He and his wife were the only persons who ever lived in the home, and over the years that they lived there, they acquired many sculptures and works of art that they placed in the home and around the grounds.  The three acre grounds, including the pond shaped like a maple leaf, were designed by Thomas Church, a noted landscape architect.  One of the unique and amazing things about this home is the fact that all the contents are just as the Smiths left them.  I very much enjoyed touring this home and learning about the Smiths and their relationship with Frank Lloyd Wright.  If you ever find yourself in the Detroit area, I highly recommend that you visit this place.  Below are a few photographs I took that day.  Go to Smith Residence Gallery for many more photos I took of this beautiful place.  

ELENA WAS OUR TOUR GUIDE. SHE WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ENTHUSIASTIC. HERE SHE IS IN FRONT OF THE SMITH RESIDENCE AS WE BEGAN OUR TOUR ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 2024.
THE SMITH RESIDENCE, AS SEEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE REAR OF THE HOME.
PART OF THE LIVING ROOM AT THE SMITH RESIDENCE.
THIS PHOTO OF MEL SMITH AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT WAS TAKEN DURING ONE OF WRIGHT'S VISITS TO THE SMITH HOME. TO THE LEFT IS WRIGHT'S WIFE OLGIVANA.
THIS SCULPTURE IS BY THE LAKE THAT THOMAS CHURCH DESIGNED FOR THE SMITH PROPERTY.
THE RED TILE LOCATED NEAR THE FRONT DOOR OF THE SMITH RESIDENCE. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT GAVE THE OWNERS A RED TILE IF HE WAS PARTICULARLY PLEASED WITH THE END RESULT OF HIS DESIGN WORK.

Sunday, September 1, 2024 —   Lansing Drive Bys, a Tour of the Goetsch-Winckler Residence, and My First Night at The Palmer House in Ann Arbor


I was up early and left my hotel in Flint Michigan headed west for Lansing.  Originally I had planned to visit the Lansing FLLW sites on the way to the airport on Wednesday morning, but when I found out from the owner of the Goetsch-Winckler Residence that if I came by Sunday at noon he would give me a tour of his home, I changed my schedule and my plans for Lansing.  There are a total of four FLLW sites in the Lansing area, all located near each other in the suburban area of Okemos, which is southeast of downtown and Michigan State University.  My first stop that morning was the Don and Mary Schaberg Residence located at 1155 Wrightwind Drive in Okemos.  The home was set back from the road and mostly obscured by a berm and a garden at the front of the house.  So I didn’t get many photos.  You can see all of my photos at the Schaberg Residence Gallery page.  

THE SCHABERG RESIDENCE ON WRIGHTWIND DRIVE IN OKEMOS IS WELL HIDDEN FROM PRYING EYES.

Disappointed with the Schaberg Residence drive-by, I  headed to the Indian Hills subdivision where there are two FLLW houses at the end of Arrow Head Road, overlooking Herron Creek.  On the left is the Brauner Residence, most notable for its very large and very unusual mailbox.  The home does not look occupied and it appears there is work being done there as I could see a bright blue tarp hanging near the front entrance.  Nonetheless, it was exciting to get a view of this structure from the street.  To see all of the photos I took there, look at the Brauner Residence Gallery page.  

THE BRAUNER HOUSE ON ARROW HEAD ROAD IN OKEMOS, WITH ITS DISTINTIVE MAILBOX.

Right across the street from the Brauner Residence is the Edwards house.  It sits on a very sloped hillside and is mostly obscured by dense trees and foliage.   What can be seen is intriguing, however.  As I looked at the house, I noticed a cat walking on the roof, easily accessed because part of the home is built into the hill.  While the Brauner house across the street boasts an unusual mailbox, the Edwards house has what appears to be a full sized sprite statue to the left of the entry drive, next to a light fixture mounted on a pole.  While I was tempted to sneak up the driveway for a better look at the sprite, I resisted.  For more of the photos I took of this drive by experience, look at the Edwards Residence Gallery page.  

THE EDWARDS RESIDENCE TUCKED SNUGLY ON HILLSIDE COVERED WITH TREES ON ARROW HEAD ROAD IN OKEMOS.
THE SPRITE TO THE LEFT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT THE EDWARDS RESIDENCE ON ARROW HEAD ROAD IN OKEMOS.

After prowling around Arrow Head road it was time to make the short drive to the Goetsch-Winckler Residence located at 2410 Hulett Road in Okemos, Michigan.  I met Nate Meyer, the owner of the home along with this wife, promptly at noon.  This young man is very passionate and knowledgeable about Frank Lloyd Wright in general and the home he owns in particular.  He knows all the little quirks and unique details of the home and is more than willing to share them.  This house was build for Alma Goetsch and Katherine Winckler, both art professors at Michigan State University.  The home sports several unique features, including an 18′ carport cantilever, and two bedrooms that look out on a brick enclosed lanai.  The home also has a basement under the carport and a clandestine door into a space under the living room for mechanical storage, neither of which was authorized by Wright.  I really enjoyed meeting Nate and his wife and spending time in their home.  Below are a few photos from my visit.  For more photos of this home, see the Goetsch-Winckler Gallery page. 

NATE MEYER IN FRONT OF THE GOETSCH-WINCKLER HOUSE. THE HOUSE SITS AT 90 DEGREES TO THE STREET, SO THE ENTRY DOOR IS NOT VISIBLE.
VIEW OF THE BACK OF THE GOETSCH-WINCKLER HOUSE FROM BELOW ON THE HILL.
NATE IN THE LIVING ROOM. YOU CAN SEE THE FLLW DESIGNED DINING TABLE, AND THE ALCOVE WHERE THE FIREPLACE AND BUILT IN SEATING IS LOCATED.
NATE'S WIFE IS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND SHE WAS GRADING PAPERS ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. BEHIND HER YOU CAN SEE PAST THE FIREPLACE AND DINING ROOM TABLE INTO THE WORKSPACE (KITCHEN).

These next three photos show some of the quirky features found at the Goetsch-Winckler House.  Details such as these are part of what makes it so much fun to vist a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

NATE DISCUSSING THE HIDDEN ACCESS DOOR INTO THE MECHANICAL SPACE BELOW THE LIVING ROOM.
THE HOME HAS TWO BUILT IN TRIVETS IN THE LIVING SPACE, WHERE THE OWNERS LIKED TO ENTERTAIN.
UNIQUE ACCESS TO STORAGE IN THE HALL LEADING TO THE BEDROOMS.

On to Ann Arbor and My First Night at the Palmer House


After spending the first part of the afternoon at the Goetsch-Winckler house in the Lansing area, it was time to head to Ann Arbor and check in at my Airbnb, the iconic Palmer House.   I met my hosts, Sue and Gary at four p.m. that afternoon, and they graciously gave me a tour of the home and discussed its interesting features and history.  After Sue and Gary left, I spent a leisurely evening exploring the house and the gardens while enjoying the setting sun.  What a nice evening!  Here are a few of the photos I took on my first evening at the Palmer House.  For a much more complete set of photographs, look at The Palmer Residence Gallery.   

THE PALMER RESIDENCE ENTRY, LATE ON THE AFTERNOON OF SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2024.
VIEW OF THE FRONT OF THE PALMER RESIDENCE FROM THE GARDEN TRAIL THAT BEGINS AT THE PARKING COURT.
VIEW OF THE PALMER RESIDENCE FROM THE GARDEN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE. FROM THIS ANGLE YOU GET A GOOD IDEAN HOW FAR THE PROW IS CANTILEVERED OUT OVER THE BACK PORCH/PATIO.
VIEW OF THE PALMER HOUSE AS SEEN FROM THE GARDEN OFF THE BACK OF THE HOUSE TO THE EAST.
MY FIRST LOOK AT THE TEA HOUSE, LOCATED DOWN THE HILL FROM THE RESIDENCE.

As I finished my thorough exploration of the outside of the Palmer Residence and its beautiful gardens, I went inside and turned my attention to  the interior of the house.  As the sun was setting, the light offerred intriguing looks inside the house, and I never got tired of wandering around inside enjoying the show. 

THE FRONT ENTRY AREA OF THE PALMER RESIDENCE. THE CERAMIC BLOCKS HAVE CUTOUTS OF AN ABSTRACT BIRD IN FLIGHT AS YOU CAN SEE TO THE LEFT OF THE FRONT DOOR.
LOOKING OUT AT THE FRONT ENTRY AREA FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE.
THE DISTINCTIVE KITCHEN AT THE PALMER RESIDENCE. THE CERAMIC BLOCK CUT OUTS AND THE SKYLIGHT PRESENT DIFFERENT LOOKS, DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF DAY.
LOOKING TO THE NORTH END OF THE PALMER RESIDENCE LIVING ROOM AND THE PARTIALLY CONCEALED ENTRY TO THE KITCHEN, WHICH IS TO THE LEFT OF THE DINING TABLE.
LOOKING ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM TO THE MASSIVE FIREPLACE AT THE PALMER RESIDENCE.
MY BEDROOM FOR THE TWO NIGHTS I SPENT AT THE PALMER RESIDENCE IN ANN ARBOR.
BILLY PALMER'S STUDY WITH A SKYLIGHT STRATEGICALLY PLACED OVER THE DESK WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPACES IN THE PALMER HOUSE.
THE PALMER RESIDENCE TOOK ON A WARM GLOW INSIDE AS THE SUN SET.
ONE FINAL SHOT OF THE PALMER RESIDENCE ON MY FIRST NIGHT THERE.

End of Part One…


I slept like a log my first night at the Palmer Residence.  The first two full days of my trip were filled with the excitement and love of a wedding and lots of time touring and driving by Frank Lloyd Wright houses.  For my blog covering the rest of my trip continue on to Part Two.