Ward Willits House
Prairie StylePrivate

Ward Willits House

Highland Park, IllinoisCompleted 1902

About This Building

The first fully mature Prairie house — the cruciform plan perfected.

The Ward Willits House is widely considered the first fully mature Prairie house — the moment when Wright's cruciform plan, with its central fireplace core and radiating wings, reached its definitive form. The house's low-pitched hipped roof, deep overhanging eaves, and integration of house and landscape set the template for the Prairie Style. It is a private residence in Highland Park but is visible from the street.

Key Features

First fully mature Prairie house

Cruciform plan perfected

National Historic Landmark

Sheridan Road, Highland Park

Ward Willits House detail

Ward Willits House, 1902

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"The mother art is architecture." — Frank Lloyd Wright