With so many great MCM homes across the country, it wasn’t possible to cover them all in one blog post. The first part of this blog series focused on the Southwest area of the United States including California. In this post, we are going to focus on the opposite side of the country.
Northeast (New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire)
Those within road-trip distance of the many Mid-Century Modern Homes found in the northeast can enjoy plenty of fun this summer. Of course, you can visit the many MCM homes in this region any time of the year. Here’s a look at some of the top choices throughout the northeastern section of the United States.
Gropius House in Lincoln, MA (1938)
Known as one of the most influential MCM homes in the area, it was built by Walter Gropius in 1938 and has become a National Historic Landmark. Today, Historic New England owns the home and allows visitors to see what the house has to offer.
The home cost a total of $18,000 to complete, which was nowhere near the cost of the mansions found throughout the area. Gropius lived in the home until 1969 and his family took care of the home until Historic New England bought it and turned it into a museum.
You can visit this beautiful MCM home at 68 Baker Bridge Road in Lincoln, MA. They allow visitors year-round with tours held on the hour from 11am to 4pm on certain days of the week.
Zimmerman House in Manchester, NH (1950)
Designed by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and finished in 1950, the Zimmerman House is the only home designed by Wright in the New England area that is open to the public. You can view this beautiful home by guided tour only, which will start and end at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, NH.
Special tours are held throughout the year and the house is open for private tours on Wednesdays. Public tours vary depending on the time of year but will last 90 minutes. You will get a chance to learn all about the architecture, the design, and other details about the house.
Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan, CT (1949)
A rather unique home to check out on your road trip, the Philip Johnson Glass House is completely see-thru. It’s literally made of glass and provides a look at something different in an MCM home.
You can visit the Glass House throughout the year. Tours start at the Visitor Center + Design Store found at 199 Elm Street and provides a closer look at this unique home. Choose from one-hour, two-hour, or two-and-one-half-hour tours.
There is also a Brick House on the property you can tour, but at the time of writing, the Brick House is closed for preservation.
Louis Armstrong House in Queens, NY (1910, remodeled in the 1940s)
Visitors can take a road trip to Queens, NY and enjoy touring the Louis Armstrong House. This house is a wonderful example of mid-century modern design and was built by Thomas Daly in 1910. It was later renovated by Lucille Armstrong in the 1940s and turned into what you can enjoy today.
The Armstrong’s added a Japanese Garden, an outdoor bar and grilling area, and made other changes to the home. Today, the home has become the Louis Armstrong House Museum and does allow visitors throughout the year.
Pope-Leighey House in Alexandria, VA (1940)
Another Frank Lloyd Wright home you can see on a road trip, the Pope-Leighey House is located in Alexandria, VA. This home was commissioned in 1939 by Loren Pope and completed in 1940. The home offers a look at the architecture of one of the greats in mid-century modern design.
Until 1983, Mrs. Leighey occupied the home. The home was actually moved twice, once while Mrs. Leighey was still living within the home and once after she passed away..
The home is open for public tours on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from 11am to 4pm. It’s located at 9000 Richmond Highway in Alexandria.
Other MCM Homes to Road trip to in the Northeast
While the homes above represent some of the best you will find, there are plenty more in the northeastern part of the United States to enjoy. Some of the other great MCM homes to add to your list include:
- Kentuk Knob in Chalk Hill, PA (1956)
- Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA (1935)
- Martin House in Buffalo, NY (1903 – 1905)
- Graycliff in Derby, NY (1926 – 1931)
- Shoe House in York, PA (1948)
- Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, PA (1950)
- Hillwood Estate & Gardens in Washington, D.C. (Remodeled in 1955)
- Wharton Esherick Museum in Malvern, PA (1926)
- Russel Wright’s Manitoga/Dragon Rock in Garrison, NY (1961)
- Guest House, Field Farm in Williamstown, MA (1960s)
- Frelinghuysen Morris House in Lenox, MA (1930 – 1942)
- Pollock/Krasner House in East Hampton, NY (1879)
Before finalizing your road trip plans, make sure you check the hours and days of each home on your list. It’s easy to see multiple MCM homes on one road trip with the right planning.