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Property Record

401 E BRADLEY RD

Historic Name:
Irving and Lorraine Armour House
Other Name:
Reference Number:
233773

Property Location

Location (Address)
401 E BRADLEY RD
County
Milwaukee
City/Village
Fox Point
Township
Unincorporated community
Town
Range
Direction
Section
Quarter Section
Quarter Quarter Section

Property Features

Year Built
1960
Additions
1978
Survey Date
2008
Historic Use
Architectural Style
Structural System
Wall Material
Stone - Unspecified
Architect
John Randal Mcdonald
Other Buildings On Site
Demolished
No
Demolished Date
Additional Comments
A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. "The son of a Russian immigrant, Irving Armour was born in Michigan. The Armour family moved to Milwaukee in 1926, at which time Irving's father Wolf established the Rapco Leather Company in South Milwaukee. Irving would go on to become the firm's president. The Armour home was designed by John Randal McDonald, who liked to emulate Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural style and mannerisms. Like many Wright homes, the private, or non-street elevation, of the Armour house is more striking than the front. The limestone in the living room and skylights are part of McDonald's expression of organic architecture--bringing the outside in. McDonald designed the height and placement of the windows, as well as the eaves, to take advantage of the sun's position at different times of the year to either warm or cool the house. There is a wealth of built-in storage areas in the bedrooms and in the pantry. McDonald used Shoji doors, with translucent fiberglass, as closet doors. And, true to Wright's legacy, the original flat roof leaked. The home's current (and only second) owners say that they have become less acquisitive since moving into the house in 2006, as the house is its own decoration. The dining room was added in the late 1970s, at the same time the office next to the master bedroom was fashioned out of a screened-in porch. As well, the east wall of the house was extended 12 feet in both rooms." Wright and Like 2011: Milwaukee Originals June 10th Through 12th, Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin, Inc., Madison, WI, 2011.
Bibliographic References
Wright and Like 2011: Milwaukee Originals June 10th Through 12th, Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin, Inc., Madison, WI, 2011.

National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings

National/State Register Listing Name
Not Listed
National Register Listing Date
State Register Listing Date
Contributing
Permalink
Permalink

Architecture & History Inventory

The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.

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Attribution

For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier. 

The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.

For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.

 

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