KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Parkwyn Village Neighborhood is now on the National Register of Historic Places, in time for the 75 th anniversary of the neighborhood.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the community features Wright’s Usonian designs, and is located at the east end of Asylum Lake.
Les Tung, President of Parkwyn Village Association, said in a release that “recognition by the National Park Service is a great reminder of the neighborhood’s history and significance to our community.
“This designation underscores the historical, cultural, and architectural assets that exist in our community,” said Peter Copeland, Parkwyn Village Association Vice President, and neighborhood historian. “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian designs played an important role in the evolution of America’s midcentury modern homes, and the homes in Parkwyn Village stand as a prime example of the practical application of Wright’s idealistic concepts.”
More than 96,000 properties across the country, including nearly 2,000 in Michigan, have been listed in the National Register since the program began in the 1960s.
Parkwyn Village was founded by a group of young families who had a vision for a “congenial housing community.” They purchased a 47-acre tract of farmland at the west end of Winchell Avenue, overlooking what is now known as Asylum Lake.
An agreement was reached between the group and Frank Lloyd Wright in 1947 for a site plan and individual house designs. Wright’s Usonian style houses were intended not only to be affordable but also to coexist with the land on which they were built.
To learn more about Parkwyn Village, visit http://parkwynvillage.com
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