Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House

1944

Photographed By William J. Toman, November 28, 2010

1. The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House Marker

Inscription. The Herbert and Katherine Jacobs second house possesses national significance as the first house to be built under architect Frank Lloyd Wright's concept of the "Solar Hemicycle". Based on arcs, radii, and circles, the house's design includes a floor-to-roof glass wall oriented toward the sun and an earth berm to protect three sides from winter winds. Wright's experimentation with passive solar design predates the "energy crisis" of the 1970s by 30 years and is uniquely and beautifully expressed in this house.

Erected 2003 by the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Historic Landmarks series list.

Location. 43° 4.425′ N, 89° 32.077′ W. Marker is in Madison, Wisconsin, in Dane County. Marker is on Shawn Trail, 0.1 miles south of Old Sauk Road, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3995 Shawn Trail, Middleton WI 53562, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Big Church on the Hillside (approx. 0.2 miles away); Middleton's Beginning (approx. one mile away); The Lemcke Farm House

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(approx. 1.9 miles away); Early Social Whirl (approx. 2½ miles away); Hocheera (approx. 2.9 miles away); The Stamm House (approx. 2.9 miles away); Thorstrand (approx. 2.9 miles away); Hickory Hill House (approx. 3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.

Regarding The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House. In naming the Herbert and Catherine Jacobs II House landmark no. 114 in 1993, the Madison Landmarks Commission stated "This is the second house designed for Herbert and Catherine Jacobs by Wisconsin architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The house is the first of a type that Wright called the 'Solar Hemicycle.' Subsequent examples were built in Galesburg, MI; Bethesda, MD; and Tallahassee, FL. These houses employed many of the principles of his earlier Usonian houses. Their semicircular design was intended to take maximum advantage of the sun's path throughout the day. The Jacobs family was also the client for the first of Wright's Usonian houses."

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. This is a Frank Lloyd Wright marker with links to other markers relating

Photographed By William J. Toman, November 28, 2010

2. The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House Marker

The house is built into a hill through the trees behind the marker.

to the architect, and a marker at the first Jacobs House located in Madison, Wi.

Additional keywords. Architecture

The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William J. Toman, November 28, 2010

3. The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House

Photographed By William J. Toman, November 28, 2010

4. The Second Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House

Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 2,306 times since then and 81 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 28, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 2, 3. submitted on November 29, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 4. submitted on December 18, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.