Michigan City in Porter County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
House Of Tomorrow: 'America's First Glass House'
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 14, 2019
1. House Of Tomorrow Marker
Intended as a showcase of modern design and innovative building materials, this house played a pioneering role in the development of passive solar heating. This was much to the surprise of its Chicago architect, George Fred Keck.
One cold morning during construction, Keck noticed the workmen had shed their winter coats while laboring inside the glass-enclosed space. Keck speculated that the sun streaming through the glass walls could be a cost-effective source of heating. After the fair, Keck incorporated south-facing windows and other passive heating into his designs. Ironically, this unanticipated heat source worked directly against the House of Tomorrow's most touted feature at the Fair, air conditioning.
At a time when popular new home styles included the bungalow, Arts and Crafts, and Craftsmen, features such as floor-to-ceiling windows, open floor plans, air conditioning, passive solar heating, and even automatic dishwashers have found their way into most modern homes. Time will tell if the airplane hangar tucked into the House of Tomorrow's first floor will also become standard.
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Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas.
Location. 41° 41.033′ N, 87° 0.05′ W. Marker is in Michigan City, Indiana, in Porter County. It is on West Carol Lane 0.1 miles east of Dunbar Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 251 W Lake Front Dr, Michigan City IN 46360, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northwest Indiana, specifically on the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan Shore, and in the Calumet Region. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 14, 2019
2. House Of Tomorrow Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Armco-Ferro House: Mass Produced And Affordable (within shouting distance of this marker); Century of Progress Homes (within shouting distance of this marker); Century Of Progress Homes: Historic District (within shouting distance of this marker); The Florida House: Home, Cruise Ship, and More (within shouting distance of this marker); A Showcase For Cypress (within shouting distance of this marker); Made In Lafayette: An Experiment in Home Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Stephen Tyng Mather (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hostas on a Grand Scale (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Michigan City.
Other markers no longer nearby. Recipe for a Sand Dune (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing); Whose Home Is It? (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing); Is This an Ocean or a Lake? (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 14, 2019
3. House Of Tomorrow Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 14, 2019
4. Century of Progress Historic District Sign
Credits. This page was last revised on December 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 1, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 497 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 1, 2020, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
