Built sometime around 1940 by its original occupant, a man who was innovative and interested in modern design, this house in Salina, Kansas, does not look much like its neighbors. After nearly 80 years it still has a futuristic air to it. I encountered a family member roughly 20 years ago and was kindly invited inside to take photographs, which I recently re-discovered. They aren’t of the highest quality as I had a really crummy camera back then, but are still fun to peek at, giving us another glimpse of what modern used to be! Most exterior views below are from Google Street View (in 2013) as they are of better quality than mine were.
The two-story part of the house is clad with metal panels which are painted. The present entry is in the one story wing which is clad in limestone. If I recall correctly, this section may have originally been a porch which was enclosed. The arched niche at the right appears to have been the original front door location. Image courtesy of Google Street View.
The garage is also clad in the grid of metal panels. Image courtesy of Google Street View.
The fireplace surround is made of cast concrete, a material that the builder was fond of.
The most curious feature of the house is its internal ramp. According to my tour guide, the builder modified his ramp design by including a few steps; the ramp would have been too long otherwise. Note that interior doors are arched.
A few more steps are found on a sort of landing which is illuminated by a soaring glass block window in a tower-like projection. Note the stepped profile on the cap of the low wall which serves as a handrail and balustrade.
Metal panels wrap around the tower as well. The visually interesting antenna tower appears to have disappeared since I tool this photo.
The tower can be seen to the right, near a more conventional neighboring house. Image courtesy of Google Street View.
A close-up of the presumed original entry, since repurposed. The entry is flanked by more cast concrete. The limestone planter appears to be built on a former stoop. I love the use of stainless steel for the coping of the semi-circular entry roof!
Detail of the “battens” which conceal the joints of the metal panels.
That is a cool joint! That stairway must have caused quite a stir!
I’m sure it did! The ramp in Bruce Goff’s Ledbetter house in Norman, Oklahoma, also caused a stir when it was built… about eight years after this house in Salina!
Favorite quote: During the inspection an elderly lady approached Architect Goff. “Mr. Goff,” she asked, “Would you live in this house yourself?” Goff, who is chairman of the University of Oklahoma’s School of Architecture, replied, “Oh my, no. It’s much too conventional for me.”
I accidentally clicked the pics and was happy to see they blew up in size. Very fun article!
1948! Wow
Quite an interesting place. Thanks for sharing!
I have been to Salina once a few years ago, to look at a car for sale. It looked to be rather down in it’s luck (both the car and the town).
Glad you liked it! The town is actually one of the few places in the region that is currently growing. Like most places, it has its good and bad spots, but was definitely a hip and booming place a century ago! It pulls in a lot of people from surrounding towns which are losing population.
The ramp is awesome. I doubt building code in most places would allow that to be done in todays world. I am reminded of the ramp with steps at Pilgrim Tower in Provincetown, MA where a combination of 60 ramps and 116 steps guide you to the top (which I’ve managed to climb several times). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_Monument
Wow… that’s quite a ramp at the Pilgrim Tower! I agree with you regarding building codes… they have had a very damaging impact upon architecture in that they stifle architects and designers by forcing them into behaving very similarly for the sake of efficiency and expediency. I mourn for all of the cool buildings which might have been but never will be as a result of this bureaucratic approach to artistic expression.
The stainless steel entry is the best.
If this were my house, I would absolutely put a door back in the arched opening. The original entry is much more memorable than the present one… and a lot more fun!
Yes!!!! No question that the presumed original entry should be restored.
What a fabulous and unique house!!!!!!!!!