Frank Lloyd Wright Ride

205 Essex, Baldwin House (1905)

A 23 mile ride on Chicago's North Shore that takes you past 16 Wright houses between Evanston and Highland Park

This is a ride you can do anytime you're in the area. Just print the cue sheet below and mosey over to the starting point. The ride was developed by the Evanston Bicycle Club as a small weekend or evening club ride. They ride it every year as a group probably with some running commentary on FLW and his designs by the riders who know a bit about the homes. It's really a neat ride to do anytime as an individual or in a small group so we are posting the directions on the LIB website.

These houses are in residential neighborhoods with narrow streets and lots of twists and turns so the smaller the group of riders the better -- you can stop and check out the houses without being too intrusive in the neighborhood. These aren't museum pieces but houses that folks are living in. You also might want to consult one of the guidebooks about Frank Lloyd Wright's houses before or during your ride. That will give you a better idea of the house's significance and design features. Most of the houses on this route are his lower-cost, less architecturally stunning, and earlier homes.

You can also look at his buildings in Oak Park, Illinois. Oak Park makes more of a fuss about FLW because his home and studio are located there along with a number of his prime works. Maps and guided tours are available in Oak Park.

Some Notes on This Ride

I have been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright since college. So when I was trying to come up with a new ride for the Evanston Bicycle Club, a ride to the Wright homes on the North Shore appealed to me.

Somebody commented on one of Wright's Evanston homes that it really wasn't a very good design, and Wright is supposed to have replied, "Well, it's good enough for Evanston." So it appears that there was a lot of rivalry between Oak Park and Evanston, even then.

This ride takes you to 16 Wright houses between Evanston and Highland Park. You will appreciate the ride even more if you do a little reading on Wright and his philosophy before you go.

Jo Ann Budde, Evanston Bicycle Club

FLW Ride Cue Sheet

Thanks to the Evanston Bicycle Club for permission to post this ride cue sheet

AT	TURN	GO	ON	COMMENTS
0.0	R-W	1.0	Lincoln	Start at Chandler and Lincoln
1.0	R-N	0.1	Elm
1.1	L-W	0.5	Harrison	2420 Harrison, Brown House (1905)
1.6	R-N	0.4	Lincolnwood	Jog R/L at Central, 2614 Lincolnwood, Jackson House (1917)
2.0	Jog L/R	0.0	Isabella
2.0	L-N	0.1	16th Street
2.1	R-E	1.3	Wilmette Ave.	Into 10th Ave. [editor., I think this should be 10th Street]
3.4	L-W	0.1	Robsart Road	Walk bike thru fence opening [ed., I never saw Robsart Rd. or the fence so I went to the end of 10th Street and then jogged L-N on Sheridan into the town of Kenilworth where I found Warwick or Oxford and turned left to get back on the route]
3.5	JOG R/L	0.1	Warwick Road
3.6	L-S	0.1	Oxford
3.7	R-N	1.0	Essex	205 Essex, Baldwin House (1905)
4.7	L-W	0.2	Elder Lane
4.9	R-N	0.7	Fairview
5.6	L-W	0.3	Ash
5.9	R-N	0.3	Maple	Water fountain in park
6.2	L-W	0.1	Elm
6.3	R-N	0.8	Lincoln	jogs R/L at Humboldt
7.1	L-W	0.1	Tower
7.2	R-N	0.4	Old Green Bay
7.6	R-E	0.1	Scott Avenue
7.7	L-N	1.8	Sheridan	790 Sheridan, Brighton House (1908/15)
9.5				850 Sheridan, Glasner House (1905)
9.5	L-W	0.3	Franklin	239 Franklin, Booth Cottage (1911)
9.8	R-N	0.2	Meadow Road	1023 Meadow Road, Kissan House (1915)
10.0				1027 Meadow Road, Ross House (1915)
10.0				1030 Meadow Road, Root House (1915)
10.0				1031 Meadow Road, Kier House
10.0	L-W	0.1	Sylvan	272 Sylvan, Perry House (1915)
10.1				265 Sylvan, Booth House (down cul-de-sac) (1915)
July 14, 2000 - Note from a LIB member: In 1984 the state rehabilitated the only bridge in the US designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (according to the FLW Foundation). It is located in Glencoe on Sylvan Road between Meadow Rd. and Franklin. The tour probably passes over the bridge. There is a bench built into the bridge so stop and enjoy the view.
10.1	STR	0.1	Franklin
10.2	L-N	3.3	Sheridan	1445 Sheridan, Willits House (1901)
13.5	R-E	0.5	Waverly	1450 Waverly, Willits Stable (1901)
AT	TURN	GO	ON	COMMENTS
14.0	Jog R/L	0.4	Beech	[Ed., Now the route starts heading back south]
14.4	L-S	1.0	St Johns	[the next stretch is on the Green Bay Trail, a paved rail-trail conversion]
15.4	Jog R/L	5.3	Green Bay Trail	Rest stops at restaurants in downtown Glencoe
20.7	L-E	0.9	Forest
21.6	R-S	0.1	6th Street
21.7	L-E	0.1	Lake sidewalk	(ride on sidewalk) 507 Lake, Baker House (1909)
21.8	R-S	0.6	4th
22.4	L-E	0.1	Gregory	330 Gregory, Burleigh Cottage (1915)
22.5	R-S	0.5	3rd	Jog L/R at Isabella, becomes Asbury
23.0	L-E	0.2	Lincoln	Finish at Chandler

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Revised 2006-06-21
Created 2000-04-27
Lee Pirtle,

Frank Lloyd Wright Ride

A 23 mile ride on Chicago's North Shore that takes you past 16 Wright houses between Evanston and Highland Park

Some Notes on This Ride

FLW Ride Cue Sheet

AT

TURN

GO

ON

COMMENTS

AT

TURN

GO

ON

COMMENTS