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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 5817 ANCHORAGE AVE |
|---|---|
| County | Dane |
| City/Village | Madison |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1956 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1983 |
| Historic Use | house |
| Architectural Style | Usonian |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Concrete Block |
| Architect | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments |
A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. This home is one example of Wright's work with Madison builder Marshall Erdman, who also built the Unitarian Meeting House. In 1956, Frank Lloyd Wright designed this prefabricated Usonian house for contractor Marshall Erdman, who marketed it as the latest in his line of "U-Form-It Houses." Wright wanted this, like all his other Usonian designs, to be affordable to the middle class, so he used stock windows and doors from Andersen and Pella and standard dimensions of plywood, Masonite, and dry wall. In the Van Tamelen House, Wright’s first prefab building for Erdman's company, he used horizontal boards and battens made of Masonite and redwood. Ribbon and corner awning windows pivot outward to light the interior. This model house, purchased by Eugene Van Tamelen, attracted the attention of the New York Times and House and Home, bringing orders for nine more. Erdman's factory prefabricated the exterior and interior wall panels in eight-foot sections and manufactured pre-cut floors, roof trusses, cabinets, and woodwork. Excluded from the package were the materials needed for the foundation, fireplace, and mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems. In the end, the high cost of the site work, which included the installation of windows, wood trim, and interior walls, along with the cost of the prefab package, $20,000, and Wright's substantial design fee, brought the total expense close to that of a normal custom-built home, thus limiting the popularity of the Erdman houses. |
| Bibliographic References | Wright and Like Madison Walking Tour brochure, 2015. Buildings of Wisconsin manuscript. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Not Listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | |
| State Register Listing Date | |
| Contributing |
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
Erdman Prefab I
1956
Rear view of the Eugene & Mary Van Tamelen House, 5817 Anchorage Avenue, an example of Erdman #1, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed prefabricated home marketed by Marshall Erdman, built in 1956..
Erdman Prefab 2
1959
Interior view of the prefabricated home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and constructed by Marshall Erdman. This example of the Erdman #2 known as the Walter & Mary Ellen Rudin House, 110 Marinette ...
Erdman Prefab 2
Dining area of the Walter & Mary Rudin House, 110 Marinette Trail, an example of Erdman #2, a Frank Lloyd Wright-design prefabricated house marketed and constructed by Marshall Erdman in 1959. This...
Erdman Prefab
circa 1950-1959
Alternative view of the Van Tamlen House, an example of Erdman #1, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed prefabricated home marketed by Marshall Erdman.
