across the u.s.mid-century modernmichigan

Wright’s Usonian communities, Michigan

Parkwyn Village and The Acres are two late-1940s cooperative neighborhoods near Kalamazoo, Michigan, where Frank Lloyd Wright drew the site plans and designed four houses in each. A group of Upjohn Company scientists began the project in 1946 and split in two: one half built Parkwyn Village in Kalamazoo, and the other built The Acres, also called Galesburg Country Homes, in Charleston Township. Both are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, The Acres in 2004 and Parkwyn Village in 2022.

The housesThe rulesBefore you buy

  • planned1947Wright site plans for both
  • wright houses4 + 4Parkwyn Village + The Acres
  • houses built38 + 5Parkwyn lots with houses + The Acres
  • national register2022 / 2004Parkwyn Village / The Acres

the houses

What makes them distinctive

  • Upjohn originsIn 1946 a group of Upjohn Company scientists set out to build modern, affordable homes cooperatively; about half later formed Parkwyn Village, and the rest bought 71 acres in Charleston Township in 1947.
  • Two lot plansThe Acres kept Wright’s one-acre circular lots and was built without FHA loans, while Parkwyn’s 40 planned lots on 47 acres were redrawn as rectangles to qualify for FHA financing.
  • Owner-made blockOwners cast their own concrete blocks to cut costs, and builders at the two communities shared block molds.
  • Parkwyn’s Wright housesWright designed the Levin (1948), Brown (1949), McCartney (1949) and Winn (1950) houses; Norman F. Carver Jr. and George W. Sprau designed others in the village.
  • The Acres’ five housesWright designed the Pratt, Eppstein, Weisblat and Meyer houses, the Meyer being the site’s only solar hemicycle, and a fifth house was designed by Francis “Will” Willsey.
  • Usonian detailsParkwyn’s Wright houses were built with concrete-block walls, mahogany trim, heated concrete floors and built-ins, and with no attic, basement, garage, gutters or downspouts.

protection

Designation and the rules

  • National RegisterThe Acres was listed as a district on May 19, 2004, and Parkwyn Village on April 29, 2022; listing alone doesn’t restrict a private owner using private funds.
  • No local district foundParkwyn isn’t among the City of Kalamazoo’s local historic districts, and we found no Charleston Township historic district covering The Acres.
  • Conservancy easementSince late 2024 the Weisblat House at The Acres has had a Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy preservation easement, which the Conservancy says is recorded with the deed and binds future owners.
  • State tax creditMichigan offers owner-occupants a credit of up to 25% of eligible rehabilitation costs for houses individually listed or contributing to a listed district, with applications taken in yearly rounds while credits last.

before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • RoofsA 2025 Hyperallergic report says the original tar-and-gravel roofs on area Wright houses leaked and were replaced with rubber membranes, so ask for roof age and repair history.
  • Heated slabsParkwyn’s Wright houses were built with heated concrete floors, so ask for heating-system service records and the age of the heating equipment.
  • Block and trimOwners cast the blocks by hand, so check the condition and finish of the block walls and the wood trim.
  • Additions and changesAdditions and enclosed carports are common in houses of this age, so compare the house with its original plans and permit history.
  • Easements and documentsA title search shows whether a recorded easement applies, and any association documents set shared-land and review rules, so read both before closing.
property nerd note

Sources differ on Parkwyn’s Wright count (four, or “four or five”), the size of The Acres (about 70 or 71 acres), one house’s date and whether these houses count as “Usonian Automatic,” and neither National Register nomination could be opened.

sources

Where this comes from

Checked October 20, 2026.

questions

Questions we hear

How many Frank Lloyd Wright houses are in the two communities?

Four were built to Wright’s designs at each: the Levin, Brown, McCartney and Winn houses at Parkwyn, and the Pratt, Eppstein, Weisblat and Meyer houses at The Acres; a 2022 state announcement describes Parkwyn as having “four or five.”

Does National Register listing limit changes to these houses?

Listing alone places no restrictions on a private owner using private funds, but a recorded preservation easement, like the one on the Weisblat House, binds future owners.

Are the lots really circular?

At The Acres, yes: Wright’s one-acre circular lots were kept even though the FHA wouldn’t finance them. At Parkwyn, the planned circles were redrawn as rectangles to secure FHA financing.

more to learn

Keep going

General information from the sources listed, checked October 20, 2026; not legal, preservation or construction advice. Confirm designation and permit rules with the local preservation office before you buy or remodel. The Boyenga Team represents buyers and sellers in Santa Clara County, bay-side San Mateo County and San Francisco.

talk to a property nerd

Love mid-century modern?

The Boyenga Team has sold Silicon Valley homes since 1996, including Eichlers and other mid-century modern houses. If you’re buying or selling one in the Bay Area, talk to a Property Nerd. Commissions are negotiable, and we offer bundled services, so ask us what’s included.

Book a strategy callCall (408) 373-1660Call (650) 383-8606

Love mid-century modern? Send us a note.

Eric & Janelle Boyenga

Eric & Janelle Boyenga

+1(408) 373-1660

Agent DRE01254724 / 01254725

Agent DRE01254724 / 01254725

Name

Name

Phone*

Phone

Message

By checking this box, I agree by electronic signature to the Electronic Disclosure Consent Agreement; to receive recurring marketing communication from Boyenga Team / Compass, including auto-dialed calls, texts, and artificial/prerecorded voice messages (message frequency varies; data rates may apply; reply "STOP" to opt-out of texts or "HELP" for assistance); and to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy of this website. Consent not required to make a purchase. I understand that I can call to obtain direct assistance.