In 1949, twelve Upjohn scientists invited Frank Lloyd Wright to design a modern residential community in Galesburg, Michigan. Their vision became The Acres, a 70-acre setting of open land, woods and a three-acre pond. Although the larger development never fully materialized, four distinctive Wright homes were ultimately built, preserving an important chapter of American architecture.
Key takeaways
The Michigan project reflected Wright’s Usonian approach: practical, relatively affordable homes shaped by the landscape and intended for everyday living.
- Twelve Upjohn scientists originally sought Wright’s help.
- The planned community was later abbreviated to The Acres.
- Four homes were completed rather than the broader development envisioned.
- The Eppstein Residence is listed for $2.1 million.
A community designed around Usonian principles
The scientists wanted homes that could be built by the owners themselves or with limited assistance. Wright’s Usonian designs were well suited to that goal, emphasizing simplicity, efficient planning, integrated materials and a close relationship with the surrounding environment.
Each scientist wrote to Wright individually to request his involvement. Together, their efforts proposed an unusual experiment: a coordinated group of architect-designed homes intended for professional families outside Kalamazoo.
Why The Acres remained small
The site’s distance from Kalamazoo made the project less convenient in the years before Interstate 94. Its unconventional architecture may also have seemed out of step with prevailing Midwestern tastes at the time.
Despite having supporters at Upjohn, the original vision was never completed on its anticipated scale. Only four Wright residences were constructed:
- The David and Christine Weisblat Residence
- The Eric and Pat Pratt Residence
- The Samuel and Dorothy Eppstein Residence
- The Curtis Meyer Residence
The surviving homes nonetheless make The Acres a rare concentration of Wright-designed residences in one Michigan setting.
The Eppstein Residence enters the market
The Samuel and Dorothy Eppstein Residence is currently being offered for $2.1 million. Its listing brings renewed attention to The Acres and to the larger story behind the property: a group of scientists seeking a more thoughtful, design-centered way to live.
Rather than functioning as an isolated architectural commission, the residence represents part of a collective experiment. The homes were planned within a shared natural setting, linking Wright’s design philosophy with the community-minded ambitions of the Upjohn group.
A lasting architectural legacy
The Acres demonstrates how ambitious architectural ideas can endure even when a larger development falls short of its original plans. Four completed homes were enough to preserve the project’s identity and provide a tangible example of Wright’s Usonian vision in the Midwest.
Today, the site remains notable not simply because it contains Frank Lloyd Wright houses, but because those homes grew from a coordinated request by scientists who wanted practical, distinctive residences shaped by both modern design and the Michigan landscape.