MIDLAND, MI — Organizers with Alden B. Dow Home and Studio as well as Mid-Century Modern Midland said an architectural tour will showcase three renovated 1950s-era properties in Midland.

The tour, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11, will highlight distinctive mid-century modern homes designed by renowned architect Alden B. Dow, planners said.

Visitors can explore the house known as the Ashmun Residence, designed in 1951; the Sherk Residence, from 1954; and the Blackhurst Realty House, completed in 1959, organizers said.

Each property represents the architectural innovation of the 1950s and has undergone careful renovation to preserve its mid-century modern character, planners said.

The renovation tour will span from noon to 3 p.m., with tickets priced at $30 and available for purchase online. Pre-registration is required.

For more information, call Alden B. Dow Home and Studio at 1-866-315-7678.

Alden B. Dow Home and Studio organizers describe the three houses on the tour as follows:

The Ashmun Residence: “This wooden A-frame design was affectionately referred to as the ‘Timber Teepee’ by Josephine Ashmun, a cousin of the architect. Upon entering the house, the rafters of the A-frame support the upper gallery and extend beyond the interior to the supporting concrete buttresses on the exterior. The later addition of skylights in the gallery and porch areas expanded the spatial quality of the home. Multiple windows along the roof ridge lighten the interior spaces. The massiveness of the wood, in contrast to the lightness of the space, is breathtaking. Mr. Dow received more inquiries about the Josephine Ashmun Residence than any of his other designs.

Recently renovated to update the kitchen and dining areas, as well as changes to the bedroom wing, it is a perfect example of renovations that maintain the initial intentions of the architect while updating to meet the needs of owners in the 21st century.”

The Blackhurst Realty House: “In 1958, Blackhurst Reality engaged Alden B. Dow’s firm, known then as Alden B. Dow, Inc., to create five modest house designs they could modify and duplicate. The realty company built fourteen homes using these designs, with modifications for their future owners. Design #2, dated 1959, is the foundation for this home built in 1960 for the Walter Patten family. The open floor plan features a wall of windows which brings in natural light to the living room, dining room, and kitchen.

While maintaining the original three bedroom, two bath layout, the back half of this structure has been reconfigured and renovated to incorporate a large walk-in closet in the primary bedroom suite and to create access to the backyard and deck from the primary bedroom.”

The Sherk Residence: “From the street, the Sherk Residence appears to be a single-story concrete block home. A flat roof covers the garage while a low-pitched roof caps a long block wall that encloses the upper living area. Upon entering the residence, the space opens to reveal a two-story structure set into a sloping lot. Windows stretching fourteen feet high at the back of the house bring natural light and the outdoors into this space. Originally, a balcony overlooked the living room beneath the dining room.

Renovations by subsequent owners have included eliminating the balcony to add floor space by extending the living area floor to the windows, updating the kitchen, incorporating a wine room and upstairs laundry, as well as remodeling the primary suite bathroom.”

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