Frank Lloyd Wright

Midway Gardens, Chicago, IL (1913) (S.180)

Images By Henry Fuermann & Sons, September 1914

Henry Fuermann & Sons documented many of the buildings in the Chicago area. These Midway Gardens images they photographed in 1914 are an invaluable record of Wright's Masterpiece. The

images are the most complete record of Midway Gardens as Wright envisioned it. This is not a complete set of images, we will include any additional images we are able to acquire.

1: Cottage Grove Avenue from the Northeast. Winter Garden to the left, Tavern to the right. Both towers are prominent above the Winter Garden. Patterned concrete blocks, Two Queen of the Gardens and three Sprite statues are visible.

1a: Winter Garden to the left. Detail of the South tower, patterned concrete blocks and two Queen of the Gardens statues.

1b: South (left) and North Towers with cantilevered roof overhangs and cantilevered balconies and decorative metal fascia cornices. Two patterned concrete block details, one for walls and the second for balconies.

1c: Detail of three Sprite statues. The Sprite on the right is above the North Cottage Grove entrance.

2: Winter Garden and Cottage Grove Avenue viewed from the East.

2a: Northern end of the Winter Garden. Queen of the Gardens statue on the right, a Sprite is just to the left of the Tower.

3: Northern end of the Winter Garden. Queen of the Gardens statue on the right, a Sprite is just to the left and right of the Tower. Two different patterned concrete blocks are visible.

3a: Detail of the Northern Tower. Three Tower patterned concrete blocks are visible, one for walls and the second for balconies.

3b: Detail of the Northern end of the Winter Garden with vertical brick columns. Queen of the Gardens on the right, a Sprite is just to the left and right of the Tower.

4: North entrance from Cottage Grove Avenue.

4a: Entrance includes three cantilevered and trellised roof overhangs, patterned balcony concrete blocks, decorative metal fascia cornices and two Sprites.

4b: Front doors, which open outward, leading into the Belvedere are hidden approximately twenty-five feet within the entrance. Details of patterned balcony concrete blocks and Sprites.

5: Full view of the interior of the Eastern side, viewed from the stage looking out over the Summer Garden. Winter Garden in the center is flanked on either side by the Promenades and the Belvederes on either end.

5a: The Northeast corner of the interior, viewed from the stage looking out over the Summer Garden. The Promenade sits between the Northern Belvedere on the left and the Winter Garden on the right. Cantilevered roof overhangs and cantilevered balconies are visible on the upper levels of the Belvedere.

5b: Symmetry of the Winter Garden. Not only are there two towers, two Queen of the Garden statues and two Sprites on this Western side, but the same exists on the Eastern side.

5c: The Southeast corner of the interior, viewed from the stage looking out over the Summer Garden. The Promenade sits between the South Belvedere on the right and the Winter Garden on the left. Cantilevered roof overhangs and cantilevered balconies are visible on the upper levels of the Belvedere.

6: The Southeast corner of the interior, viewed from the North Terrace looking out over the Summer Garden. The Winter Garden on the left, the South Belvedere is in the center, and the South Arcade is on the right. Vases, Totem poles and Light Tree are visible in the foreground.

6a: Two forms of patterned concrete blocks face the exterior of the Winter Garden, one for walls and the second for balconies. Rows for doors open outward in the balcony. Totem poles and Light Tree are visible in the foreground. North Refreshment Stand is on the left.

6b: Detail of the South Belvedere. The Sunken Garden is just beyond the row of eight Sprites. The South Arcade is on the right. The South Refreshment Stand is visible just in front of it.

7: The Queen of the Gardens. Located on the North end of the Winter Garden, facing the Summer Garden.

7a: Detail of the Queen of the Gardens. Patterned concrete wall blocks visible behind the sculpture.

7b: Detail of the Queen of the Gardens base. Patterned concrete wall blocks visible behind the sculpture.

8: Totem poles and Light Tree. The South Belvedere is seen in the background.

8a: Detail of the Totem poles and Light Tree.

8b: Detail of the Totem poles and Light Tree base.

9: Looking Northeast over the Sunken Garden to the North Belvedere. Cantilevered roof overhang and small cantilevered balcony. Patterned concrete wall and balcony blocks. Decoratively designed metal fascia cornices. A row of Sprites are visible on the left.

9a: Detail of the Southwest corner of the North Belvedere. Cantilevered roof overhang with metal fascia cornice. One of the Wright designed hanging lights is visible just to the right of the small cantilevered balcony. A row of Sprites are visible on the left.

9b: Detail of the South side of the North Belvedere. Cantilevered roof overhang with metal fascia cornice and cantilevered balcony. Patterned concrete wall and balcony blocks. A row of balcony doors open outward.

9c: Detail of the North end of the Winter Garden. Trellised roof overhang cast patterned shadows on the entry below. Patterned concrete wall and balcony blocks. A rows of entry and balcony doors open outward.

10: From the South Belvedere looking Northwest past the South Sunken Garden and Summer Garden toward the Music Pavilion. Seven of the eight Sprites are visible in the foreground. Cantilevered roof overhang with metal fascia cornice and small cantilevered balcony is on the left.

10a: Detail of the roof overhang with metal fascia cornice. The top of the hanging lights is visible on the left. Eight Totem poles are visible in the Summer Garden. The Dressing Room is just to the left of the Music Pavilion.

10b: Detail of the eight Totem poles atop the wall of the Summer Garden. Looking past the Refreshment Stand to the Northwest corner of the Summer Garden.

10c: Looking toward the Northwest corner of the Summer Garden, the Dressing Room is just to the right of the Music Pavilion. North Arcade is on the right, the Architect�s Box is on the West end of the North Arcade.

11: South Sunken Garden. Seven of the eight Sprites are visible atop the West wall of the Summer Garden.

11a: Detail of four of the eight Sprites atop the West wall of the Summer Garden. Two Queen of the Gardens sculptures are visible above the Music Pavilion.

12: Full view of the west side, looking across the Summer Garden.

12a: Detail of the Southwest corner. The Architect�s Box on the left is on the West end of the South Arcade. A double Totem poles sits in atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony. The Dressing Room is just to the left of the Music Pavilion.

12b: Detail of the Music Pavilion. Dressing Rooms are just to the left and right.

12c: Detail of the Northwest corner. The Dressing Room is just to the right of the Music Pavilion. The Architect�s Box on the right is on the West end of the North Arcade. A double Totem poles sits in atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony.

13: Overall view of the North Arcade. The Architect�s Box on the left, the North Belvedere is on the right.

13a: Detail of the west end of the North Arcade. The Architect�s Box on the left, a double Totem poles sits in atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony. Eight Totem poles are visible in the Summer Garden.

13b: Detail of the East end of the North Arcade. The North Belvedere is on the right The Refreshment Stand is in the center.

13c: Detail of two Totem poles and Light Trees. Refreshment Stand is on the upper right.

14: One of eight Sprites on the wall of the North Sunken Garden looking Northeast. Has its back to the Sunken Garden. From the Summer Garden it appears to be sitting atop a pedestal.

14a: Detail of Sprite with a solemn expression.

15: One of eight Sprites on the wall of the North Sunken Garden looking Southeast. Has its back to the Sunken Garden. From the Summer Garden it appears to be sitting atop a pedestal.

15a: Detail of Sprite with a smiling expression.

16: Interior of the Winter Garden looking East. Two of the four Sprites; patterned ceiling; hanging light fixtures, table lamps and Light Trees; sculptured capitals; row of balcony doors that open outward; leaded glass windows and doors, are all visible.

16a: Detail of the patterned ceiling, row of balcony doors that open outward, and leaded glass windows and doors.

16b: Detail of the Northeast corner of the Winter Garden. The male Sprite holding octogon is on the left. Just to the right are the hanging light fixtures and table lamps. The row of balcony doors open outward; leaded glass windows and doors, are all visible.

16c: Detail of the Southeast corner of the Winter Garden. The female Sprite holding a sphere is on the right.

17: Northeast corner of the Winter Garden. The male Sprite holding octogon; patterned ceiling; hanging light fixture, table lamps; sculptured capital and row of leaded glass balcony doors open outward.

17a: Detail of the Northeast corner of the Winter Garden. Table lamps; patterned ceiling; sculptured capital and the male Sprite holding octogon are all visible.

17b: Detail of the Northeast corner of the Winter Garden. Patterned ceiling; hanging light fixture and row of leaded glass balcony doors open outward.

17c: Detail of the Wright designed table lamp.

18: Southwest corner of the Winter Garden. Male Sprite holding cubes sits atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony; patterned ceiling; sculptured capital; hanging light fixture; table lamps; row of leaded glass windows; large vase and stairs that lead to lower service area.

18a: Detail of Southwest corner of the Winter Garden. Male Sprite holding cubes sits atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony; patterned ceiling; sculptured capital; hanging light fixture, and table lamps.

18b: Detail of Southwest corner of the Winter Garden. Male Sprite holding cubes sits atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony; patterned ceiling; sculptured capital; hanging light fixture, and row of leaded glass windows.

18c: Detail of Southwest corner of the Winter Garden. Male Sprite sits atop a pedestal, attached to the front of the balcony; large vase and stairs that lead to lower service area.

19: Male Sprite holding octogons in the Northeast corner of the Winter Garden.

19a: Detail of the Male Sprite holding octogons.

20: Female Sprite holding sphere in the Southeast corner of the Winter Garden.

20a: Detail of the Female Sprite holding sphere.

21: Female Sprite holding triangle in the Northwest corner of the Winter Garden.

21a: Detail of the Female Sprite holding triangle.

22: Wright designed Mural on the North end of the Tavern. Doors lead to Cottage Grove Avenue entrance and Northeast Belvedere.

22a: Detail of Mural and double doors.

23: Wright designed Mural on the South end of the Tavern. Built-in cigar stand. Service door on the left leads to service entrance off of Cottage Grove Avenue.

23a: Detail of Mural and built-in cigar stand.

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