Hinsdale Group Wants To Stop Wrecking Ball

HINSDALE, IL — Historical preservationists in Hinsdale have a new focus in their efforts to save older houses.

This week, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house at 121 S. County Line Road went up for sale, with a price tag of nearly $1.6 million. It last sold in 1978 at a price of $225,000, or nearly $1 million in today's dollars.

Built in 1894, the house's floor plan resembles Wright's Oak Park home, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust website. Its octagonal library is similar to the studio library that Wright eventually added to his own house, the site says.

News of the house's sale was posted on the Hinsdaleans for Historic Preservation Facebook page Thursday. It was announced by Alexis Braden, a member of the village's Historic Preservation Commission. She said the sellers are apparently accepting all offers by early next week.

"We have contacted our friends at the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy," Braden said. "However, we need your help to raise awareness about this home, which is not only architecturally significant to Hinsdale but nationwide."

The Facebook page's members lamented the possibility that the house would be torn down.

"Maybe we should consider writing 'obituaries' for some of these historic homes that have been or are about to be lost unnecessarily to the wrecking ball ... highlight the architectural significance, what joy they brought to people in the neighborhood," one woman said.

Another woman wrote, "Thanks for keeping up the fight against the demolition of the Village on the County Line — literally and figuratively," she said.

Last year, preservationists took their case to the Village Board, calling for regulations to discourage teardowns.

Village trustees considered a moratorium on demolitions, but ultimately rejected the idea, citing private property rights.