Lakefront Wisconsin Gem With Frank Lloyd Wright Link Is Available for $2M

By Kristine Hansen
Nov 28, 2022

As a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, Wisconsin architect Russell Barr Williamson designed many homes on Milwaukee’s North Shore—including this midcentury modern ranch house on the market in Fox Point.

Fittingly, this house was designed to showcase panoramic Lake Michigan views.

The 5,454-square-foot home was built in 1959. It has five bedrooms and 4.5 baths and is listed with Lauren Siegel of First Weber Real Estate for $1,995,000—down from the original asking price of $2,150,000 in September.

At the start of his career, Barr Williamson was Wright’s chief draftsman from 1915 until 1917. After that, Barr Williamson established his own firm.

Indoor-outdoor spaces

Walls of windows, a two-sided stone fireplace, and an open floor plan are three key features.

“It blends the inside and outside spaces,” Siegel says. “This particular house is iconic in its nature. The setting is perfect, with the views of the lake.”

The sellers’ relocation is forcing the sale of this property. The home was last purchased in 2012 for $1,525,000; and before that, there had been only three owners.

The home’s original owners, the Sampson family, commissioned the design from Barr Williamson and held onto the property until 2003.

A $90,000 kitchen upgrade was completed in 2004. The improvements were made as updates for modern living—not to change the aesthetic, which incorporated “the mixed media of the wood and stone and such,” says Siegel.

Additionally, some walls were removed to maximize lake views.

New to the kitchen are custom bird’s-eye maple cabinetry with mahogany surrounds; custom pantry-storage systems; new flooring; and high-end, stainless-steel Sub-Zero and Miele appliances.

Then, in 2012, all of the full baths were remodeled with new flooring, granite vanities, and tiled showers. Stone and high-end fixtures were chosen to match the rest of the home. That same year, the first-floor primary suite was renovated to include a closet system; and a custom shower and tile work were added to the bath.

Living room

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Kitchen

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Dining room

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One of the bedrooms

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One of the bathrooms

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Custom closet

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Patio

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Backyard

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Fox Point is a community of 6,837 people, along the Western shores of Lake Michigan, 10 miles north of downtown Milwaukee.

What attracts people to buy homes here?

“The school system, for sure,” says Siegel, adding that the area’s lakefront setting and close proximity to downtown are also factors.

Plus, she says, “When you get a house like this, it’s a piece of artwork.”