Right in front of you, you’ll spot a sturdy, two-story house built from layer upon layer of tan limestone, its wide eaves and strong lines making it stand out among the leafy trees-just look for the home with strikingly stacked stone walls at 1635 Linden Avenue.
Now, picture yourself in 1921, when Highland Park was full of curious energy and a new house was rising on this spot-a structure so unlike its neighbors that people walking by would pause mid-step, probably tripping over their shoelaces while staring. The architect, John S. Van Bergen, had a bit of a “Prairie School” crush, having learned the tricks of the trade from the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright himself, and he was about to make a statement-this was, after all, his debut Prairie-style creation in Highland Park! But what truly made folks whisper was his bold use of stratified limestone on the exterior, like he was daring nature itself to keep up with his designs. This house was the first of many Prairie masterpieces he’d build here, but it’s also a bit of a celebrity, landing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Imagine visiting back then, listening to the hum of fresh ideas, as the Lanzl House turned heads and raised eyebrows-definitely a showstopper on an ordinary block!
