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Timeline of Events

1938      Jan      George and Selma Sturges read about FLW's Usonians in January issue of Architectural Forum magazine  

              Feb      Sturgeses correspond with Wright and commission project

              Mar     John Lautner leaves Wisconsin for Los Angeles, relocating his family

              Sep     In consultation with Lautner, Sturgeses purchase lot for $10 on Sept 1

1939     Jan      Wright draws initial designs of the residence

             Feb      Wright sends plans to Lautner, declaring it "one of the simplest things we have done and one of the best"

             Spring  Designs are refined:

                                -- Supports for cantilever are eliminated

                                -- Terrace Pergola extended to the South, creating compositional tension

             June     Wright visits site for pre-construction meeting with Lautner

             Aug 21  Lautner writes, "We will start the Sturges house next week, should finish in three months"

             Aug 29  Building permit issued

             Oct 3     Second permit issued (likely adding steel)  

  

            Nov 15   Third permit issues (adding more steel)       

            Dec        House largely completed, after about 4 months

1941     Repairs made (such as leaky roof)

1942     March  Wright and Taliesin apprentices make "final" repairs (such as leaky roof)

             March  While visiting, Wright designs and sketches addition to house (never built)

1951   Strugeses sell house to Edward Scofield (aka: Henry Schwartz) on September 11, moving into a bigger house they constructed in the neighborhood to accommodate their second child (notably nearby house is not designed by Wright)

1962   Elaine Pike acquires from the above on July 23

1964   Linguistic scholars Paul L. Garvin and Madeleine Mathoit Garvin acquire from the above on Jan. 16

'1967     James Bridges and Jack Larson purchase house in November for $60,000, inclusive of the furniture

1968-9  Bridges and Larson hire John Lautner to perform restorations.  The house had been painted black and orange and required sandblasting.

1979    Lautner returns to oversee reconstrcution of north east deck, which was damaged by a fallen eucalyptus tree

1981     August:  Lautner conducts studies for proposed addition (2 plans), located somewhat near FLW's proposals

 

1993     May 25: Los Angeles Historical-Cultural Monument status adopted

2015    Jack Larson passes; Foundation lists property for sale 

2016    Sturges House acquired by non profit organization for the purpose of preservation and education

Sturgeses create replica FLW living room for new home at 714 Tigertail

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