An Illinois home with an unexpected connection to famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright and a notable history that hasn’t been on the market for over 50 years is now for sale.
The Belleville, Illinois, home may not look like your ordinary “mansion” upon arrival, but one step inside and the floor-to-ceiling windows showcase an unexpected view only the state can offer.
“You see the St. Louis Arch from so many places both inside and outside the house. People unfamiliar with St. Louis often don’t realize that the Mississippi River divides Missouri and Illinois in the St. Louis area,” listing agent Jon Shirrell with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty told NBC Chicago. “You can only get this kind of view from the Illinois side.”
Shirrell notes that the home itself is “one of the premiere examples of mid-century modern homes in the Midwest,” designed both by legendary designer Frank Lloyd Wright and architect Charles King.
Wright originally designed and started the home, but it was finished by King, who used it as his personal residence, after the initial owner of the property passed away. It was ultimately dubbed “The King House.”
The home has had few owners over the years, including professional golfer Bob Goalby, who won the 1968 Masters tournament and turned some of the property’s 55 acres into his own private fairway and greens.
It has now been owned and lived in by the same family since 1968.
“It’s a bit of a ‘hidden gem’ in this way,” Shirrell said. “It’s the first time it’s been on the market in over 50 years, so many people who have lived in the St. Louis area for their whole life have never heard of, or seen, the home or it’s views.”
The home is highlighted for its integration with the nature around it and multiple “floating” spaces, including a gazebo.
The four-bedroom, nearly 6,000-square-foot home is listed for $2.5 million.
See inside below:
(Images by: Larry McMillian and Jon Shirrell)