National Register of Historic Places

Wall, Carlton D., House

Plymouth, Wayne County, Michigan
Listed
June 27, 1994
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
94000620

About this property

The Carlton D. Wall House, also known as Snowflake, is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home in Plymouth Township, Michigan. It is one of Wright's more elaborate Usonian homes. In 1941, recently married Mr. and Mrs. Carlton David Wall, who were Wright's youngest clients, approached Wright to design a house for them after Carlton Wall studied Wright's architecture in college. Its form comprises a series of hexagons radiating from a central chimney or service core without any true right angles, with wings for a nursery, terrace, guest room and carport. The cypress and brick house came to be known as Snowflake because of the hexagonal patterns created by the diamond grid design. This was the first use of Wright's modular diamond structure in Michigan, a technique he used elsewhere when incorporating a house into a hillside. A massive brick retaining wall supports a dramatic terrace. Floor to ceiling windows, doors without mullions, and corner windows are used throughout the house. This brings the "outside in", which is the case in all Wright houses. From 1943 to 1944, Milton Horn collaborated with Wright on a wood relief mural for the house. In 1947, a 1,000-square-foot (93 m2) bedroom wing was added to accommodate the Walls' growing family. It is located to the west of the original house. Snowflake was purchased by Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza, in 1983. It was used on a rotating basis by executives of his corporation. It was to be part of Monaghan's Frank Lloyd Wright Study Center. In the late 1980s it was sold to the current owners who use it as a residence.

Location

12305 Beck Rd.
Plymouth, Wayne County, Michigan
42.37121, -83.51162

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Wall, Carlton D., House

This page lists Wall, Carlton D., House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Wall, Carlton D., House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Balogh, Tivadar and Dorothy, House
Industrial
1.7 mi
Kinyon, Orrin, and Roxanne Fairman, House
Industrial
2.2 mi
Baker, Henry W., House
Industrial
2.3 mi
Curtiss, Charles G., Sr., House
Industrial
2.3 mi
Bradford, Benjamin and Mary Ann, House
Industrial
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wall, Carlton D., House listed on the National Register?

Wall, Carlton D., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 27, 1994.

What type of historic resource is Wall, Carlton D., House?

Wall, Carlton D., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wall, Carlton D., House?

The period of significance for Wall, Carlton D., House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Wall, Carlton D., House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Wall, Carlton D., House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Wayne County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Wayne County.

Explore WayneCounty ›

More historic places in Michigan

Browse all historic places in Michigan.

View Michiganhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Michigan history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Michiganhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Wall, Carlton D., House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report