Aurora Historical Society opens Round House for public tours
The Aurora Historical Society is offering a rare chance to tour a special house.
Ruth Van Sickle Ford’s 1949 “Round House” is a classic. Unique materials and never-before-seen design were just what the renowned artist and her husband, Sam, wanted, and just what architect Bruce Goff delivered for them at 404 S. Edgelawn Ave. Aurora.
The house has been the subject of curiosity for 60-plus years. Mies van der Rohe, whose iconic Farnsworth House in Plano was being built at the same time, would detour to Aurora to see how the Round House project was coming along. Located in a city known for its examples of architecture from every historical period, the Round House is sui generis.
As a private residence, the Round House is never open to the public, but on Sunday, June 9,guests of the Aurora Historical Society will have the opportunity to tour the house at noon, 1:30 or 3 p.m.
Tickets are $45 per person; $40 for historical society members. Admission includes refreshments on the lawn and the opportunity to chat with experts like Nancy Smith Hopp, Ford’s biographer “Warm Light, Cool Shadows,” and art conservator Scott Sherwood.
For reservations, visit www.aurorahistory.net or call (630) 906-0650.