The Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Reinke House, designed by Alden B. Dow in 1941, is a single-story house with stucco walls, large expanses of windows, broad eaves, and a low pitched hipped roof with a central chimney. The house backs onto a leafy, neighborhood park, which adds a sense of serene surrounding to an otherwise residential neighborhood. Dow used the park as a backdrop for the Reinke house much in the same way he used country clubs or public gardens in his designs for larger homes in more affluent neighborhoods.
Interestingly, little is known of Mr. and Mrs. Reinke, or why they sought out Dow to design their house. However, plans for the house were completed in July 1941, with an addition by Dow drawn in 1947. The original house was modest in size and basically square in plan, while the addition provided a single care garage and covered walkway, a master bedroom and bath, and a porch and wood trellis that were added to the rear of the home.
Dow designed many modest, affordable houses in the 1940s that shared the same design and craftsmanship characteristics and standards with larger, more costly, homes he was designing and constructing during the period.
Many of his “affordable” home designs were developed with idea that they could be expanded upon as the owner prospered and as the owner’s family grew. The Reinke house is a fine example of the growth and change a house can withstand without threatening the integrity of the design.
The Reinke House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 22, 2004 as part of the Residential Architecture of Alden B. Dow in Midland, Michigan, 1939-1941 multiple property nomination, which features six of Dow’s designs from that period.
ADDTIONAL READING
Robert Reinke House National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form
To learn more about Alden B. Dow, visit the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio.
Additionally, several books have been written about Mr. Dow’s work:
Alden B. Dow: Midwestern Modern
The Architecture of Alden B. Dow
Way of Life (by Alden Dow)
Reflections (by Alden Dow)
I am a former daughter-in-law of the Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Reinke family. Here is some information for the history of this house.
Robert and Christine Reinke were the original owners for whom the house was built. Robert worked for Dow Chemical and personally knew Alden Dow. Their 3 children, Tina-Bill-Becky, were all born in Midland. The family moved with Dow Chemical to the Rocky Flats Plant in Boulder, Colorado, in 1950.
They built another very modern (for the times) house similar to the Frank Lloyd Wright houses, on Bluebell Avenue in Boulder. “Parpar”/”Papa”-Robert Reinke-passed away at the age of 73, and “Nana”-Christine Reinke- White, outlived two husbands, and passed December 2008, at the age of 92. The oldest daughter, Tina, is deceased. The middle Son, William Charles Reinke, currently lives in Tacoma, Washington; but owns two residences in Louisville, Colorado; where his two grown sons were raised. The youngest Daughter, Rebecca Jean Reinke Hicks, lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where she raised her daugher and son.
Please feel free to contact me should you wish any further information about the Reinke Family.
I was fortunate to grow up in this home during in the 1960′s-1980′s. My parents were the second (and still present) owners, purchasing it in 1961. My father, Jack Feagley, worked with Alden Dow and designed the final expansions that occured during the 1960′s and 1980′s. Compared to today’s standards, it is very small (about 1800 square feet) but never felt it because of the open floorplans and beautiful windows. My mother,Doris, stills lives there and I sincerely hope we keep this house in our family for many years to come.
I am the present owner of the Reinke home. I have lived in this home for more than
fifty years. My husband was an architect with Alden Dow for twenty five years. He designed all the additions to the house. We raised our four daughters in this house and they all loved living here. The house was featured in the Alden Dow Architectual Tour
about ten years ago and then again in 2008. Now as a widow, it is the perfect house for
me.
Thanks very much for all the infromation. My older son, Stan now lives in the Lansing area. I would love to come visit and see the house again the next time I am in Mich.
Bill: I would love to have you come to Midland and see the house. We have loved this house. Please e-mail me and we will get together.
Regards,
Doris Feagley
Hi Doris,
I do research for Michigan Modern’s website and we would love to have more biographical information on your husband. So far I’ve only been able to pull up a short piece from the 1970 AIA directory. It would be so much nicer to have a less formal bio on him, with a few more of his projects listed. I think you can send it directly to the website under the contact link. So glad you are living in a beautiful home that is such a nice reminder of your husband and his lovely work. It sounds as if its been a home filled with love since the beginning.
Sincerely,
Catherine