Samuel Marx's Morton May House

View of south elevation of the home with views looking out over its pastoral landscape. Photograph by Hedrich-Blessing courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.

 One of the best International Style houses built in Saint Louis was undoubtedly this home for Morton D. May by the Chicago architect Samuel Marx. Located at 2222 South Warson Road in Ladue, the house was built in 1941. At the time, Morton "Buster" May was an executive of the May Company and heir to the May family fortune.

View looking down on the dramatic helical staircase at the center of the home. Photograph by Hedrich-Blessing courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society.

A series of blog posts will provide an informative introduction to the circumstances surrounding the house's design and construction, related works by the architect (including commissions for May Company Department stores), Marx's influence on May as an art collector and the home's significance in Saint Louis architectural history.

Photograph of the Los Angeles May Company Department Store on Wilshire Boulevard by Carol Highsmith via Library of Congress Pageturner.

These posts will serve as a prelude to my upcoming talk at Landmarks Association of Saint Louis on Sunday 26 September 2010 at 3pm. You must make reservations to attend the event. My talk is one of a series of talks on Sunday this fall focused on Saint Louis modernism.