December 10, 2015 | 7pm - 8pm |

FREE with admission | FREE for members

In 1912, San Jose architect Frank Delos Wolfe, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, applied the architectural style of the Midwestern Prairie movement to the California bungalow. The result was something unique to Northern California, an ornate and strikingly modern type of building that suited the California lifestyle and appealed to those who wanted something decidedly different. Most of these beautiful Prairie-style homes, schools, and apartments still exist in Santa Clara County.

Krista Van Laan will draw from her book Frank Delos Wolfe: California Prairie Architecture, which showcases more than 40 of Wolfe's Prairie-style buildings and tells the stories of their fascinating owners, including Lydia and J. Walter Crider of Los Gatos. Wolfe's clients were the pioneers that helped build and influence Santa Clara County in the booming 1910s, and Frank Wolfe was the architect who was able to give them something special. Wolfe was one of the most prolific architects of all time, and Van Laan will touch on the various styles he popularized during his 35-year career, giving special attention to the many Wolfe buildings in Los Gatos.