Chowchilla Modern / Richard S Clark

Ed and Shary Gray house by Richard S Clark (1962) in Chowchilla, CA

The house was designed in 1961 and completed in 1967. The Grays built much of the house themselves.

It's currently for sale at $275,000. The listing has been making the rounds on the internets and I was headed up to the Bay Area and always enjoy taking Highway 99. I decided to make a stop in Chowchilla. It's a rural city in Central California with a population of 18,443 (2020).

Photo: Fresno Bee (1975)

Clark, who was from Bakersfield, apprenticed under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin from roughly 1957 to 1959. Clark then worked for fellow Wright apprentice, Aaron G. Green, in the 1960s. Unfortunately Clark died in a motorcycle accident in 1967, shortly after the house was completed. He was only 31 when he passed and this is the only known house he designed on his own.

Source: Fresno Bee (1975)

The hemicycle house has a 72-degree circular footprint with the middle centered on the North Star.

All the rooms face towards the back off the house. Also, it's begging for a huge pool.

Source: Google Maps

It's hard to miss the Wright influence from the curb.

My plan was to take a 10 minute detour and just do a drive by. As I drove up, the listing agent was unlocking the door to let two couples in. I just walked in with them and nobody said a word to me.

Besides the towers at each end, the back of the house is all windows.

The house is in rough condition. I heard the agent say the renters that lived in the house for the last five years did not treat it well.

The front entrance

At least they didn't kill the ficus.

The Grays liked to party.

Source: Fresno Bee (1975)

Only clerestories line the front of the house.

Built-ins line the walls.

I mentioned that the house in rough shape and that is true. However, the wood and cabinetry all seem to be original and in nice condition. The one thing I couldn't get over was the smell. The first thing that should happen is to tear out that carpet.