Judge Charles P. McCarthy House, Prairie School residence in Boise, United States.
The Judge Charles P. McCarthy House is a two-story structure with horizontal rooflines and extended overhangs that define its Prairie School character. The building was designed as a duplex with distinct living spaces for multiple families.
The structure was built in 1913 from a Frank Lloyd Wright design that appeared in a 1907 magazine publication. What began as a single-family concrete concept was transformed into a wooden duplex to serve two families.
The residence reflects the Prairie School movement through its horizontal lines and organic relationship to the landscape that mark early 20th-century American design. These design choices remain visible in how the building connects to its surroundings today.
The house can be viewed from the sidewalk and clearly displays its exterior design and roofline. Early morning or midday visits offer the best light for observing the building's distinctive horizontal elements.
The building resulted from an unusual adaptation where Wright's original single-family concrete design was converted into a practical wooden duplex. This creative modification demonstrates how early modern designs were adjusted to meet local building needs.
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