Lockridge Medical Clinic, clinic in Whitefish, Montana
Lockridge Medical Clinic was a building in Whitefish designed by Frank Lloyd Wright around 1960 in his characteristic Prairie style, featuring horizontal lines and flat roofs that blended with the surrounding landscape. The roughly 5,000 square foot structure was distinguished by a grid-based layout, rooftop flower gardens, and a striking illuminated plastic sphere on its front facade.
Local doctor Thaddeus Lockridge and his wife sought Frank Lloyd Wright in 1958 after a local architectural firm quoted an unreasonably high price for the project. Construction began after Wright's death and was among his final works, with builders following his original designs, and the clinic was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.
The clinic was named after local doctor Thaddeus Lockridge, who envisioned a distinctive medical space designed by a world-renowned architect. The illuminated plastic sphere on the front served as a terrarium and became a striking landmark that drew attention and gave the building a memorable presence in town.
The building was demolished in January 2018 after the owner refused to grant additional time for rescue attempts, despite preservation groups and community members trying to purchase it. Today the site stands as a reminder of how vulnerable historic structures are without local protective laws, and visitors can reflect on the building's history and lessons about preservation.
This was the first Wright-designed building to be intentionally demolished in more than 40 years, making its loss particularly significant in the architect's legacy of surviving works. The illuminated plastic sphere terrarium on the facade was such a distinctive visual feature that it remained etched in the community's memory long after the structure disappeared.
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