Tonkens, Gerald B. and Beverley, House
Why it's listed
Set on a six-acre hilltop lot in Amberley Village, north of Cincinnati, this L-shaped, one-story house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Gerald B. Tonkens and his family. Construction began after a 1954 commission and took 17 months. The walls, floors and ceiling are built of formed concrete blocks in 14 patterns, pierced by clerestory windows and combined with Philippine mahogany cabinetry and furniture designed for the house. Driveways, gates and the kitchen accents use Wright's signature Cherokee Red. The house is considered a leading example of Wright's Usonian Automatic system, which used cast blocks joined with steel rods and grout so that unskilled labor could build affordable homes. A Wright Archives statement describes it as the work in which the system was fully perfected. It remains almost entirely unaltered, with only fabrics replaced in 1987, and is one of nine Wright houses in Ohio.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a virtually unaltered example of Wright's "Usonian Automatic" system of house construction, using specially cast concrete blocks reinforced with steel. It was the design in which the system was considered fully perfected by 1954. It is also one of only nine Wright-designed houses in Ohio, and it meets the exception for properties less than 50 years old.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91001414, listed October 3, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6980 Knoll Rd., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | October 3, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001414 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1954 |
| Architect / builder | Wright, Frank Lloyd |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Wrightian/Usonian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in perfect original condition, still a single-family dwelling, with only the fabrics replaced in 1987. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 39.19540, -84.41499 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91001414.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5548912
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.