The architect?s California cool found its way to Cedar Rapids Legendary architect Paul Revere Williams, a trailblazing black designer, was known for his ease with residential design, sketching magnificent homes for the Los Angeles elite during the early 20th century. From sleek midcentury homes to Tudor Revival mansions in some of Southern California?s ritziest neighborhoods, he had a hand in creating some of Hollywood?s glitz and glamour.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, may seem far removed from Williams?s oeuvre, which included high-end homes as well as famous Los Angeles landmarks such as the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport or the Late Moderne-style Superior Court of Los Angeles County. But a stately mansion on a hilltop out of town represents a rare midwestern departure for the famed architect. The home, known as the Hilltop Farm, was first designed in 1934 for the owner of a local wholesale grocery business, Weaver G. Witwer. It boasts many of William?s signature touches, including an elliptical stairway and grand entrance. Its new owner hopes to get the house listed on the National Register, preserving a rare example of Williams?s California cool transported to the Midwest.

Courtesy Mike Pitzen
A sketch of the home by the architect

Courtesy Mike Pitzen
An old black-and-white image of the home from the ?30s.

Mike Pitzen, the owner of a local custom cabinet shop, Cabinet Studio & Lighting, r...