For fans of 1950s and 1960s architecture and design, or for those going through withdrawals now that “Mad Men” has ended, The Glendale Historical Society presents its “Mad for Modern” home tour, which will showcase six distinctive mid-century modern homes tucked away in some of Glendale’s most charming and historic neighborhoods.

The 2015 Home Tour will take place on Sunday, Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 pm. Tickets are now on sale.

Kicking off the tour on Thursday, Sept. 17 is Glendale Historic Preservation Commissioner Arlene Vidor who will give a free illustrated presentation on the Jewel City’s remarkable modern architecture at 7 p.m. The “Glendale Goes Modern” lecture will take place at the Vallejo Drive Seventh-day Adventist Church, 300 Vallejo Drive in Glendale. Admission is free.

Vidor will take the audience on a pictorial tour covering some of Glendale’s best examples of modern architecture.

“Although Glendale is much better known for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, it also features an exceptional trove of residences by Southern California’s most celebrated modern architects,” Vidor said. These include houses by Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and A. Quincy Jones.

This year’s home tour will feature Webber House, a prize-winning 1950 Sun Villa house designed by renowned architect A. Quincy Jones that is currently being restored. Other homes on the tour include Barker House, a sprawling 1958 hillside home with stunning city views designed by contractor and architect Edward Kirtlan; Conway House, a 1959 showpiece designed by architect William Duquette that was recently featured in Los Angeles Magazine; Ruzicka House, a 1961 post-and-beam designed by Karl Schwerdtfeger of the prominent architecture firm Welton Becket and Associates; Peterka House, a striking two-story home built in 1963 designed by architect David Alexman; Markwith House, a 1965 home designed as his personal residence by architect Denver Markwith (credited with the National Register-listed Huntington Beach Public Library at Triangle Park).

Advance tickets are $25 for TGHS Members and $35 for the general public. After Sept. 21, tickets are $30 for members and $40 for the public. Tickets may be purchased online at www.GlendaleHistorical.org or www.GlendaleArts.org, or in person at The Americana at Brand concierge desk. Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the tour only at the historic Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd. in Glendale.

Guests will drive themselves to the featured houses for docent-led tours of each home. The tour will be held regardless of weather. Tickets are non-refundable.

For further information, contact events@glendalehistorical.org or call (818) 242-7447 or the Glendale Arts box office at (818) 243-2611, ext. 11.

  Victoria LASK