Remember " The Jetsons"? The animated '60s show was the epitome of how folks in the past thought our future would appear. That futuristic look, known as Googie, was a design style that emerged after World War II at a time when the United States was obsessed with the Space Age.
Googie was created in Southern California during the late 1940s and was a major force in commercial real estate through the '60s. The bold, aerodynamic style was easy to recognize thanks to its curvaceous and winged V-shaped roofs, starburst accents, and prolific use of glass, steel, and neon.
Alas, Googie largely went the way of the dodo. Fortunately, it hasn't completely gone extinct. What remain are scattered relics: drive-in movie theaters, gas stations, diners (think Bob's Big Boy, Norms, and the oldest McDonald's restaurant), and a handful of residences.
For this week's #TBT we present you three stunning Googie-inspired homes. Sadly, it wasn't until the 1990s that communities took steps to conserve and restore Googie structures. To have the key to one of these properties puts you at the forefront of our imagined future…
7001 Brighton Lane S., Seattle, WA
Price: $787,587
Blastoff: 1963
Back to the future: This four-bedroom, 3,942-square-foot Jet City original was created by architect Ken Koehler for the 1963 Home Show at the Seattle Coliseum. Preserved vintage details include an original Low-Fi Rangaire intercom. The views claim to be intergalactic, stretching from Mount Rainier and Lake Washington to the Milky Way.
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2902 Revere St., Houston, TX
Price: $627,001 -- $717,000
Blastoff: 1960
Back to the future: The six-unit apartment complex with accordion-style windows and known as the Penguin Arms Apartments was designed by architect Arthur Moss. His creativity resulted in a structure that looks like something Frank Lloyd Wright would have designed for homeowners looking to settle on Pluto.
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1576 El Dorado Dr., Thousand Oaks, CA
Price: $1,100,000 (sold on April 20)
Blastoff: 1964
Back to the future: An example of the evolution of Googie to Mid-Century Modern, this single-story, 3,050-square-foot home was designed by the most famous Googie architect, Wayne McAllister. His projects included Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, CA, and the El Rancho Vegas, Sands Hotel, and Fremont Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.