Glenn “Red” Beach-Architect of the Bavarian Inn
- kellison71
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
“I think another responsibility should be listed. The architect has a responsibility to relate his design to the people who will occupy it.”
-The Saginaw News, December 25, 1966.
Glenn “Red” Beach was a skilled – gifted- architect. Renowned for designing elegant mid-century modern buildings that enrich the architectural fabric of our region. Each of his structures is elegant in proportion and detail; perfectly suited to its site and to the person who commissioned it. Architect Glenn “Red” Beach left a rich selection of buildings throughout our community. Born in Medina, New York, in 1916, Beach graduated with a degree in architecture from Syracuse University. In September 1940, after graduating, he moved to Saginaw to accept a position as an architectural sales representative for Pittsburgh Plate Glass. He soon met Midland architect Alden B. Dow – whose work and design philosophy he greatly admired.
Beach left Saginaw during World War II to attend Naval Training Schools at Cornell and Oahu. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy where he taught radar in Hawaii. After the war, he returned to Saginaw and worked briefly for the firm of Frantz and Spence. Soon he joined Alden B. Dow’s office, but in 1948, he left to open his own practice. His work included designs for residences, churches, schools, and office buildings. Although his admiration for Dow’s work is apparent, his style is uniquely his own.
Amongst his work is much of the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. Although architect Robert E. Lederer had established the restaurant’s Bavarian architectural theme and led to the festival that celebrated its completion in 1959, it was Beach who designed many of the building’s most iconic features – including the Glockenspiel. The Castle Museum’s collection includes numerous drawings chronicling Beach’s work on the iconic eatery. They include ones for the distinctive zwiebelturm – the copper onion-domed tower. For which the paper reported:
“About three years ago William (Tiny) Zehnder was in Europe and was intrigued by the zwiebelturms he saw throughout Bavaria. So he commissioned Glenn M. Beach, Saginaw area architect who lives in Frankenmuth, to design an onion tower for the Bavarian Inn. To make sure it would be authentic in every detail, Tiny sent Beach to visit Bavaria and Northern Italy. The onion towers to be seen in that part of Italy date back to a time when it was under the Austrian regime.” (The Saginaw News, June 9, 1982.)
Not all of Beach’s work at the Bavarian Inn was visible to the public. One of his earliest projects – perhaps even his first, was a 1965 design for the expansion of the business’s kitchen. Drawings for this project testify to the care Glenn Beach devoted to this pragmatic commission, which was necessitated by the increase in diners brought about by the completion of I-75.
Considering his highly regarded mid-century modern designs, Beach’s designs for the Bavarian Inn may seem surprising. However, his obituary noted his favorite project was his work on the Children’s Zoo and continued with this quote:
“The things that bring the most joy to the most people makes (it) a winner.”
And while his work at the Bavarian Inn may not easily fit into the parameters of mid-century modern design, Beach’s passion for design, his sense of balance and attention to detail are clearly evident throughout the complex. This weekend, while you are in Frankenmuth for the Bavarian Festival, study the architecture of the Bavarian Inn carefully. While there have been many additions not designed by Beach, his hand is still evident in many portions of the complex, and with careful scrutiny, you will discover some mid-century modern details.
These will take you to earlier posts from which this piece was adapted and two of Glenn Beach’s recipes:
This is a link to Beach’s biography on the Mid-Century Modern Midland website.
This link will take you to a brief history of the Bavarian Inn.
The Recipe: Dorthy Zehnder’s Asparagus with Cream Sauce
From Dorothy’s Cookbook, Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn
2 lbs. Fresh asparagus
1 T. butter or margarine
1 ½ T. flour
½ C. chicken broth
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. fresh lemon juice
¼ t. freshly ground pepper
Snap off tough ends of asparagus; remove scales from stalks with knife or vegetable peeler, if desired. Cover and cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling water 6-8 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Arrange in serving dish; keep warm. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth and half & half; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in mustard, lemon juice and pepper. Spoon over asparagus.
