E D U C A T I O N | A D V O C A C Y | PRESERVATION Y C N A V R E S N O C G N I D L I U B T H G I R W D Y O L L K N A R F E H T F O E N I Z A G A M E H T 1 E U S S I / 2 E M U L O V / 1 1 0 2 G N I R P S

IN THIS ISSUE Wright Overnight

Guest Editor: Michael Bridgeman onservancy C is a semi-annual publication of the SaveWright Building Conservancy. Frank Guest Editor: Michael Bridgeman Executive Editor: Susan Jacobs Lockhart Levine Managing Editor: Jeffrey Copy Editor: Linda Botsford Contributing Editor: Janet Halstead Designer: Debra Nemeth Building The mission of the and Conservancy is to facilitate the preservation designed structures maintenance of the remaining education, advocacy, through by Frank Lloyd Wright easements and technical services. preservation tel: 312.663.5500 email: [email protected] web: www.savewright.org Building Conservancy © 2011, Frank Lloyd Wright

usan Jacobs Lockhart S President, Frank Lloyd WrightBuilding I have been personally blessed with living most of my I have been personally design, houses of Wright’s life in four extraordinary Hemicycle, in and near Madison, I and Solar , Herbert and designed for my parents West, and and then Taliesin Katherine Jacobs, 1958 until 2003. As an I lived and worked from where transformationaladult I can attest to the power of these and how their quali- Wright designed by environments shaped my life. As a ties of scale, light, vista and refuge fun to live in, they were old I only knew that three-year always warm,- interest light flooded in, the floors were the world, and all my around ing people visited us from visitors Interested friends wanted to have parties there. asked to pay a small fee. always welcomed and were and scale in I hope you enjoy the wide variety of use the overnight our stay sites we have chosen to illustrate theme for this issue.

an experiential learning opportunity an experiential Cover photo: Palmer House master bedroom courtesy of Jefferey and Katherine Schox. courtesy of Jefferey Cover photo: Palmer House master bedroom collection. the Conservancy’s from are Any images not creditied president’s MESSAGEpresident’s Letter from the Executive Director: Surrounded by Beauty Surrounded the Executive Director: Letter from Muirhead Farmhouse: The Whole-House Experience Forest that Escaped the Crowded The Tree : Tale of Adaptive Re-use Penfield House: A The Palmer House: A Masterpiece of Seclusion in Ann Arbor Too Houseowners, to Rewards Bring Overnights Wright of Pleasures Editor’s Welcome: Wright Overnight Wright Welcome: Editor’s Historic Park Inn and City National Bank: A Century of Change

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You can’t teach “experience,” nor can you describe can’t You exactly how that form of learning and understanding consciousness, although all of the senses enters one’s of staying definitely participate. The opportunity overnight in a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in that gives one the opportunity to be the participant are there experiential learning Many times, process. environment, few expectations, but the architectural with inside and out, will begin to have a conversation the overnight space. visitor if allowed to just BE in the ways. A recent People describe this experience in many Cottage quotes a guest’s Seth Peterson newsletter from to define space experience: “The use of ceiling height experience how it works about, but to is nice to read has been amazing!”

c o n t e n t s president’s MESSAGE editor’s W e l c o me

wright overnight

In early 1993, I received a belated birthday present from friends: a weekend at the (1958) near Lake Delton, Wisconsin. It had been opened to lodgers late the year before and was, at the time, the only Wright house anywhere that was available for rental by the public.

Though the present was a bit late, our visit in early June was delightful: two nights in the cottage set among the woods of Mirror Lake State Park. Since that time many more Wright buildings have become available for overnight stays. This issue of SaveWright details six of those special places, all of which continue to be used as designed—as places of residence.

Three of our authors focus on places built as private homes—the Palmer House, Penfield House and Muirhead Farm. Each provides a different experience for those who stay and each demonstrates the variety of reasons that owners have for opening their houses to guests. The houseowners have the passion and commitment that marks many who live in Wright’s houses plus a keen business sense about preservation and maintenance, pricing, marketing and guest relations. For each, the experience of open-

ing their house has been an adventure. B A O

Fallingwater offers a variation on access to a private house. The staff has found an U T

inventive way to make the house available to overnight visitors while continuing to Michael Bridgeman is T

operate and maintain the immensely popular destination. H communications director for E Wisconsin Public Television. r o t i d e Our article about the spotlights the last hotel by Wright still standing. He recently completed a sev- en-year term on the board of It will soon return to its original purpose, though in ways that reflects changes in the the Madison Trust for Historic hotel business and traveler expectations since it was built 100 years ago. The Price Tower Preservation and continues is a case of adaptive reuse with apartments now rented as overnight accommodations. to lead walking tours of his- toric neighborhoods. He is a The growing number of places available for lodgers expands the range of experiences member of the Conservancy that people may have with Wright and his ideas. Short of ownership, overnight stays and has assisted in organiz- ing the silent auction at the offer the most intimate encounter, letting us spend time with a place, inside and out, annual meeting for the last unhurried and relaxed. Fortunately, there are owners, including those featured in this three years. edition of SaveWright, who place a high value on sharing the experience with others. Many people, including me and my friends, are the beneficiaries of their generosity.

The fortunate owners of Wright houses experience their houses not only through changing cycles of light but also the changing cycles of seasons and of lives. For the rest of us, an overnight stay, a few unrushed hours of discovery, of sleeping and waking in an environment that encourages us to listen to “our own prized internal song” is a gift.

Michael Bridgeman Guest Editor

1 PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. Historic Park Inn Hotel in 2008. Historic Park Inn and City National Bank: A Century of Change

B y A n n M a c G r e g o r

One hundred and one years after its original opening, the Historic Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank in Mason City, , the last standing hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, will open again to the public, its restoration and rehabilitation complete.

The grand opening, scheduled for September 10, 2011, marks the culmination of ef- forts begun in the 1970s. The years had not been kind to the buildings. Bank failure in the early 1920s, conversion of the bank to retail space and competition from a more modern hotel subjected Wright’s building to major alterations of the bank exterior, re-

B A moval of many of Wright’s best lobby details and finally, the deterioration of the hotel

O rooms into homes for pigeons. U T

Ann MacGregor spent 30 Local citizens, however, recognized the building’s significance and worked to place the T

H years in health care adminis- Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank on the National Register of Historic Places. E tration with the last 20 years U A This set the stage, but the road to restoration wasn’t easy. Private attempts at renova- as the founding executive tion of the hotel failed. A local foundation took on the effort with some success, but

T director of Hospice of North H Iowa. She retired in 2000. could not meet city expectations. Then, in early 2005, a citizens’ group came forward r o In early 2005, she became to form Wright on the Park, Inc. (WOTP). Given the hotel by the city and boosted by involved with the formation a grant enabling them to purchase the bank portion of the structure, WOTP set out of Wright on the Park, Inc. In on an $18 million dollar mission: “to own, preserve, maintain and educate the public the spring of 2005, the board about The Historic Park Inn Hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.” of directors appointed Ann as the executive director. Ann With that daunting figure in front of them, WOTP, made up of a volunteer board and is the first to admit that she an executive director, established three fronts: directing immediate needs to stabilize the “failed retirement!” buildings, planning the restoration and raising the funds. In cooperation with Bergland and Cram, a Mason City architectural firm, and Henkle Construction Company, WOTP faced the issue of how to meet contemporary needs and still be true to Wright’s original design. 2 archives . P hoto courtesy of M ason C ity P ublic L ibrary City National Bank “modernized” circa 1930. PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY ARCHIVES. PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY Park Inn Hotel circa 1911.

The story of the Hotel and Bank began in 1908 when Mason City attorney J.E.E. Markley’s daughters at- tended the Hillside Home School near Spring Green, Wisconsin. Impressed with the architect’s design for the school, Markley suggested Wright design a new City National Bank. Markley and his senior partner, James Blythe, also wanted new law offices and a mod- ern hotel to better serve clients. The corner of Federal Avenue and State Street, the busiest intersection in

town, offered an ideal location. archives . P hoto courtesy of M ason C ity P ublic L ibrary City National Bank circa 1911. Wright’s design places the bank, a vault-like structure that exudes security, to the east, facing busy Federal Avenue. The hotel is to the west overlooking the With the Hotel and Bank’s design and its significance city’s lovely Central Park to the north of the entrance. Linking them is a section that originally included an as the last extant hotel by Wright, WOTP decided it was critical to entrance, street-level shop and law offices above. maintain the essential integrity of Wright’s work. The central banking room rose an imposing two stories, with a third floor above for rented office space. In the December 1910 issue of The Western Architect, Wright wrote about the building: the huge vault and art glass windows separating the “[The]bank building is itself a strong-box on a large central room from offices for the bank executives. Art scale; a well aired and lighted fire-proof vault. ... a glass panels set into skylights lit the offices, for which continuous border of windows was carried around Wright designed the furniture as well. A touch of color the high banking room at the ceiling, affording light was also included with terra cotta and polychrome with perfect distribution as well as good ventilation. tile columns. These windows form a frieze of light within the bank The hotel brought guests into a lobby lit through its room; they combine with the office windows in the large front windows and a skylight with 25 art-glass frieze which the whole superstructure becomes out- panels. There were 41 hotel rooms, each 10-feet side; thus the walls of the bank. Sixteen feet above the square. There were shared bathrooms between guest sidewalk, are a solid mass unbroken by openings save rooms or in some cases, down the hall. the entrance. The entrance and upper windows are guarded by heavy bronze castings so the bank, itself, is The hotel and bank were not Wright’s only project in a strong-box splendidly lighted and ventilated.” Mason City. In 1908, he had designed a Prairie School house for Dr. and Mrs. G.C. Stockman, which was The bank interior, with light coming through clere- later moved and is now operated as a house museum. story windows and reflecting off bands of art glass set Several Wright associates, including William Drum- into the brick mortar, hosted four Spirit of Mercury mond, and Barry Byrne, de- light fixtures. Each held a statue of Mercury designed by the noted sculptor . Wright designed 3 PHOTO COURTESY OF WRIGHT ON THE PARK. Original skylight art glass recently reinstalled in the Historic

PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. Park Inn Hotel lobby. Sidewalk in front of the entrance to the Historic Park Inn Hotel.

This restoration has been a long time coming… “ The rooms will be furnished with Arts and Crafts Now, we have a treasure that is a great source furniture, all in keeping with the influence of Prairie of community pride…and so many people School design. Paint colors throughout the new hotel had a hand in bringing the project to fruition. are historically accurate. Imagine, we have recreated the opportunity The project includes restoration of public spaces. for people to stay in an authentic Frank Lloyd Carpet with patterns influenced by art glass windows Wright-designed hotel! and terra cotta tiles will be underfoot as guests walk ” down the halls and as they congregate in the ballroom. Robin Anderson, executive director, Mason City Chamber of Commerce The former banking floor will be used for conferences, receptions and weddings. Period-appropriate furnish- ings will be found throughout the hotel in the public signed a group of homes along Willow Creek, which spaces. Reproductions of a barrel chair that Wright today remains the largest concentration of Prairie designed for the City National Bank will be placed School homes in a single setting outside . throughout the hotel. With the Hotel and Bank’s Prairie School design and Upon completion, the buildings’ exterior will have its significance as the last extant hotel by Wright, the original unified look Wright designed. “The most WOTP decided it was critical to maintain the essential challenging work is the rebuilding of the façade and integrity of Wright’s work. Associate membership in the removal of the non-original second floor,” said the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has allowed ac- Huntington. “The original load-bearing exterior walls cess to their experts and archives. Further, following were replaced in 1926 with columns and display win- the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment dows. To reverse that work requires needling [using of Historic Properties has set requirements for work horizontal beams] at several points to shore up the up- on the building. Historic preservation easements on per portion of the building while removing the lower both bank and hotel segments are held and monitored portions.” by the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office. WOTP’s funding successes—through Save America’s “In the hotel portion of the building, the challenge Treasures grants, various State of Iowa legislative ap- was to provide comfortable guest rooms while still propriations, state and federal historic tax credits, new maintaining the original corridor width and the out- markets tax credits, area private foundation grants lines of the original bathrooms,” said project architect and private donations—means The Historic Park Inn Martha Huntington. There will be 27 modern hotel Hotel will open debt free. rooms, six of them in former offices above the bank. The challenge has been met by combining two original The need for funds, however, does not end with the rooms into suites to give today’s guests more space. reopening of the hotel. WOTP will remain a not-for- profit entity and will continue as owner and steward 4 PHOTO COURTESY OF WRIGHT ON THE PARK. The front of the bank building being restored to its original appearance.

of the buildings. It will be responsible for future With its prominent location in Mason City, The preservation efforts such as roof replacement, exte- Historic Park Inn Hotel is the centerpiece for eco- rior repointing and other items. In addition, WOTP nomic revitalization of the downtown area. But the is developing various educational programs such as a completed project is much more than that. After the speakers’ bureau, K-12 school curriculum and tours of grand opening, WOTP is committed to the continued public areas in the hotel to help develop awareness of viability of this beautiful example of America’s most Frank Lloyd Wright and his architecture. noted architect’s work. n WOTP has engaged hotelier HPI Partners, based in Mason City, as the management company. With a lease in place, this will also generate income for WOTP. In addition, WOTP continues to raise operational funds To book a stay... through memberships and other fundraising activities. Park Inn Hotel (1909-1911) 5 West State Street Mason City, IA 50401 27 guest rooms www.wrightonthepark.org [email protected] PHOTO BY MARK HERTZBERG. Robert McCoy (left) speaks to a contractor. 5

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s r o H T U A E H T T U O

B A PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. Dining areathatincludesafireplace(notvisible). the localcommunity. fresh fruitsandvegetablesfor den andorchardthatproduces gar and maintainatwo-acre farm buildingsontheproperty continue torestorethevarious two sons,AaronandAlec,they Farmhouse. Alongwiththeir dorf, managestheMuirhead Her husband,MikePeters- riculture andfoodproduction. company withafocusonag- she managesapublishing up onthefamilyfarm.Today Elizabeth Muirhead, grew granddaughter ofRobertand Sarah Muirhead Petersdorf, traveled from Plato Center, Illinois, to see Wright’s acclaimednear Spring home andGreen, studio. Wisconsin. It was the fall of 1948 and Robert Theand carElizabeth was filled Muirhead with hadtwo adults and five children when it arrived at the front gate of Taliesin y B The Whole-HouseExperience Muirhead Farmhouse: A s r H A M u - r i h e a r o d s r e t e P d structures but alsotoencloseit. during thewinter. Sheconvinced Wright tonotonlyshorten thespacebetween two ly 100feettogetfromthekitchen tothelivingroomwasclearlyimpractical,especially long, open-airpergola.To ElizabethMuirheadtheideaofhavingtowalkoutside near Wright’s firstconceptforthehomeentailedtwomodulesconnected onlybyavery that thehousewouldcostan estimated$70,000tobuild. met. Theyagreed,onlytofind uponassessmentoftheblueprintsbyanengineering firm budget (plusarchitectfees)mustrisecloserto$40,000 iftheirrequirementsweretobe until early1950andinAugustofthatyeartheMuirheads weretoldthattheir$24,000 Realization ofRobertandElizabeth’s dreamcameslowly. Blueprintsdidnotarrive and theonlyfarmhousebuiltduringWright’s lifetime. that wouldleadtotheconstructionofoneonlyafew Wright-designed farmhouses ber 1948,asix-pageletterwasdraftedandmailedtoWright, therebystartingaprocess detailed whattheyneededinanewhouseandhow wouldusethespace.InOcto- Wright’s partinginstructionstothis Midwesternfarmfamilyweretowritealetterthat tion tocomeinsideandmeetwithWright. met Wright’s secretary, EugeneMasselink.Theirensuingconversationledtoaninvita- various magazines.TheMuirheadshadnoinvitation,butbyastrokeoflucktheyfirst Intrigued byWright’s architecture,Robertwantedtoseethehomehehadreadaboutin f

a r o d s r e t e P e k i M d n f

PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. - Muirhead Farmhouse on a beautiful summer day.

Armed with a mechanical engineer’s education and causing the concrete floor to sink about two inches. experience as a capable and successful farmer, Robert Corrective measures required labeling and then remov- completed much of the interior work himself. Electri- ing all partition walls, furniture and shelving in the cal wiring, the pouring and finishing of much of the original five bedrooms. Concrete saws and jackham- concrete flooring, installing many of the doors and mers were employed to remove the concrete squares windows and completing the built-in cabinetry and and the floor area was leveled. The concrete squares shelves helped minimize construction costs. Robert and were then re-poured and finished using the modern Elizabeth, along with their five children, moved into equivalent of the original Colorundum powder. the house in the spring of 1953. Discussions regarding opening of the home to over- Having suffered from a leaky roof, the farmhouse sus- night guests had begun during the bedroom wing reno- tained extensive interior and exterior damage over the vation. We decided that if the entire home were to be years and in late August 2003, with the help of farm- made available to overnight guests, it would be difficult hands, we began an emergency restoration. Believing for as many as five guests to share a single bathroom the roof would not withstand another winter without as the Muirhead children had done for so many years. collapsing, we started to remove the original roof deck. As a result, the bedroom wing was reconstructed with The extent of the damage was severe and required the three bedrooms instead of the original five and two replacement of most of the original one-by-six deck new bathrooms were added. While making this change, boards, portions of the roof joists, sill plates, and much great attention was paid to Wright’s original design of the exterior parapet siding. Brick chimneys were concepts and both of the new bathrooms were outfitted partially re-built and the northern exterior side of the with the same shower construction and fixtures found bedroom wing was tuck pointed to repair damaged in the original children’s bathroom. In addition, most areas. A company specializing in flat roofs was hired to install new roofing materials and completed the instal- lation by mid-November, just a couple of weeks before the first snowfall of the season. Of all the updates, replacing the Attention was then turned to interior repairs, start- ing with the bedroom wing, which during the original light fixtures was the hardest. construction in 1951, required additional fill in order to level the grade. The black dirt from the surround- ing farmland that was used had settled over the years, 7 PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. Living room with built-in seating and fireplace.

the main exterior concrete walkway, and the installa- The idea of opening the home to the public post-renovation tion of new ceiling light fixtures. was never in question, but the idea of offering overnight stays Of all the updates, replacing the light fixtures was the hardest. Removing the recessed boxes was required to along with breakfast was what stuck with us. insulate the ceiling and make the home more energy efficient. Each of these boxes was custom made and centered over each four-foot concrete square. A total of the original Red Tidewater Cypress boards were re- of 169 fixtures were installed, each being recessed installed in the bedrooms and bathrooms, as were the slightly above the plywood ceiling. A four-inch square, original solid Cypress bedroom doors. plywood cover overlayed each box and was held in place by four screws. In the middle of each cover was Other renovations included the removal and replace- a small hole into which was placed a one-inch, clear ment of the east dining room brick walls (interior and glass marble. Wright called these “pinpoint” lights, exterior), replacement of all electrical wiring, re- and while they added a wonderful star-like effect to the building the brick garden wall outside the living room, home, they provided very little light. They also proved installation and finishing of the interior quarter-inch to be a fire hazard, having charred the ceiling joists to thick plywood ceiling, repair of the dining room fire- which they were attached. To improve energy efficien- place, removal of exterior paint and stain, re-finishing cy, the ceiling cavity was packed with insulation. This all exterior and interior Cypress wood, replacement of necessitated replacing the light boxes with recessed, insulated can lights that offer a similar effect and use a small diameter hole, albeit without the marble. Wright’s drawings for the home included plans for “moveable seats” for both the living and dining rooms, four dining room tables, 24 hassocks, pedestal beds for each bedroom and desks for each of the children’s bedrooms. For Robert Muirhead, who was six feet two inches tall, the moveable seats were considered too low to be practical and only one of the 17 called for was ever made. In 2006, four of the pedestal beds designed for the bedrooms were constructed, as were three of the hassocks, four end tables (miniature versions of the dining room tables) and one of the moveable seats to serve as examples of Wright’s original designs. PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. 8 Guestbook with ’s signature. PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. Sunlight entering the Muirhead Farmhouse kitchen.

Thanks for providing us an opportunity to In June 2004, we moved our family from Minnesota “ back to Illinois and in December 2005, opened the not only learn more about FLW and your home for tours and as a bed and breakfast. The idea grandparents, but to actually experience the of opening the home to the public post-renovation FLW vision. Staying in a FLW home is worth was never in question, but the idea of offering over- more than 100 house tours! night stays along with breakfast was what stuck with ” KD and LD, St. Louis, Missouri us. We live in the home along with our two teenage sons, Aaron and Alec, and while the home now has four bedrooms, only the master suite is reserved for overnight guests. Taking one set of guests at a time the technological advances on the farm in the 1940s seems to work best for the family and allows visitors a that made possible the creation of the farmhouse and greater opportunity to experience the home. which influenced its design. Although these buildings In addition to living in a Wright space, guests can see are no longer used for food production, they hold how well it accommodates daily family life. At one stories of their own and we continue to work towards end of the home are the workshop, kitchen and dining their restoration. Even the old farm truck next to the room and at the other, the living room, utility room barn has significance, as it was once used to haul oats and bedroom wing. This separation of work and living to Taliesin. areas was based on the Muirheads’ needs and their Visitors often ask, “How did a common farmer come desire to have the living room separate from the dining to build a Wright-designed home?” We have no trouble room and kitchen area finding answers to this and numerous other questions Now surrounded by nearly 800 acres of reclaimed about the property. All five of Robert and Elizabeth prairie and some active farmland, the restored, inline Muirhead’s children—Robert, Jean, Ruth, Margaret Usonian looks perfectly at home with the former dairy and Mary—grew up in the home and continue to barn and other farm buildings nearby. We believe that return periodically. They recall their favorite and often the farm buildings, while not designed by Wright, are funny experiences, which we are then able to share certainly a part of the house. For it was farming and with guests.

9 PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. Master suite, which includes a bathroom and fireplace (not visible).

In addition to the master suite, overnight guests have access to the home’s living room and outdoor spaces, “ After visiting many FLW houses and including the master suite patio. Breakfast is prepared buildings, this is the first one that has felt in the kitchen and served in the dining room. We con- tinue the tradition of growing fresh fruits and vegeta- like a real home. ” bles as the family always did and we incorporate them EJ, Tampa, Florida into our homemade food. We have even had some guests help with picking apples and strawberries. A Muirhead Farmhouse stay is essentially a whole- One tale involves Wright’s visit to the property. As house experience, but with the feel of a home to go best told by son Robert, Wright roared down the along with it. We encourage guests to relax and enjoy gravel driveway, dust cloud behind him, and pulled up the home’s features and how well it blends with its alongside the existing, two-story, white farmhouse. By surroundings. We also share with them as much of the the time the younger Robert walked over to Wright, family history as we can. Visitors appreciate the op- the architect had already placed flagged stakes down portunity to read the Muirheads’ correspondence with the middle of what was the apple orchard. Neither of Wright and with Alan Davidson, a Taliesin construc- Robert’s parents was home at that time and they did tion supervisor. It gives them a greater insight into who not learn of Wright’s visit until dinner that evening, Wright was and how he dealt with clients. when the senior Robert asked about the stakes. Son In addition to providing overnight stays, Muirhead Robert reported that Wright said, “Tell your folks Farmhouse is open by appointment for tours. Per per- this is where the house is going.” Disappointed they son cost is $20 for groups of five or fewer persons and had missed Wright’s visit, the Muirheads nonetheless $10 per person for larger groups. Visitors are given acceded to Wright’s recommendation, even though it guided tours of the entire house and an opportunity to required the removal of several mature apple trees. ask questions and take photos. Generally once a year, Muirhead Farmhouse welcomes guests from all over; in May, the house is opened to the public as part of a they have come from countries such as France, the fundraiser for a performing arts program at the local Netherlands, Australia and Canada, and we often learn school, attended by both our sons. It is our way of as much from our visitors as they learn from us. giving back to the community and the school while cre- ating a greater awareness of Wright and his work.

10 Even more experiences...

Additional Sites In addition to the sites detailed in this issue of SaveWright, five other Wright-designed properties offer a range of accommodations for overnight stays of different kinds and lengths. Basic information on each is provided below. For more information, visit the individual websites..

Alpine Meadows Ranch (1909) 469 Bunkhouse Road Darby, MT 59829 Cottages www.alpinemeadowsranch.com 858.442.8863 | [email protected]

Donald Duncan House (1957) Polymath Park 1 Usonian Drive Acme, PA 15610 House: Two bedrooms www.polymathpark.com PHOTO BY ANDY OLENICK. Enclosed gallery leading from the garage to the living room, 877.833.7829 | [email protected] master suite and bedroom wing. Arnold Jackson House (1957) One of the most frequent questions we are asked, N7669 Indian Hills Trails especially by local visitors, is if the house is “really a Wright house” or just a “Wright-influenced” home. Beaver Dam, WI 53916 It probably comes from the fact that the house is re- Bed & Breakfast ally one of Wright’s lesser-known works. It may also www.arnoldjacksonhouse.com be because those who have lived in the area are a bit 920.356.9440 | [email protected] surprised to learn the house is here. That is why we have chosen to keep the doors of Muir- Bernard Schwartz House (1939) head Farmhouse open. It is something that Robert and 3425 Adams Street Elizabeth always did. They welcomed people during Two Rivers, WI 54241 construction and in the years that followed. They loved House: four bedrooms the house and the farm and sharing them. And that is what we like to do as well. n www.theschwartzhouse.com 612.840.7507

To book a stay... Seth Peterson Cottage (1958) Muirhead Farmhouse (1950) Mirror Lake State Park Lake Delton, WI 53940 42W814 Rohrsen Road Cottage Hampshire, IL 60140 www.sethpeterson.org one master bedroom, 877.466.2358 or 608.254.6551 two people www.muirheadfarmhouse.com [email protected]

11 PHOTO COURTESY OF PRICE TOWER ARTS CENTER BY DON WHEELER. Office of Harold C. Price.

Price Tower: The Tree that Escaped the Crowded Forest B Y S cott W. Perkins

In February 1956, during a three-day celebration, the Price Tower opened its doors to public fanfare, welcoming over 12,500 visitors from across the country to Bartlesville, an oil-rich city of nearly 17,000 in northeastern .

From that moment on, Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Tree that Escaped the Crowded For- B A est” has continually received guests curious about its concrete, glass, and copper-clad O design. It was originally envisioned as the 1927 project for St. Mark’s-in-the-Bouwerie U

T in lower , among the forest of tall buildings in . Scott W. Perkins has been T

H curator of collections and ex-

E Planned as a multi-use skyscrape – a vertical street with 42,000 square feet of com- hibitions at Price Tower Arts U A Center, Bartlesville, Oklaho- mercial, retail, and residential entities – the Price Tower has had a mix of tenants:

T ma, since 2006. His published insurance agents, dentists, accountants, opticians, law firms, a women’s dress shop and H work includes essays on the beauty salon, the city’s public utilities company and the apartment and studio of archi- r o historic interiors of the Price tect . The H.C. Price Company occupied the six upper floors of the 19-story Tower and the Solomon R. structure. The building operated as such for its first 25 years, until 1981, when the Guggenheim Museum. A Wisconsin native, Perkins is Price Company relocated to Dallas, Texas, and the Phillips Petroleum Company pur- a PhD candidate in design chased the building, becoming its sole occupant. While the Price Tower’s new owner history at the Bard Gradu- understood its importance in Bartlesville’s history, the company found the building’s ate Center for Studies in the angularity and narrow passageways difficult to deal with, and by the late 1990s had Decorative Arts, Design and decided to sell it. Culture in New York City. Championed by a local preservation organization that continued giving tours of the building, the Price Tower was eventually donated by Phillips to the small civic arts 12 PHOTO COURTESY OF PRICE TOWER ARTS CENTER. H.C. Price employees at work shortly after Price Tower was completed in 1956.

museum operating in its lower two floors, and became Price Tower Arts Center in 2001. With the future of the Price Tower secure, the Arts Cen- ter made plans for returning it to its original use and hired Wendy Evans Joseph Architecture (now Cooper Joseph Studio) in New York City to aid in converting several floors of the building to the Inn at Price Tower and Copper Bar. Sixteen former office spaces and three former apartments provide spectacular views of down- town Bartlesville’s skyline and the Oklahoma and Kansas prairies, and while they are furnished and appoint- ed with the modern traveler in mind, these spaces do refer to Wright’s historic materials and color palette. The office spaces of the Price Tower were all corner offices, with three PHOTO COURTESY OF PRICE TOWER ARTS CENTER BY CHRISTIAN KORAB. ribbon-like tiers of peach-tinted lou- View of Price Tower from the northwest. ver windows spanning their exterior walls. The window walls embodied Wright’s mastery of engineering, with The window walls embodied Wright’s mastery of the building’s structural support rel- engineering, with the building’s structural support egated to the interior concrete walls of the building and glass meeting at relegated to the interior concrete walls of the building the outer corners. Designed as private and glass meeting at the outer corners. offices, suitable for up to three work stations each, each office quadrant included a lavatory and coat closet.

13 P hotograph of rice T ower by J eff M illies , H edrich B lessing 2005. C ourtesy of P rice T ower A rts C enter . Detail of the copper spire at sunset. PHOTO COURTESY OF PRICE TOWER ARTS CENTER. Standard room at the Inn at Price Tower.

These amenities were utilized by Wendy Evans Joseph menu and listen to live music. The upper level of in her reinterpretation of the offices as hotel rooms. Copper opens on to two roof-top terraces, formerly The coat closet was altered to accommodate a stand- used by Price Company employees as outdoor dining ing shower stall, and the lavatory was made more areas. Each terrace offers exceptional vistas during luxurious by moving the wash basin to the main room sunrise or sunset, as well as a close-up view of the and by adding radiant heat in the floors. Price Tower’s upper floors, including its lighted copper spire rising thirty feet above the roof. Similarly, changes were made to the apartments to convert them to hotel rooms. While the bathroom and Flat-screen televisions, pillow-top mattresses, luxuri- powder room fixtures remained intact, the kitchen ous linens, and high-speed Internet access are standard areas (often removed by former tenants) were con- conveniences. A continental breakfast and tour of the verted to wet bars, each with a refrigerator, sink, and Price Tower’s upper three floors, restored to their 1956 microwave oven. Each apartment’s large living-dining appearance, are included in the room rate. These his- area was reinterpreted with custom-made furnishings, toric period rooms include a corporate apartment on and a bedroom loft offering an uninterrupted view of 17 and 18, and the office suite used by Harold C. Price the suite’s double-height window walls. and his secretary on the 19th floor. While more luxuri- ously appointed than the standard apartments in the A fourth apartment, on floors 15 and 16, is now home building, the H.C. Price Company’s corporate apart- to Copper Bar, a unique lounge where Inn at Price ment reflects Wright’s vision for the firm, and features Tower guests and Bartians, local residents of Bartles- a painted wall mural inscribed to Price in Wright’s ville, can enjoy signature cocktails and a light bar 14 hand. Restored examples of Wright’s casual and din- ing chairs, Heritage-Henredon club chairs, built-in Philippine mahogany furniture, and reproductions of the Taliesin line of fabrics for F. Schumacher Company offer a realistic interpretation of the original interior. “ Experiencing a vertical expression of The 19th floor office suite used by Price includes a Wright’s design for a multi-use tower and work area for his secretary, private lavatory, daybed, the light interplay from the louvers was and partner’s desk, offering views to the western incredible.” prairies of Osage County and north, to Price Com- DN, Chicago, Illinois pany’s former storefront building on Second Street. Wright gave his patron a tree house of sorts, with wood-burning fireplace, double-height ceilings, and private rooftop terrace. The focal point of the room, a colored glass, paint and gold-leaf mural on silver mir- ror designed by Eugene Masselink, Taliesin fellow and secretary to Wright, captures the triangular geometry of Wright’s floor plan and was described by Price as the “first piece of abstract art in Bartlesville.” A wide variety of tourists interested in architecture make Bartlesville and Price Tower their top choice for a historic destination. These visitors include seniors, families, tour groups, and those celebrating reunions, weddings, or cultural events such as the city’s annual OK Mozart music festival, Sunfest arts festival, and the Oklahoma Indian Summer festivals. Since 2003, when Inn at Price Tower first welcomed guests, over 28,000 visitors from across the country and around the globe have stayed at the inn. These guests, along with an additional 102,000 museum visitors over that same time, have made Price Tower Arts Center an eco- nomic leader in the region. In 2007, Price Tower Arts Center was named a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior, making it Okla- homa’s 20th such designation. In 2008 the Price Tower joined nine other Wright structures as a serial nomina- tion on the U.S. Tentative World Heritage List. n

To book a stay...

Price Tower (1956) 510 S. Dewey Avenue Bartlesville, OK 74005 19 guest rooms www.innatpricetower.com 877.424.2424 PHOTO COURTESY OF PRICE TOWER ARTS CENTER BY DON WHEELER. Living area of one of the two-story Tower Suites, with the bedroom level above and wraparound glass views.

15 Penfield House: A Tale of Adaptive Re-use B Y P aul P e n f i e l d

It is the second 50 years in the life of a building that determine whether it will survive. Those decades in which it falls out of fashion, when the wiring, the plumbing and the roofing wear out, are the times when a house experiences its most dramatic decline. All this happens regardless of its original design. Frank Lloyd Wright houses are no exception.

My parents, Louis and Pauline Penfield, were original clients. Wright designed their house in Willoughby, Ohio, in 1953. In 1983, right at the 50-year mark, I inherited Penfield House. It came with 30 acres and two other buildings, all of which needed res- B A toration. If the buildings were to survive the second 50 years, it was up to me. I chose O to use the other two houses, a duplex and a cottage, as my beta sites in order to pick U

T up skills in carpentry, plumbing and electricity and to acquire experience in the rental Paul Penfield was raised in T

H his parent’s Wright-designed business—all before tackling the more daunting task of restoring a Wright house.

E home in Willoughby Hills, U A Ohio. After leaving college, During the restoration process strangers dropped by regularly. It occurred to me that

T he moved to Europe where he it would be a natural choice to open the house to the public, but on what basis? My H raised a family and made his wife, Donna, and I did not want to operate a house museum. The traffic in and out r o living as a musician. In the would wear out both us and the house. In addition, we both felt that a quick 40-min- early 1980s he returned home ute tour does not give anyone a true architectural experience. Wright’s work, especially, to restore the family property. He now lives in Willoughy with requires the occupant to sit still, to savor the solitude. The building will begin to reveal his wife, Donna. itself when given the luxury of unhurried time. We wanted our guests to experience the house as homeowners, if only for a few days. PHOTO BY SCOTT BULTMAN. PHOTO BY SCOTT BULTMAN. 16 Guest bedroom with built-in desk (left image). PHOTO BY SCOTT BULTMAN. The Penfield House after restoration on a winter evening.

We first became aware of overnight stays from Audrey Laatsche’s inspiring work for the Seth Petersen What a rare delight it was to carry on Cottage (1958) in Lake Delton, Wisconsin, where she “ daily life within the walls of this work of art was the guiding force behind the restoration that led .” to its being available as a vacation retreat. We had D & MJ, New Orleans, Louisiana been turning over the idea of adaptive re-use in our minds, and after a visit to the cottage, Audrey’s concept seemed perfect and she generously shared her knowl- other things, by logging the trees and milling my own edge with us. lumber I experienced a personal transition. As I often So, in 2002, I began the restoration of Penfield House tell our guests, I didn’t restore the house; the house with overnight stays in mind. We were helped by the restored me. When we opened our doors our debt load fact that the house had never been finished. The fur- was just over $100,000, which for a National Reg- nishings—with the exception of a couple of chairs and ister Building is as cheap as it ever gets. This level of two hassocks—were never completed. This made the indebtedness proved to be crucial. dilemma posed by historic furniture easy. I would just In the Wright rental business low overhead is critical. build everything from scratch, using the original 1953 That is because two factors work against you. The blueprints and specifications which had been kept in first is inventory: there are only so many nights out of the family. the year you can sell. If you subtract two weeks for In construction there is an old adage: you can build maintenance you are left with 350 nights at most. In fast, cheap or good—pick two of the above. I left out our case we have rarely made it past 300. The second the part about fast and am glad I did. For the next is limited market: Wright aficionados are passionate, four years I had tools in my hands six days a week. but they are not unlimited. We have kept our prices in With no completion deadline, the unhurried pace gave line with other affordable Wright overnights—around back more than I could have ever expected. Among $300 per night. 17 PHOTO BY SCOTT BULTMAN. Two-story living room with built-in seating facing a window wall. PHOTO BY SCOTT BULTMAN. Floating stairway at entry leading up to the Of course money is not the whole story. There are three bedrooms. also personal issues. Many Wright homeowners have poured their hearts and souls into these houses. Now along come strangers who spill wine, track mud and leave their fingerprints all over their stuff. None of this is malicious. In fact, most Wright overnighters are very careful. Nonetheless, human nature being what it is, these things will happen. The question is, can you A unique and wonderful opportunity...it’s put up with it? We had a few advantages. I grew up in “ the house and contributed my personal carnage to its been an experience we will never forget.” wear and tear. As a result, I have a more dispassionate G & LR, Reisterstown, Maryland attitude toward strangers occupying it. It helps that we have moved out, so we’re not sharing space, but we live close by, a big advantage when doing upkeep. When you do the math it sounds like a lot, right? Would we do it all over again? You bet we would. But this is real estate, remember. If you calculate the Wright devotees are our kind of people. They come to overhead, starting with fixed expenses like insurance, us from all over the world—France, Holland, Japan, mortgage, land taxes, water, heat and electricity, you Australia, Bangkok—but most are from our own home will get a minimum that is around 30 to 35 percent state. of gross. For operating expenses like housekeeping, We enjoy sharing the house and that’s the key to landscaping, maintenance and repairs, tack on another being in the Wright rental business. Marketing is for 15 percent. Now it is beginning to look like the start- the most part by word of mouth. We have never ing paycheck for a recent college graduate, but with advertised, but we have received a fair amount of no prospects for an increase in salary. This is where publicity. All of our reservations arrive via acquisition and restoration costs—which on a Wright www.penfieldhouse.com. house are considerable—can drive a project into the minus side of the ledger. I do not mean to discourage If you are contemplating turning a Wright House into others. I am only saying all this needs to be taken into a guest house, I would suggest staying in as many careful consideration. Wright rentals as you can find. Start by understanding the guest experience, compare notes and figure what unique features your house has to offer. 18

Non-profit to Execute Plans For Wright’s Last House B Y P aul P e n f i e l d

In the last year of his life, Frank Lloyd Wright designed a second house for the Penfields. The

Two-story living room with built-in seating facing a window wall. plans for this home arrived the week of Wright’s

PHOTO BY SCOTT BULTMAN. funeral in April 1959. The Frank Lloyd Wright View of cement block fireplace with stairs visible in the Foundation assigned number 5909 to the background. project, making it, numerically, Wright’s last residential commission. More importantly, it is the only unbuilt Wright design that has its Then take an in-depth look at local zoning, park- original building site still available. Because it ing restrictions and neighborhood attitudes. In many was designed to be built of stone gathered from municipalities, any building renting space for less than 30 days is designated transient accommodation and the nearby Chagrin River, Wright suggested the rules change. The city law director can clarify this the house be called “Riverrock.” for you, and it never hurts to have the mayor and city council on your side. Our goal is to bring Wright’s visionary So there it is—our story in a nutshell. If this is a project for you, you will have all our best wishes. Like thinking into the 21st century. Donna and me, you will be helping Wright’s artistry He used the phrase “house beautiful” in the early move into the 21st century. n 20th century to describe a principle of architectural and social reform through which the quality of life can be enhanced by good design. We believe To book a stay... that principle remains applicable today.

Louis Penfield House (1953) When built, Riverock will stand 350 feet from 2203 River Road Penfield House. This unique project will allow Willoughby, OH 44094 three bedrooms, five people the use of environmentally sustainable systems www.penfieldhouse.com and materials while adding to America’s [email protected] architectural heritage. With proper applications, Riverrock could stand among those few buildings that are totally energy-independent.

For more information, go to www.penfieldhouse.com and click on “Wright’s Last House.” 19 PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN SCHOX BY DAN MAXWELL. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN The Palmer House at night. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN SCHOX. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN Entry to the Palmer House and exterior view of the great room.

The Palmer House: A Masterpiece of Seclusion in Ann Arbor B y J e ff r e y S c h o x

I stumbled upon the Palmer House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1950s, while running through a neighborhood in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The cantilevered roof was the first aspect to catch my attention, but I later fell for the long horizontal lines of the uniquely mortared bricks and the deep texture of the large molded blocks. It became a destination for my runs and a point where I would slow to a walk, enjoy the views of the house from the street and then turn back toward my B A apartment. I had no idea that, 12 years later, I would purchase the Palmer House as my O first house. U T

Jeffrey Schox lives with his

T In March of 2009 when I became the second owner and new steward of the Palmer

H wife Kate and son Truman in

E San Francisco. Jeff’s busi- House, my wife and I were (and still are) living in San Francisco. Because I had started U A ness, a boutique patent law my business in Ann Arbor, I was returning to visit my clients and family regularly. My

T firm for startup companies, parents, who live in the area, had saved an article stating that the Palmer House was H brings him to Ann Arbor on a for sale by the original owners. My mother, who grew up near the Wright-designed r o regular basis, where he stays Turkel House in northern Detroit, knew of my fascination with Wright. During one of at the Palmer House (and my Ann Arbor trips, I asked for a tour. My intentions, however, quickly changed. The learns yet another detail that continues to inspire him). interior, fully furnished with Wright’s original designs, was even more spectacular than the exterior. Days later, back in San Francisco, I sketched (on, of course, the back of an envelope) a business plan that rented the house to others on a short-term basis. I fig- ured that with modest success, I could cover the expenses of the house by staying there when I was in Ann Arbor and letting others stay there when I was not. With the enor- mous support of my wife (who let us defer our plans to own a house in San Francisco) and my parents (who manage the inquiries, bookings and check-ins for the house), our Palmer House business was launched. 20 PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN SCHOX. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN Origami chairs in the great room.

Entry to the Palmer House and exterior view of the great room.

The Palmer House had been lovingly preserved by William and Mary Palmer, without any significant modification since built in 1951. We bought the house in pristine condition, apart from the need for some SCHOX. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN View of second bedroom. light electrical work. In fact, the house was so well maintained that we turned our attention and energy towards the surrounding landscape. The gardens, which were originally designed and passionately nur- “ This home proved to me that sheer tured by Mary Palmer for decades, had deteriorated in environment and architecture can mend a recent years. With the guidance of an environmental heart and transform a soul. It greatly added design expert, we planned a sustainable renovation to to my love and appreciation of Frank Lloyd restore native plants and protect mature trees while Wright’s work. remaining sensitive to Mary Palmer’s vision of a ” woodland garden. DT and CT, River Forest, Illinois The house is currently attracting three types of visitors: luminaries who are speaking at the University of Yet despite its restorative seclusion, the house is a mere Michigan or performing at surrounding venues; out- two miles from the restaurants and stores of down- of-state parents who are visiting students at the univer- town Ann Arbor and the cultural attractions of the sity; and lifelong Wright fans who travel from across university. the country (and occasionally around the world) to While many of our friends were skeptical that we stay at the house. Most of our guests stay two or three could rent to people we did not know a house with nights, but some—especially visitors who are connect- nearly impossible-to-repair-or-replace Frank Lloyd ed to Michigan’s growing film industry—have stayed Wright furniture, we have been pleasantly surprised at for several weeks at a time. the care that our guests give to the house and furni- The Palmer House is located in Ann Arbor, which ture. Some guests—especially the dedicated Wright is consistently ranked as one of the best small cities fans—have fine-tuned the arrangement of the art on in the . The house sits on two acres of the shelves or changed a hard-to-reach light bulb in wooded land, adjacent to the beloved 100 acres of the the soffit. I think we have reached the “wright” clients, Nichols Arboretum. Our guests often rave about the in part, by our recent pricing. deer, foxes, and rabbits that roam through the yard. 21 PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN SCHOX. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN Contrasting angles in master bathroom ceiling. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN SCHOX. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN Palmer House master bedroom with its angular bedframe and mattress.

When we started renting the house, larger groups— who often knew nothing about Wright—were renting We have been pleasantly surprised the house. Eventually, we realized that the house was very attractive for larger groups, since it sleeps six and at the care that our guests give to includes a fully equipped and functioning kitchen. In response, we increased our rental rates to $300-$600 the house and furniture. per night, with a two-night minimum and a $100 cleaning fee. Since the price increase, the rentals to vacationing families have decreased, while the rent- support from the Palmer family. Adrian Palmer, the als to smaller groups of more informed guests have son of William and Mary Palmer, who grew up in the increased. house, recently said that he tells everyone that the way we are using the house could not be a greater gift to While our guests, regardless of their previous knowl- his mother and to all the people who get to enjoy it. edge of Wright, often exclaim that their stays were “life changing” events, we realize that our prices Excluding the mortgage, which I consider a long-term might exclude some less prosperous Wright fans. investment, rental of the house balances the mainte- For this reason, we have considered separately renting nance and other costs of the house. Knowing that we out the Tea House, which is a freestanding building are covering our costs, fulfilling the dreams of many on the premises with a kitchen, full bathroom, and Wright fans and pleasing the original owners of the fireplace. We would include a full tour of the Palmer house makes me feel that we have made all of the right House and charge a much lower rate. Our hope would decisions. n be that architects, artists and others who might find themselves at the other end of the economic spectrum from our typical guest would be able to experience the To book a stay... Palmer House. Palmer House (1953) Once we were ready to rent the house, we listed it on the Vacation Rental by Owner website (VRBO.com), 227 Orchard Hills Drive which has been our main source of rental inquiries. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 We have received a steady stream of inquiries and three bedrooms, six people bookings, especially in summer and fall. We have also had some large spikes of inquiries, mostly related to www.flwpalmerhouse.com publicity on prominent blogs (such as DailyCandy. com and ApartmentTherapy.com). In addition to the 22 VRBO and blog activity, we have had word-of-mouth Pleasures of Wright Overnights Bring Rewards to Houseowners, Too B y E d i t h P a y n e a n d J o h n t H o r p e PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN SCHOX. PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFFREY AND KATHRYN Light patterns within the Palmer House highlight the perforated blocks.

Because Frank Lloyd Wright paid such careful attention to siting his houses, they cap-

ture daylight in a fashion unlike those of most other architects. If one lives in a Wright- B A

designed home, appreciation of that light becomes a chief joy of ownership—although O an exploration of geometries, materials, workmanship, and all the other qualities that U T

Edith Payne is an appellate

make Wright houses unique are not pleasures to be dismissed. T

H judge and Conservancy Can those same experiences be captured in a house museum? Of course they can, if one E board member. As a Wright U A is present at the right time on the right day, if one can sit and appreciate the surround- homeowner, she maintains

T an active interest in historical

ings, if time is of no concern, and if no one else is in the way. But there is an inevitable H preservation. She has served difference between the experience gained in a house museum and that gained in a living r o both as counsel to and a home. A house museum, while of enormous value, particularly when other resources s board member of the Newark are unavailable or when the house is of exceptional historical or architectural merit, Museum, in New Jersey. presents a sometimes static and occasionally shuffle-through view of what was. A John G. Thorpe, an architect, home, however, lives. When was the last time you touched an object, even with white has worked on numerous gloves on, or sat in a chair, or were permitted to linger until sunset in a house museum? Wright restoration projects, including the Frank Lloyd However, we cannot all live with Wright, which may account for the popularity, at Wright Home and Studio; least from the perspective of the visiting public, of the Wright overnight lodgings that the George Madison Millard are the focus of this issue of SaveWright. As the demand has increased, homeowners House in Highland Park, have responded, and at present, eight Wright-designed houses now offer lodgings. Two Illinois; and the Colonel George in Geneva, Illinois. He is a Conservancy board member, member of the executive Operating a Wright overnight committee and co-chair of its Architectural Advisory Committee. house is not for the faint-hearted.

23 are owner-occupied and operate as bed-and-breakfast undertake that particular challenge. In this context, establishments. The most recent addition is the Arnold stewardship appears to engender a laudable impulse Jackson residence in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, one of to share. the prefabricated house designs Wright created for the Our experience in talking with homeowners suggests Marshall Erdman company in the mid-1950s. that one would be foolish to expect great financial Staying in a Wright-designed house has obvious rewards from the enterprise. While there may be tax advantages for the visitor since such stays offer an op- advantages if the house is operated as a business and portunity for leisurely and unmonitored appreciation some profit, the cost of utilities, maintenance and of the architectural surroundings and furnishings. In other upkeep of a place open to the public assuredly residences such as the Seth Peterson Cottage, in Lake reduces any net gain. Advertising and public relations Delton, Wisconsin, the Penfield House, in Willoughby cost money, and there are other hidden expenses, like Hills, Ohio, and the Schwartz House, in Two Rivers, insurance, as well. Wisconsin, where no owners or caretakers are immedi- Furthermore, there is the constant need to clean the ately present, one has the opportunity to play Wright house or pay some one to clean it, to change linens, homeowner for a day or weekend. At places such as and if breakfast is offered, to prepare and clean up Muirhead Farmhouse, in Hampshire, Illinois, where after meals. For those owners who choose to live on the owners and their sons remain on site, one becomes site, the enjoyment derived from the opportunity to a valued family guest, with the opportunity to explore meet others with an interest in Wright is undoubtedly the first-hand experiences of those living there on tempered by the strain of being constantly on display. a daily basis, the quirks of Wright’s designs, and the For those living off-site, there may be a concern for the history of the structure and its occupants—all condition of the premises and its furnishings, particu- without booties. larly because of difficulties in controlling the number At a few sites, homeowners who accept overnight of people who may be present in a house and in moni- guests also schedule tours in the middle of the day, toring conduct from a remote location. At least one providing a further opportunity for the public to view homeowner moved back into the residence for those a working home while generating nominal additional reasons, and only then felt comfortable in displaying income. We are aware of non-Wright sites that offer artwork and other decorative items that had been pre- discounts to guests who will stow their luggage for viously stripped from the residence because of security an hour or so to permit visitors to view individual concerns. Also, living in one’s own bed and breakfast guest rooms. may restrict the ability to leave the site and requires advance planning if that is to occur. The advantages to a homeowner of opening a bed and breakfast are harder to assess and, we suspect, a streak In sum, from our lay, but nonetheless preservation- of altruism is embedded in the psyches of those who minded perspective, operating a Wright overnight house is not for the faint-hearted. However, for those interested in the preservation of Wright’s architecture, it provides a means for conserving the structures, for remaining in them, and for generating some income while offering incalculable benefits to the visiting When was the last time you touched an object, even with public. In the world of preservation ethics, the U.S. white gloves on, or sat in a chair, or were permitted to linger Interior Secretary’s standards recommend that, when preserving a structure, it be “used as it was historical- until sunset in a house museum? ly, or be given a new use that maximizes the retention of distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.” Opening a building to overnight guests can easily fulfill that goal by ensuring that the aesthet- ics and living activities that make a Wright home a special house, in their essence, remain. n

24 executive director’s LETTER surrounded by beauty

I have just read Alain de Botton’s very thoughtful book the The Architecture of Happiness (2006), filled with insights about the human condition, our search for beauty and how we experience design and the built environment. De Botton is a philosopher who fills his book with psychological observations. “We arrange around us material forms which com- municate to us what we need—but are at constant risk of forgetting we need—within…to speak of a home in relation to a building is simply to recognize its har- conference opportunity will be in Philadelphia, mony with our own prized internal song.” September 21-25, 2011. Members participate in spe- cial events in unique Wright spaces through Conser- Perhaps that is a succinct summary of why so many vancy receptions and dinners that showcase the houses find Wright’s houses deeply satisfying on a personal as the sun shifts and the evening light transforms level and feel a compelling need to linger in those them. Our website lists current opportunities. Or as spaces. We savor the experience and hear that “inter- this issue of the magazine suggests, stay overnight nal song” more clearly and beautifully. and experience on a very personal level how a house Experiencing Wright buildings is an important part of reveals itself through the intimacy of several hours and the education component of the Frank Lloyd Wright the cycle of changing light. Building Conservancy. Experiential understanding can The fortunate owners of Wright houses experience deepen not only the intellectual appreciation of this their houses not only through changing cycles of light architecture, but also the commitment to our shared but also the changing cycles of seasons and of lives. objective of insuring the survival of his built designs. For the rest of us, an overnight stay, a few unrushed That in turn strengthens the larger reservoir of preser- hours of discovery, of sleeping and waking in an vationists who feel a responsibility to that mission. environment that encourages us to listen to “our own The Conservancy offers opportunities for a variety prized internal song” is a gift. of experiences in privately owned buildings and public spaces. Visit private Wright houses through our Janet Halstead Executive Director, Out and About Wright all-day tours. House visits Frank Lloyd Wright also form part of every annual conference; the next Building Conservancy board of directors and staff and directors of board

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Richard Cleary, Ph.D. Debra Nemeth Deborah Vick PRESIDENT Professor, Page Southerland Page Owner, Guy C. Smith House Former Owner, Ray Brandes House Susan Jacobs Lockhart Fellow in Architecture, Design Director, Swimmer Design Board Member, Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation School of Architecture, Associates Marin County Civic Center The University of Texas at Austin Conservancy VICE PRESIDENT Edith K. Payne Larry Woodin Ronald P. Duplack Owner, Richardson House Tom Wadlow Founder and Executive Director, Partner, Rieck and Crotty, P.C Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey President, Smith Wadlow, LLC Eco-Home Foundation Jack Holzhueter Scott W. Perkins Lynda S. Waggoner SECRETARY Historian Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Vice President, Western John G. Thorpe Wright in Wisconsin Price Tower Arts Center Conservancy Restoration Architect, John Garrett Director, Joanne Kohn Jack Quinan Thorpe and Associates Chairman of the Board, The Frank Distinguished Service Professor, HONORARY BOARD TREASURER Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park Department of Visual Studies Elizabeth Wright Ingraham Leo Koonmen State University of New York at Buffalo Vincent Scully Neil Levine Commercial Real Estate Senior Curator, Darwin Martin House Eric Lloyd Wright Emmet Blakeney Gleason Professor of Investment Consultant Restoration Corporation Thomas Wright History of Art and Architecture, MEMBERS AT LARGE Harvard University Ron Scherubel EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Vice President and General Counsel, Jim Blair Richard Longstreth Sara Lee Corporation (retired) Janet Halstead Owner, Sondern-Adler House Director, Graduate Programs in Former Executive Director, Frank Lloyd STAFF Historic Preservation Wright Building Conservancy Ron Burkle Professor of American Studies, George Jeffrey Levine Chairman, The Yucaipa Company Washington University Steve Sikora Communications Owner, Malcolm E. Willey House and Events Manager Christian A. Busch Patrick J. Mahoney, AIA Owner, Design Guys, Inc. Owner, Suntop Home President, Conservancy Andrea Obey Owner and Founding Principal, Lauer-Manguso & Associates Architects Operations Manager 25 20th Century Preservation, LLC - - Non-profit Postage U.S. PAID No.3912 Permit IL Chicago,

The Smith House (1946) in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Hills, Bloomfield in (1946) House Smith The PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE TOWBES. ANNE OF COURTESY PHOTO stream bed below. The Sara and Melvyn Maxwell Smith bed below. stream lot while lakefront serene a more House (1946) presents House (1955), Frank Lloyd Wright’s Turkel the Dorothy Automatic, is sited on a two-story Usonian only realized House will also host an eve- urban lot. The Turkel large allowing par reception, ning wine and hors d’oeuvres at their leisure. ticipants to tour the house and grounds to take participants Bus transportation will be provided The bus will depart and locations. between all three Hills. Detroit-Bloomfield to the Radisson Hotel return for details. Visit www.savewright.org located just across the Delaware River in Cherry in River Delaware the across just located (1950) House Sweeton 2011 September 21-25, 2011 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – ANNUAL CONFERENCE Frank Lloyd Wright and the East Coast and the East Frank Lloyd Wright - design, Philadelphia pro and American architecture With its rich history in progressive to that work in relation Frank Lloyd Wright’s vides a splendid vantage point to explore of his east coast contemporaries and students. participants will spend mornings discuss- In the shadow of Independence Hall conference tours. Highlights of buses for afternoon boarding work and influence before ing Wright’s afternoon tours include the unique and magnificent Beth Sholom Synagogue the three Usonian design intended to (1953-1959) and the Suntop Homes (1938-1939), a four-unit cluster housing. Participants will also have a a nationwide model for affordable provide the tour to chance and the Spencer House (1956) in nearby Wilmington, Delaware. Hill, New Jersey, in pictur Additional tours include Bryn Gweled Homesteads—a cooperative community Fellows, many of the houses designed by two early Taliesin where esque Bucks County, Usonian experiments. At- based on Wright’s were Bishop and Paul Beidler, Robert F. Nakashima and the adapted tendees will also visit the studio of noted craftsman George Antonin and Noemi Raymond apprentices Wright 18th century Quaker farmstead where based program, established the short-lived “New Hope Experiment” apprenticeship tours tentatively include the Wharton and post-conference model. Pre- on the Taliesin as well as an Esherick Studio, and works by Louis Kahn, I. M. Pei and Robert Venturi, historic Philadelphia walking tour option. at the Sheraton Society Hill, situated will be headquartered conference This year’s charming historic neighborhoods filled with brick most in one of Philadelphia’s Center City. and steps away from rowhouses Federal and Georgian for details. Visit www.savewright.org

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA OF UNIVERSITY PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARCHITECTURAL ARCHIVES, ARCHIVES, ARCHITECTURAL THE OF COURTESY PHOTO

The Turkel House (1955) in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit, in (1955) House Turkel The OF DALE MORGAN AND NORMAN SILK. NORMAN AND MORGAN DALE OF PHOTO BY JUSTIN MACCONOCHIE, PHOTO COURTESY COURTESY PHOTO MACCONOCHIE, JUSTIN BY PHOTO Destination Detroit Destination August 13, 2011 Saturday, in the Join the Conservancy for a Usonian trilogy with similar plans but houses Motor City featuring three to the surrounding relationships dramatically different environment. participants will Sited in a wooded natural amphitheater, House (1940) and Elizabeth Affleck enter the Gregor at a living area at grade and peer out the cantilevered BUILDING CONSERVANCY F R A N K L L O Y D W R I G H T

1959) in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Park, Elkins in 1959) Beth Sholom Synagogue (1953- Synagogue Sholom Beth Chicago, Illinois 60604 Illinois 1120 | Chicago, Suite Boulevard, Jackson 53 W. | [email protected] www.savewright.org completion. Pennsylvania as construction nears nears construction as Pennsylvania Suntop Homes (1938-1939) Ardmore, Ardmore, (1938-1939) Homes Suntop . hite W artrese M by hoto events P