Restored Frank Lloyd Wright House

[war]

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Susan Lawrence Dana House, Frank Lloyd Wright, 1904

Sringfield, Illinois

Q

 

Entrance, South Elevation

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East Elevation

 

 

North Elevation Courtyard

 

 

View SW

 

 

Courtyard Looking East

[ShawnK]

Wonderful series. Do love this restoration. About 6/7 months back I was in Peoria, Illinois & saw the Little House on Moss Ave. This is somewhat reminiscent of Moss Ave Hse, tho' the arched entrance is similar but other hse is side entry hse. His design still stand the test of time, your pics do them justice. Thnx for posting them - enjoyed them.

[stuny]

Very nice.  have any of Robie House -- It's not far from you, as I recall.

[war]

Wonderful series. Do love this restoration. About 6/7 months back I was in Peoria, Illinois & saw the Little House on Moss Ave. This is somewhat reminiscent of Moss Ave Hse, tho' the arched entrance is similar but other hse is side entry hse. His design still stand the test of time, your pics do them justice. Thnx for posting them - enjoyed them.

Thank you. This house is quite different from the Little House on Moss Avenue in that this one was designed around a super rich single woman's lifestyle rather than a family. The interior, complete with a spacious ballroom with a bandstand and dining room with a pipe organ, is a sequence of spaces organized for large parties. It's owned and run now by the State of Illinois, but unfortunately they don't allow interior photography.

[war]

Very nice.  have any of Robie House -- It's not far from you, as I recall.

Thank you. Yes, lots of images, but I'll have to hunt for some done with a Leica. The University of Chicago has restored it and it's now used for tours and various meetings and events so the interiors can be photographed.

[war]

Thanks all for looking.

[Michael Hiles]

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Lovely pictures.

 

Did the restoration include the interior? I would presume so. Wright's interiors often are intellectually interesting, but sometimes not so tuned to comfortable and practical living. Much of Wright's furniture does not look very comfortable, albeit attention attracting.

[war]

Lovely pictures.

 

Did the restoration include the interior? I would presume so. Wright's interiors often are intellectually interesting, but sometimes not so tuned to comfortable and practical living. Much of Wright's furniture does not look very comfortable, albeit attention attracting.

Thank you Michael. The house was sold to a publisher Charles Thomas in 1944 and for thirty-six years the interior and uncomfortable furnishings were faithfully maintained with the exception of painting the interior white, changes to lighting and some minor exterior alterations. It was renamed Dana-Thomas House in recognition of the care taken by Mrs. Thomas. The state purchased but delayed opening the house until the restoration took place, 1987-90. The changes were rectified as well as some restoration of normal deterioration and structural degradation that took place because of age. Interestingly, the house started as a remodeling of a small frame house in 1902, and one room remains of it complete with it's dark wallpaper and Victorian furniture for the comfort of Susan's mother as a most remarkable concession by Wright. Sorry, probably TMI.

[Michael Hiles]

Thanks War - very interesting. Wrights buildings are almost always very compelling, and their stories too. These "prairie" houses must have been sensations in the early 1900s.