May 29, 2017 Visit – Solo, 24-hour trip from St. Louis to Pittsburgh
So I finally got to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. It’s been on my list for a long time so I had high expectations and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint.
Upon arrival, I felt like I had been transported into another world. The grounds (153 acres) are covered in oversized rhododendrons and laurels. Ferns provide a feathery ground cover. So green and lush. It was also very damp. Obviously, there is the stream running through it! But though the weather was clear, the grounds felt as if it had just lightly showered. The light was heavily filtered by a large tree canopy. It almost felt like you were in a big shady cave.
You cannot see the house from the visitors’ center. It’s a short walk down a path. I purchased the in-depth tour so I got to see areas of the house they don’t normally show people on the regular house tour. I also got to take photos which is normally not allowed.
Our tour guide was perfect. Henry. A short, rounded, older man with a cane. He walked slowly and really took his time with us, allowing us to move through the house at his pace.
What most amazes you when you see it is how much it’s built into the natural surroundings. I know that’s the point, but it is still hard to imagine until you see it. The sound of the waterfall is ever-present when you’re outside. Inside, you only have to open a window to hear it.
The tour was a little over two hours, but it felt like it flew by. Like time stopped when you were in the house. This was the Kaufman’s summer home, but I could imagine living there full time. (If I had millions of dollars.) They say it would have cost the equivalent of $2.4 million in today’s dollars to build it. As it stands now, the windows need to be replaced. The estimated cost, Henry told us, half a million dollars.
The attention to detail was incredible: Cutting a half circle in the desk so that a window could open inward, corner windows that opened together – one in and one out – eliminating the corner element and a natural, waterfall-fed swimming pool. But the most amazing thing by far was the glass window opening that allowed you to walk down some steps from the living room into the stream itself. Just spectacular. And it was all covered by the glass windows, allowing light in and protecting you from the rain and other elements.
After seeing Fallingwater, I toured the Duncan house. Though quite nice, it was quite a bit less spectacular, but I’m still glad I took the time to visit it.
One thing to note, the closest metropolitan area with an airport is Pittsburg. If you fly in, know that you will have to do quite a bit of driving. Still, I did it all in 24 hours – and maybe the best 24 hour trip I’ve ever taken.
Living close to Chicago, I’ve visited Wright’s studio and the Robie House. I’ve also toured the Dana Thomas House in Springfield and, of course, the Kraus house in Ebsworth Park. But Fallingwater really is in a category of its own. If you’re a Wright fan and haven’t visited, move this one up to the top of your list.