2 week FLW roadtrip (IL, WI, MI)

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axelito
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2 week FLW roadtrip (IL, WI, MI)

Post by axelito »

Hello,



I have been a FLW aficionado for many years now.

But living in Paris, France, it has been hard to actually experience any of his structures.



I have therefore long dreamt of doing a FLW tour. As we have a wedding to go to in Austin, TX in April, my wife suggested we stop over in Chicago and rent a car for 1 or 2 weeks to tour as many houses as possible. True love on her part :-)

We would also take the opportunity to rent the Seth Peterson house for a night or two.



I agreed, of course, and now I come to you for advice on how to plan such a cartrip out of Chicago. Has anyone got personal feedback from such an outting ?



Note :

- I have purchased the Wright Sites book and expect in the mail anyday now

- Although a great fan, I don't know how interested I am in driving hundreds of miles just to see the driveway of a FLW house... Does that limit my scope too much ?



Thank you for any help you can provide.



Axel
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Unbrook
Posts: 706
Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:19 am
Location: Lakewood, Ohio

FLW Trip

Post by Unbrook »

Ohio is just 6 hours by car from Chicago. We have two great Wright sites in Ohio; The Weltzheimer house in Oberlin, Ohio-open the first and third Sundays of the month from 12-4 or by prior arrangement and the Wescott house in Springfield, Ohio. They are the alpha and omega of Wright"s career. Wescott is early twentieth century (Prairie Style) and the Weltzheimer house is late 1940's (Usonian Style). They are about 3 hours apart. This is a great road trip all in one state.
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Reidy
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Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:30 pm
Location: Fremont CA

Post by Reidy »

Seth Peterson (sethpeterson.org) books up months in advance. You'd better act now. Haynes (hayneshousellc.com) and Muirhead (muirheadfarmhouse.com) are also available for overnight rentals.



The Chicago area has dozens of Wright buildings in addition to the ones that are publicly accessible, so you don't have to drive hundreds of miles for exterior views. Check Storrer rather than Wright Sites. Taliesin is an overnight trip away (if they're open at that season). From there you could get to the church in Madison and to Johnson Wax and Wingspread in Racine. Stockman and Walter in Iowa are close by Paris-to-Chicago standards; fly to Iowa one day, see them the second and fly back the third. You could drive down to the Dana house and back in a day.



If you're coming that far you really ought to see Fallingwater.



To tide you over, the Musee d'Orsay has some examples of his furniture and glass.



Peter
Last edited by Reidy on Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Reidy
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Location: Fremont CA

Post by Reidy »

P.S. Schwartz in Wisconsin and Penfield in Ohio are also available overnight. See Wright Links / Buildings at this site.
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Mark Hertzberg
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Post by Mark Hertzberg »

Racine, Wisconsin, is north of Chicago, off I-94. The SC Johnson Administration Building is open for tours only on Fridays, by reservation (260.260.2154). Wingspread can be seen by appointment. The Hardy House is down the street from SC Johnson, and is next to the street (you cannot really see the lake side, though; there are many photos of the house in my new book about the house).



The Wright in Wisconsin group (www.wrightinwisconsin.org) is restoring one of the American-System Built homes on W. Burnham St. in Milwaukee. Wright designed two small homes and four duplexes in that block, which is about 10 minutes north of I-894, the route from Racine to Madison, Taliesin and/or the Seth Peterson Cottage. There are also overnight stays at Bernard Schwartz house in Two Rivers which is a city maybe 90 minutes north of Milwaukee, along Lake Michigan.



Mark Hertzberg
Mark Hertzberg
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Reidy
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Location: Fremont CA

Post by Reidy »

And since you mention Michigan, the May house in Grand Rapids is an overnight trip. You could fly and be back in a day.
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Ed Jarolin
Posts: 277
Joined: Mon Apr 03, 2006 1:06 pm
Location: Wyoming

Post by Ed Jarolin »

The Peter Beer's Road Trip site is a handy resource of what can be

seen of the privately owned houses from public property. When he has,

by invitation or on a tour, ventured onto private property the photos are

clearly identified as taken in this manner. Check it out at 'peterbeers.net'.

Most , though not all of Wright's work in the states mentioned, is

covered.
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Douglas_Anders
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Post by Douglas_Anders »

I can second the recommendation Weltzheimer/Johnson House in Oberlin, OH. The tour experience is wonderful -- very relaxed, and visitors are encouraged to linger.



If you are traveling from Chicago to Michigan, Oberlin is only slightly out of your way. Just take 80/90 through Toledo and head East for an hour and half.



If the tour dates don't work with your itinerary, contact the house. They can make special arrangements. I suspect they would be happy to accommodate you.
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Roderick Grant
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Post by Roderick Grant »

Before you leave Paris, go to Maison Dalsace on Rue San Guillaume, the 30s masterpiece by Pierre Chareau. I believe it's open for tours.
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SpringGreen
Posts: 539
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:00 am

Post by SpringGreen »

If you plan on coming to Taliesin in Wisconsin, interior tours do not start until May 1. There are exterior shuttle tours available during the weekends in April (they do access Wright's studio, but not the school or his home). If you were planning a trip that included these tours, I would call ahead, but you can get information on tours at http://www.taliesinpreservation.org, under Visitors Guide/Our Tours.



Of course, if you stayed at the Seth Peterson cottage, it's only about an hour north or so of Taliesin, so that could create a possible itinerary.
"The building as architecture is born out of the heart of man, permanent consort to the ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection of man in the realm of his own spirit." FLLW, "Two Lectures in Architecture: in the Realm of Ideas".
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aquaman811
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 9:50 am
Location: KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN

FLW roadtrip

Post by aquaman811 »

If you really do get to layover in Chicago-you need to do the Robie House & Home & Studio in Oak Park.



Also, Kalamazoo & Galesburg are about 3 hours E of Chicago, well worth the visit-Parkwyn Village, w/4 Wright homes & The Acres w/4 Wright homes. I dare say you could probable finagle a tour or two if you're serious.



The Meyer May house in Grand Rapids(about 1 hr N of Kalamazoo)is a MUST SEE! Steelcase did a fabulous job restoring it to its' glory.
"TAKE CARE OF THE LUXURIES,THE NECESSITIES WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.."
AQUAMAN811-TONY
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rmcd
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:35 pm

Re: 2 week FLW roadtrip (IL, WI, MI)

Post by rmcd »

axelito wrote:Hello,



I have been a FLW aficionado for many years now.

But living in Paris, France, it has been hard to actually experience any of his structures.



I have therefore long dreamt of doing a FLW tour. As we have a wedding to go to in Austin, TX in April, my wife suggested we stop over in Chicago and rent a car for 1 or 2 weeks to tour as many houses as possible. True love on her part :-)

We would also take the opportunity to rent the Seth Peterson house for a night or two.



I agreed, of course, and now I come to you for advice on how to plan such a cartrip out of Chicago. Has anyone got personal feedback from such an outting ?



Note :

- I have purchased the Wright Sites book and expect in the mail anyday now

- Although a great fan, I don't know how interested I am in driving hundreds of miles just to see the driveway of a FLW house... Does that limit my scope too much ?



Thank you for any help you can provide.



Axel


Axel;



My lovely bride and I did a road trip around the Great Lakes about 2 years ago. We did many FLW houses along the way.



I tracked it all using Microsoft Streets and Trips (2005). I also plotted many other properties on the map. Most have some notes and possibly a web site link.



If you have MS Streets and Trips, I'd be happy to send you the map file. It'll give you some idea of how long it actually takes to get from place to place and also give you some hotel ideas.



Please send me a Private Message (PM) and I'll send you the file. Or maybe there is a place I can post the file if others might be interested (said by a newbie who hasn't explored this site much).



Thanks.
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JimM
Posts: 1665
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:44 pm
Location: Austin,Texas

Post by JimM »

Attempting to visit Wright sites is like trying to take in all the castles of Europe, except they are spread out over a much larger area!



Luckily, some of the best, and most of the formative work is obviously in and around Chicago itself and easily viewed, and you do not have to drive too far from the area to see examples of later work. A little research easily will identify what is possible.



I assume you meant you are driving from Chicago to Texas? Depending on your route, you can see quite a lot. Most noteworthy, if possible, Price Tower, which you can stay at. I have never been on the way to anywhere that even came close to Bartlesville, so that is a destination I still have to get to.



I think Peterson is booked long in advance, which may be a problem, and it is not at all on the way to Texas. In Dallas, all you can see of the Gillin is the entry stone work, unfortunately.



There are quite a few experienced "tour guides" here, who will surely be of more help. Have fun!
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