Dana-Thomas House © 2010 Bo Mackison
One of the most magnificent homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Dana-Thomas House, is tucked into a neighborhood in Springfield, the capitol city of Illinois. It is a wonderfully preserved example of Prairie style architecture. The State of Illinois’ Historic Preservation Agency purchased the house for a million dollars in 1981 and did a major restoration of the home from 1987 to 1990. The home was restored to appear as it would have been furnished in 1905.
The home, built for Springfield socialite Susan Lawrence Dana, was under construction from 1902-04. It was one of the few Wright designed buildings where the architect had an unlimited budget and a client who gave him relatively free reign. The end result was a spectacular, multilevel brick home with 35 rooms and over 12,000 square feet of living spaces. The home, now a museum, and rightfully so, contains over 100 pieces of original Wright designed furniture, and over 350 art glass doors, windows, and lighting fixtures, many in the house-specific sumac design. There are terra cotta sculptures, an indoor fountain, and delicate wall murals.
Entrance to Dana-Thomas House © 2010 Bo Mackison
The home was designed with Lawrence’s social standing in mind, and featured large areas for entertaining including a gallery and dining room which can seat forty. The home also has several balconies that could accommodate musicians to provide entertainment.
The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. The home is open for tours Wednesdays through Sundays and an extensive gift shop is also on the premises.
~~~
Bo Mackison enjoys traveling in the Midwest during the spring, summer and fall seasons to photograph historic buildings. Her photographs are available for licensing, publication, and also as prints. For information, contact Bo at bo@historicplacesphotography.com.
Comments on this entry are closed.