SUMMER 2024 COAST MAGAZINE
HISTORIC STAUNTON
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S LEGACY
MAYSVILLE, KENTUCKY CAMARADERIE AND HISTORY ON THE OHIO RIVER
SUMMER DESTINATIONS
BLUE MESA RECREATIONAL RANCH Gunnison, Colorado
LAKE OF THE NORTH West Branch, Michigan
WOODHAVEN LAKES Sublette, Illinois
CONTENTS
TRAVEL 9 HISTORIC STAUNTON Story by Dixie Dee Whited
CHAIRMAN OF CAMPING WORLD HOLDINGS Marcus Lemonis CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Wagner EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT GOOD SAM ENTERPRISES Will Colling COAST TO COAST Bruce Hoster CCRPresident@coastresorts.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Kristin Moser EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dee Whited SENIOR DESIGNER Bryan Janky BUSINESS MANAGER Christina Din COAST MEMBER SERVICES 64 Inverness Drive East Englewood, Colorado 80112 800-368-5721 info@coastresorts.com COAST TO COAST WEBSITE CoastResorts.com
Photos courtesy of Staunton CVB
15 FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S LEGACY Story by Dave G. Houser
COAST FACEBOOK PAGE Facebook.com/CoastResorts
VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3. Coast to Coast (ISSN 1093-3581) is published quarterly for $14 per year as part of annual membership fees, by Coast to Coast Resorts, 64 Inverness Drive E., Englewood, Colorado 80112. Coast to Coast Resorts assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manu scripts or artwork. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any method without prior written consent of the publisher. ©2024 Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. Coast wing logo is a registered trademark of Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. The GOOD SAM ICON, and Dream. Plan. Go. are registered trademarks of Good Sam Enterprises, LLC and used with permission. Unauthorized use of Coast’s or Good Sam’s trademarks is expressly prohibited. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN THE USA. COVER PHOTO: DOWNTOWN STAUNTON, STAUNTON CVB CTC64897 - 052824
21 M AYSVILLE, KENTUCKY - CAMARADERIE AND HISTORY ON THE OHIO RIVER Feature by Emily Fagan Photos by Emily and Mark Fagan
DEPARTMENTS 3 RESORT UPDATES
RESORT PROFILES 6 LAKE OF THE NORTH West Branch, Michigan 7 WOODHAVEN LAKES Sublette, Illinois 8 BLUE MESA RECREATIONAL RANCH Gunnison, Colorado
27 RV REVIEW
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RESORT UPDATES The 2024 Coast to Coast Resort Directory is packed with everything you need to navigate the network of Coast to Coast Resorts and Coast Good Neighbor Parks. To keep members up-to-date, each issue of Coast magazine includes any updates that have occurred since the last issue.
NEW CLASSIC RESORT
Alberta, Canada Northern Lights RV Resort 14125 Hwy AB-652 Hamlin, T0A 3L0 Phone: (780) 656-6559
Email: northernlightsrvresort@gmail.com Website: www.northernlightsrvresort.com RV notations: Rates include water and 20/30 amp power. Wi-Fi available around office. Pets must be leashed and not allowed in hot tub area and buildings. Season: Year round.
RESORT TYPE CHANGE
Michigan Benjamin’s Beaver Creek Resort, Gaylord (page 129) Now a Premier resort (previously Deluxe)
NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS Coast to Coast has already signed 71 new Good Neighbor Parks this year! This includes 28 in Texas, 13 in Tennessee, 9 in Georgia, 5 in Florida, 4 in South Carolina, 3 in California, 2 in Colorado, and 1 each in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina, and Ohio. We featured 9 of these in the spring issue of Coast Magazine , and below are 11 more we are featuring in this issue. To view all 71 new Good Neighbor Parks, and the 2 new resorts added to date this year, visit www.CoastResorts.com, click on “Find a Resort”, and on the resort search page click on the link to the “Updates to 2024 Directory” PDF.
Grand Haven Resort, Grand Haven (page 129) Now a Premier resort (previously Deluxe)
Mt Pleasant Resort, Mt Pleasant (page 130) Now a Premier resort (previously Deluxe)
CLASSIC RESORT TERMINATION
Texas Brownsville Winter Haven Resort, Brownsville (page 155)
RESORT UPDATES
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NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS
Connecticut Gentile’s Campground 223 Mount Tobe Rd (Rt 262) Plymouth, 06782 Phone: (860) 283-8437
Email: gentilescampground@gmail.com Website: www.gentilescampground.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $15. Season: Year-round. Florida Geronimo RV Park
75 Arnett Ln Destin, 32550 Phone: (850) 424-6801
Email: info@geronimorvpark.com Website: www.geronimorvpark.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 6.5%. Season: Year-round. Georgia
South Carolina Oak Plantation Campground 3540 Savannah Hwy Charleston/Johns Island, 29455 Phone: (843) 766-5936
Sugar Mill RV Park 4857 McMillan Rd Ochlocknee, 31773. Phone: (229) 227-1451 Email: sugarmillrv@yahoo.com
Email: info@oakplantationcampground.com Website: www.oakplantationcampground.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 4 adults and full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $5, tax 12.5%. Season: Year-round.
Website: www.sugarmillrvpark.com.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults and full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 7%. Season: Year-round.
RESORT UPDATES
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Tennessee Dudley Creek RV Resort 1640 East Parkway Gatlinburg, 37738 Phone: (865) 277-7723
Texas Admiralty RV Resort 1485 N Ellison Dr San Antonio, 78251 Phone: (210) 647-7878
Email: dudleycreekrv@gmail.com Website: www.dudleycreekrv.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults and full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 11.25%. Season: Year-round.
Email: admiralty@qualityrvresorts.com Website: www.qualityrvresorts.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 20%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Sales tax 8.25%. Season: Year-round.
King’s Holly Haven RV Park 647 Wears Valley Rd Pigeon Forge, 37863 Phone: (888) 204-0247
Rio Guadalupe Resort 14130 River Rd New Braunfels, 78132 Phone: (830) 964-3613 Email: rioraft@gvtc.com
Email: hollyhavenrvpark@aol.com Website: www.hollyhavenrvpark.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%.
Website: www.rioguadaluperesort.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups.
Rate includes 4 people per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $2, add’l child $2, tax 12.25%. Season: Year-round. Pigeon Forge RV Resort 1111 Wears Valley Rd Pigeon Forge, 37863 Phone: (800) 965-8524 Email: rv@pigeonforgerv.com Website: www.pigeonforgerv.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 4 people per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $10, add’l child $10, add’l vehicle $10, tax 12.5%. Season: Year-round. Smoky Bear Campground and RV Park 4857 East Parkway Gatlinburg, 37738 Phone: (865) 436-8372 Email: smokybearcampground@gmail.com Website: www.smokybearcampground.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 4 adults and full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $7, add’l child $7, tax 12.75%. Season: Year-round.
Additional charges: Tax 8.25%. Season: January 1 – June 14.
Seven Oaks Resort 801 S Inspiration Rd #222 Mission, 78572 Phone: (956) 581-0068
Email: manager@sevenoaksresort.com Website: www.sevenoaksresort.com RV notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 4 people per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 6.5%. Season: Year-round.
GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK TERMINATIONS
Texas Victoria Coleto RV Park, Victoria (page 212)
Washington Kenanna RV Park, Grayland (page 216)
RESORT UPDATES
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premier
RESORT TYPE: Coast Premier LOCATION: West Branch, Michigan SEASON: May – October WEBSITE: www.outdooradventuresinc.com
LAKE OF THE NORTH
Fun on and off the water
Once you pull into the gates of Lake of the North Resort and Campground in West Branch, Michigan, you’ll be drawn into the quiet, back-to-nature atmosphere of the beautiful resort. Depending on whatever lifestyle you want to pursue, you can have it here. Set up your lounge chairs outside your site and chill, or join your fellow RVers at one of the many planned activities. Attend a community bonfire to make new friends—the s’mores are pretty awesome, too. Stop in the resort store for some forgotten items or for a snack. Maybe you’d like to exert a little more energy. Swim some laps at the outdoor pool, throw some horseshoes or play some volleyball. In addition to the swimming pool, there are plenty of other outdoor water activities at the adjacent Lake George, which is an all-sports lake. Bring power boats, jet skis, and other toys to have fun on the water on a bigger scale, or sit on the resort’s private beach. The lake is a small
spring-fed 60-acre lake offering the chance to fish for northern pike and bluegills year-round. Check out what’s happening at the pavilion. You might find tie-dying outside, an auction inside, someone playing video games, or a song on the jukebox. Don’t hesitate to join in the fun. Offsite, take a hike or bike on the 13.6-mile Ogemaw Hills Pathway. If you’re an off-road vehicle enthusiast, then Ogemaw County has something for you—an ordinance that allows ORV riders to ride on streets and highways to and from the extensive trail system near the resort. Nearby, enjoy outlet shopping, antiquing, arts & crafts, festivals, a summer music series, two 18- hole public golf courses, Seney Wildlife Refuge, fishing, hunting and much more.
RESORT PROFILES
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classic
RESORT TYPE: Coast Classic LOCATION: Sublette, Illinois SEASON: Year-round WEBSITE: www.woodhavenassociation.com
WOODHAVEN LAKES Water, water everywhere
Woodhaven Lakes in Sublette, Illinois, does not take the plural “S” on lakes lightly. In fact, there are several man-made lakes and several small ponds within the more than 1,700 acres of the resort. Choose from Woodhaven Lake, Bass Lake, Sunset Lake, Black Oak Lake, Pine Lake, Hidden Lake, and Blue Gill Lake. With all those lakes, know that rowboats, canoes, paddleboats, and sailboats are the best modes of transportation. There are paddleboat, canoe, kayak, and rowboat rentals available at the Family Center counter. Paddleboat and canoe rentals are only available on Woodhaven Lake. For more water fun, Woodhaven Lakes has two swimming pools and a beach for your aquatic enjoyment. There are 15 miles of natural trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Equipment rental for the many sports fields is available: basketball, soccer, baseball, kickball, football, shuffleboard, tennis, and horseshoes. Meet old and new friends at the Forged Rock Adventure Mini Golf course or try your hand at
the long links at nearby Shady Oaks Country Club. You can start your own game on any of the sports courts. Rent sports equipment from the Rec Plex or Family Center. But if you’re more interested in indoor fun, you can visit The Q! Play in the arcade or grab some ice cream. During the summer, the recreation staff shows movies every Saturday evening outdoors at the Family Center Amphitheater. Check the Woodhaven Calendar every week to see what’s playing. Are you crafty or want to be? Make crafts every day at Woodhaven at the Creation Station where there are tons of supplies and crafts. Go shopping on holiday weekends and special weekends when vendors from near and far show their wares during Open Air Markets. And kids will love the Day Camp program at the Family Center which includes afternoon swimming at Pool 2. Craft projects and special guest appearances, along with sports and games, are scheduled.
RESORT PROFILES
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deluxe
RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Gunnison, Colorado SEASON: May 1 – October 1 WEBSITE: www.thousandtrails.com
BLUE MESA RECREATIONAL RANCH Recreation surrounded by Rocky Mountain beauty
With Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to the west, the West Elk Mountains to the north, and the San Juan’s to the south, and with so much more in between, Blue Mesa Recreational Ranch in Gunnison, Colorado, makes the perfect base camp. But it could also be your vacation destination—a place where you’ll never want to leave. You’ll never be bored while staying at Blue Mesa with mini-golf and organized activities in a classic western setting. The main clubhouse is the place to meet old and new friends. There’s an assembly hall for dinners, dancing, entertainment, and crafts. The patio is perfect for barbecuing. The Saturday morning craft sales and Sunday morning non-denominational church services are also held in the clubhouse. All the major campground roads are paved for your convenience. The roads are wide and easy to navigate even with the biggest of rigs, and there’s plenty of room for your boat. The resort is a convenient spot to stay with resort-style amenities and hundreds of RV sites.
Meet new and old friends on Blue Mesa’s playground. Pick up a game of HORSE on the basketball court or pitch some horseshoes. Try your hand at the pickleball court or billiards in the game room. Keep score while playing mini-golf. Offsite is the Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water entirely in Colorado, which is created by Blue Mesa Dam. With miles of shoreline, there’s lots to explore. Onsite, you also have watery options. Don’t forget to bring your fishing equipment to try your luck at the fishing pond. An indoor swimming pool, whirlpool/ spa/hot tub, and sauna are accessible in any weather. The resort’s friendly staff can help you get involved and make your stay a memorable experience. Enjoy card bingo, scavenger hunts, women’s poker pool, craft nights, kids craft day, and horseback riding.
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HISTORIC STAUNTON The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum contains the President’s birthplace, a museum that explores the life and times of President Woodrow Wilson, a research library, gift shop, and several other buildings that are not open to the public.
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Historic Staunton A President, a Bard, and 300 Years of History Story by Dixie Dee Whited Photos courtesy of Staunton CVB
Hundreds of years before my family settled in the Shenandoah Valley, the first settlers arrived from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and eastern Virginia by traveling the Great Wagon Road. Many were German-born or the Pennsylvania- born children of German-speaking Protestant immigrants or came from the province of Ulster (Scots-Irish) in the north of Ireland. At the end of the 1700s, the Scots-Irish were the largest English-speaking group on the Colonial American frontier. Because of the size of their population, the Scots-Irish played a crucial role in shaping the Shenandoah Valley’s culture and identity. They did this through Presbyterian beliefs, education, farming practices, wool and linen production, language, music, and even through the introduction of whiskey. The fledgling city was named Staunton for Lady Rebecca Staunton, the wife of the then- governor, Sir William Gooch. It’s easy to tell the visitors from the locals when talking about Staunton (STAN-ton). In fact, a funny story was circulated that during the Civil War, the locals changed the pronunciation from STAWN-ton to STAN-ton to immediately recognize unwanted Yankees through their speech.
Mary Baldwin University was founded in 1842 and situated in Downtown Staunton.
Staunton has been called the “Queen City of the Valley” because from 1738-1770, it was the seat of the world’s largest county, the Northwest Territory—which encompassed what is now Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and part of Minnesota. Staunton grew because it was on the Great Wagon Road and provided shelter and food for travelers. It also offered waterpower for local farmers to grind their grains. It became a government center during June 7-23, 1781, when Staunton became the capital of Virginia. Why such a short time? It was because the General Assembly fled there after being chased out of Richmond by the invading British. Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton just missed capturing Thomas Jefferson and many members of the legislature in Charlottesville.
Evenings are beautiful in downtown Staunton.
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sick by the time we arrived in the city. Now, Interstate 81 gets you there in a flash. But sometimes the slower way is the better way. If you have time, take Highway 11. Staunton’s rich history of arts and culture goes back to its days as a nineteenth-century rail junction and a center for travelers to stop over and enjoy opera, vaudeville, and rollicking nightlife. That tradition lives on today in Staunton’s arts and culture district, called the “Red Brick District,” named for the red bricks found on the Victorian homes and in the sidewalks of the city. Discover world-class theater, great live music, cool art galleries, and museums that bring the past to life. The Blackfriars Playhouse, located just two blocks from the Mary Baldwin University campus, has been called “one of the five most important theaters in the world.” It’s the home of the American Shakespeare Center, Mary Baldwin University’s partner in its unique Master of Letters / Master of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Performance. The Playhouse is the site of highly acclaimed productions of the plays of the Bard and his contemporaries. Situated in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse has delighted hundreds of thousands of audience members from all over the world. The Playhouse is open year-round for performances of Shakespeare’s plays and contemporary works in productions hailed by The Washington Post as “shamelessly entertaining.”
The Marquis Building is representative of the Romanesque Revival style and a standout structure among Historic Downtown Staunton.
In 1955, I was 8 years old when I first visited Staunton with my family. We had recently moved from a farm, which was a mountain range to the east, into the town of New Market just north of Staunton. When I compared New Market’s one blinking stop light to Staunton’s broad streets and multiple lights, I was so surprised. The streets were lined with beautiful buildings, some of which were hundreds of years old. A blend of enchanting and unique architecture creates the effect of a place frozen in time. Staunton has an architectural advantage over most other small towns in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, because it escaped the Civil War relatively unscathed. Many of its 18th- and 19th-century homes and buildings still stand and are wonderfully preserved. And it’s a lot easier to get to Staunton now than it was when my parents loaded me and my brothers in the back of their Chevy station wagon. Although U.S. Highway 11 was a winding route that took us past gorgeous farms and rolling hills, at least one of us was usually car
The Blackfriars Playhouse is a recreation of Shakespeare’s indoor theatre and open year-round for performances of Shakespeare and contemporary works.
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The sub-title of this feature about Historic Staunton also refers to “a president.” On December 28, 1856, Woodrow Wilson was born in the city. He served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Prior to being elected president, he was the president of Princeton University and the governor of New Jersey. Staunton is proud that the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum is nestled in the heart of the city. Walk the halls where he was born and learn more about what makes Wilson a consequential and controversial president. Wondering about the dining scene? The following was printed in a Staunton travel guide: “Staunton probably runs second only to Charlottesville in restaurants per capita, and it keeps adding more as the town’s renaissance continues. In fact, there are so many that I wonder if the local residents know how to cook for themselves.” Whether true or not, the dining scene is vibrant and growing. Of course, in 1955 our family stopped along the side of the road and ate a picnic out of our old wicker basket. But that was then. Now, I take advantage of the wide range of gastronomic offerings. From traditional restaurants to exotic cuisine, quiet and romantic to alive with spirit, the city’s selection of nationally and locally owned establishments will satisfy whatever you have a hankering for. Staunton is the culinary epicenter for the agriculturally rich Shenandoah Valley. Tapping into this local food bounty are local chefs, from dining hotspots like Zynodoa and The Shack, who are putting Staunton on the “southern foodways” roadmap. If shopping is your scene, then you’ll enjoy the bountiful boutiques along the historic, brick-lined sidewalks. Pop into the locally owned independent stores for a wide selection of antiques, arts, distinctive gifts and much, much more. The Frontier Culture Museum is the biggest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley, as well as one of the highest rated family-friendly attractions and one of the
Dozens of restaurants of various cuisines are situated on Main Street and the Historic Downtown Staunton.
top tourist destinations in Virginia. Costumed historical interpreters show the life and customs of the indigenous Native American tribes in Virginia, the arrival of the German, English, and Irish settlers along the Great Wagon Road, and the painful journey of the enslaved Africans to the first permanent British colony in North America. Stop to interact with a blacksmith at an Irish forge, meet woodworkers, tailors, and yarn spinners, and learn how the early settlers of America cooked and worked the land.
The Frontier Culture Museum is the biggest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley, and offers several educational and family-friendly attractions and exhibits about the early American settler life.
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Ideally located between the scenic Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Staunton becomes the perfect base for exploring the great outdoors. Bike or ride horseback through the area or tour local working farms and green parks. Pack your fishing poles and fish the pristine creeks, ponds, and rivers. Visit working farms and u-pick orchards and fields. The Shenandoah Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is one of the country’s most exciting wine-producing regions today. Limestone soil, which is common to the valley, has been long associated with great wine growing regions in Europe. The valley’s AVA’s climate allows grapes to attain higher acidity, generally regarded as good in wine. The cooler, relatively dry climate, soil composition and position between two mountain chains makes the Shenandoah Valley more ideal for viticulture than any of the state’s other regions.
If you’re lucky enough to travel in August, Staunton proudly hosts “Virginia’s world-class music festival” ( Travel + Leisure ), which brings more than 90 world-class musicians from around the world to the Blue Ridge Mountains to perform for ten consecutive days and nights of eclectic chamber, vocal, and symphonic music. All performances are held entirely in historic downtown Staunton. Staunton Music Festival also presents an annual SpringFest in April, recitals throughout the year, and a few limited-capacity special events. One of the reasons that RV travel is so enjoyable is the ride and dine aspect. Staunton has capitalized on this with the Virginia Scenic Railway. If you love trains, you’ll know it’s all about the journey. On the Virginia Scenic Railway, sit back and enjoy the modernized ambiance of beautifully renovated passenger cars and enjoy a delectable meal as you glide through some of Virginia’s scenery.
The Staunton Music Festival has been called “Virginia’s World Class Music Festival.”
Wineries situated along the Shenandoah Valley.
The Shenandoah Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is one of the country’s most excitng wine- producing regions today.
Over 90 acclaimed classical musicians assemble from around the world to perform over ten days in Staunton’s music festival.
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The Virginia Scenic Railway departs from Staunton’s historic Amtrak station.
Downtown Staunton is home to many festivals and special events.
The Virginia Scenic Railway is currently offering two excursions: the Alleghany Special and the Blue Ridge Flyer. These round-trip trains depart from the historic Amtrak station in Staunton. Each of these excursion tickets includes a meal and dessert selection, plus a beverage served in a complimentary souvenir glass. I’ve introduced you to a small portion of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, but there’s much more to see and do. And if you travel north as far as Front Royal, which is the north entrance to Skyline Drive and where we live, make sure to wave as you go by.
For more information: Staunton Music Festival www.stauntonmusicfestival.org
Virginia Wine Guide www.virginiawineguide.net/ shenandoah-valley-ava/
Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail www.shenandoahvalleywinetrail.com Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia www.virginia.gov/agencies/frontier-culture- museum-of-virginia/
Virginia Scenic Railway www.virginiascenicrailway.com/
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FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S LEGACY
Exterior garden of one of Wright’s most renowned designs, the Fallingwater, in Mill Run, Pennsylvania.
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1 When Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) (1867-1959) began work as an architectural designer in the 1890s, there wasn’t what you could call a definitive style of American architecture. European styles—Italianate, French Empire, and Gothic Revival—were all the rage. This was a huge disappointment to Wright, who was deeply connected to America’s landscape and the spirit of its people. During his seven-decades-long career, Wright endeavored to put American architecture on the map with his designs of more than a thousand buildings. While he created a number of well- known public and commercial buildings— such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, California’s Marin County Civic Center, and the S. C. Johnson headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin— it is his private residences that best demonstrate FLW’s guiding philosophies and passions. Ultimately, he believed that good design enriched his clients’ lives, so he crafted homes that championed life in harmony with nature, always advocating for innovative, affordable, and aesthetically appealing residences. FLW is perhaps best remembered for his so- called Prairie School-style houses. Inspired by the wide-open expanses of the American prairie, these homes—and there are hundreds of them—are characterized by their flat, usually cantilevered roofs, extensive use of local materials, simple but striking silhouettes and earthy neutral colors. More than 30 of the 400 or so remaining privately owned homes by Frank Lloyd Wright are open to the public and touring one (or more) of them is the best way to experience the architect’s genius. So, with guidance from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, we’ve selected 10 of the more unique and historically significant Wright- designed homes across the country that you can visit. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Legacy Visit 10 of his Designs Story by Dave G. Houser
Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio, Oak Park, Illinois
Let’s start our review of Wright-designed buildings where things all began in 1889. This historic home in suburban Chicago was no less than the birthplace of an architectural revolution—Wright’s own Prairie School style— that aimed at creating harmony between a building and its natural surroundings. To that end, Wright implemented leafy landscaping to compliment the design. The home is a massive and somewhat odd- looking wood shingled two-story structure with vaulted ceilings that appear to be cobbled together from large geometric shapes. It served as a testing ground for the young architect’s imagination, and he designed more than 125 buildings here, most of them in the Chicago area, in less than two decades. The historic district surrounding the home and studio features the greatest number of Wright- designed residences worldwide.
www.flwright.org/tours/home-and-studio
Draft room of FLW’s home & studio, Oak Park, IL.
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The Rosenbaum House, Florence, AL.
The house is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and was hailed as the ”best all-time work of American architecture” by the American Institute of Architects.
Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AZ.
www.fallingwater.org
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Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona While living in Wisconsin in the mid-1930s, Wright began traveling to the Southwest to escape the harsh Midwest winters. In 1937 he purchased several hundred acres of desert land in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains just outside Scottsdale and established Taliesin West to serve as his winter vacation home—and later as an education center where he would instruct architectural students. Inspired by Arizona’s desert landscape, FLW constructed Taliesin West out of native rock and cement mixed with sand and other local materials. With its squat, low-slung silhouette framed by hefty redwood beams, Wright created a structure that blended remarkably into the environment. The site is now the home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and guests can take part in a number of visit options, including a guided tour and a self-guided audio tour.
Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA.
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Fallingwater, Mill Run, Pennsylvania With the possible exception of the Guggenheim Museum, Fallingwater is the most famous building FLW ever created. Wright designed it in 1935, at his professional nadir, as a mountain retreat for Pittsburgh retail mogul Edgar J. Kaufmann, who wanted a home near the waterfalls of Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands of Western Pennsylvania. Wright took that notion to its extreme. “I want you to live with the waterfall,” he reportedly told Kaufmann, “Not just to look at it.” As Eric Jaffe describes it in the January 2008 issue of Smithsonian , “Cantilevered concrete terraces hover some 30 feet above the falls. The incessant sound of rushing water permeates the home, yet never overwhelms. A boulder juts through the living room and doubles as a hearth. During a visit to the house, I was struck by Wright’s vanishing windows, which opened outward from wall corners, leaving no panes to obstruct the wilderness view.”
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www.franklloydwright.org/taliesin-west
The Rosenbaum House, Florence, Alabama Rosenbaum House is the only Wright-designed structure in Alabama and one of very few in the Deep South. Originally built in 1939 as a family home for newlyweds Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum, the house served as a private residence for six decades and is now open to the public as a museum.
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According to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, it is architecturally unique in that it “remains one of earliest and purest examples of the Usonian style—the concept being affordable, utilitarian, yet aesthetically appealing homes—that Wright would spend much of his later career refining.” FLW couldn’t abide the old dictum that “form follows function,” believing instead that form and function—like a structure and its surroundings—should be one. By eliminating the basement and attic and incorporating a flat, cantilevered roof, Wright was able to achieve a low-profile house that appears to emerge organically from its surroundings. The Rosenbaum home featured natural materials, including native cypress wood. It also included large, paneled windows used strategically to maximize natural light, a radiant heating system embedded in the floor, centralized mechanical systems, and built-in furniture and lighting. When the Rosenbaum’s family grew, they asked Wright to design an addition, which the mastermind seamlessly incorporated into the original structure in 1948. Mildred lived there until her death in 1999. At that time, the City of Florence acquired the house, and following a meticulous restoration, it began a new chapter as a museum.
in fact, became a benefactor to the architect, loaning Wright considerable sums to help develop his practice. Martin also offered Wright his first-ever commercial commission—to design the Larkin Soap Company’s administration building. Following Martin’s death in 1935, Wright designed a mausoleum for his friend (his only cemetery monument) at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.
www.martinhouse.org/visit
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Pope-Leighey House, Alexandria, Virginia
“Dear Mr. Wright,” wrote 28-year-old newspaper copy editor Loren Pope. “There are certain things a man wants during life, and, of life. Material things and things of the spirit. The writer has one fervent wish that includes both. It is a house created by you.” The budget was $5,000. Two weeks later, Frank Lloyd Wright responded, “Of course, I am ready to give you a house.” In the spring of 1941, Pope and his wife Charlotte moved into their new 1,200 square-foot Wright-designed home. A prime example of FLW’s Usonian design concept (affordable, utilitarian, yet aesthetically appealing homes), the Pope’s new residence exhibited the cantilevered roof, corner windows
www.wrightinalabama.com
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Martin House Complex, Buffalo, New York Built in 1905 for wealthy Buffalo soap company executive Darwin D. Martin, this residence is way more than just a house—it is a massive stone and glass complex of six interconnected buildings. It is an important early example of Wright’s still-evolving Prairie School style. The complex consists of the main Martin House and a pergola that connects it to a conservatory and carriage house with stables and chauffeur’s quarters, as well as the Barton House, plus a smaller residence for some of Martin’s relatives, and a gardener’s cottage. Wright and Martin became fast friends as the project took shape and the architect enjoyed complete freedom and an unlimited budget to design the project as he envisioned it. Martin,
Martin House Complex, Buffalo, NY.
Pope-Leighey House, Alexandria, VA.
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Wright oversaw every detail within the Walter residence—from the furniture right down to the plates and cups that graced the dinner table, making this one of FLW’s most complete designs. In 1981, the Walters donated their home to the state of Iowa and it now serves as the focal point of 426-acre Cedar Rock State Park, where free seasonal tours (May to October) are led by park staff.
www.iowadnr.gov
8 and spacious interiors that were becoming part of the American architectural design vernacular. Cedar Rock State Park, Independence, IA.
Wingspread, Racine, Wisconsin
A visit to Wingspread, the Wright-designed 1938 home of S.C. Johnson (think Pledge, Raid, and Glade) President Herbert Fisk Johnson can really get your imagination soaring. From above, the largest single-family home FLW ever designed resembles a four-bladed windmill. Long slender hallways extend from the two-story living room, warmed by a huge red brick fireplace. A tightly coiled spiral staircase leads to a glass-enclosed lookout. It is said that Wright designed this crow’s nest so that Johnson’s young son could watch his father fly home from his travels. The 14,000 square-foot structure was Wright’s final Prairie School house. Now owned by the S.C. Johnson Foundation, tours of the home are available at no cost with advance reservations.
The Popes later sold the house to Robert and Marjorie Leighey. When threatened with demolition in 1963, Marjorie, by then a widow, made a deal with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The house was moved from its original location in Falls Church, Virginia, to Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria—once part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. With Marjorie’s passing, the house was converted to a museum, currently operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org
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Cedar Rock State Park, Independence, Iowa
www.franklloydwright.org/site/wingspread
Here’s a first and only: A Frank Lloyd Wright- designed house that has been designated as a state park. This is how it happened: Lowell Walter was a well-to-do Iowa businessman who, with his wife Agnes, commissioned Wright to design a home at Cedar Rock—a limestone bluff above the Wapsipinicon River—in the late 1940s. The Walters’ dream house, a compact 1,800 square-foot Usonian design constructed of brick, concrete and glass, is accompanied by a boathouse—the only Wright-designed boat pavilion still in existence.
Wingspread, Racine, WI.
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Hollyhock House, Hollywood, CA.
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Hollyhock House, Hollywood, California
Wright’s first California commission (1919) signaled a unique and rather abrupt new direction in the architect’s design philosophy. FLW called it “California Romanza,” though it is most often described as Mayan and Aztec- inspired, with additional Asian and Egyptian influences. Clearly, it can be seen as a merging point between Wright’s Prairie School style and the textile block structures he would continue to explore during the 1920s. Commissioned by oil heiress and socialite Aline Barnsdall, Hollyhock House was constructed during a tumultuous time in FLW’s life. He had moved west from Illinois while mourning the brutal 1914 murder of his long-time mistress Martha “Mamah” Borthwick who was said to have been the true love of his life. Following Borthwick’s death, Wright’s style took a severe turn, gravitating toward the pre- Columbian-influenced design: think ominous Mayan temples and obscure Aztec symbolism. Lots of concrete blocks were used with inverted windows not visible from the outside. The sprawling structure also featured a Mayan revival-style roof décor, a cryptic bas-relief mantelpiece, and a surrounding moat. Barnsdall found the residence difficult to live in and just a few years later deeded it to the city. In 2019, Hollyhock House (so named for its owner’s affection for the flowering plant) joined the UNESCO World Heritage list along with seven other properties as part of its “20th Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Collection.” After it closed for two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Hollyhock House is once again officially open to the public.
Bachman Wilson House, Bentonville, AR.
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Bachman Wilson House, Bentonville, Arkansas
In contrast to such highly customized homes like Wingspread, the Bachman Wilson House is typical of FLW’s more simple, lower-cost Usonian designs aimed to be within reach of the average middle-class American family. The house was built in 1954 for Abraham and Gloria Bachman Wilson alongside the Millstone River in New Jersey. Revealing a distinct mid- century modern look, the house is full of sleek mahogany wood beams, panels, and furnishings that flow with Wright’s tell-tale elongated layout, epitomizing the connection between art, architecture and nature. The home was subsequently purchased by architect / designer team Lawrence and Sharon Tarantino in 1988 and meticulously restored. When the riverfront house was repeatedly threatened with flooding, the Tarantinos decided that, to preserve it, they should sell the house to an entity willing to relocate it. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, proved to be the savior willing to painstakingly disassemble and move the structure, which was accomplished in 2013. The Bachman Wilson House is now situated near the museum entrance, with views overlooking native Northwest Arkansas woodlands and Crystal Spring. Both self-guided and one-hour guided tours are available for a modest fee. www.franklloydwright.org/site/bachman- wilson-house
www.hollyhockhouse.org
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MAYSVILLE, KENTUCKY
Maysville’s first Presbyterian Church is more than 200 years old.
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Maysville, Kentucky Camaraderie and History on the Ohio River Feature by Emily Fagan Photos by Emily and Mark Fagan
Standing on the banks of the Ohio River in Aberdeen, Ohio, my husband and I looked across the water to Kentucky and were enchanted by what we saw: a picturesque town filled with historic brick buildings and pretty church steeples. We hastily set up camp in Lively Lady Campground and crossed the suspension bridge over the river to see what this place was. A huge sign said, “Welcome to Maysville.” Little did we know that we’d love this town so much we’d stay for nearly three weeks. A series of colorful murals by the public parking lot told the history of Maysville, a story shaped by the Ohio River. In the 1700s, the first settlers came down the river on flat boats, which they dismantled for lumber to build homes and create a settlement. Daniel Boone was one of the town’s founders, and he had a tavern on the water’s edge near modern-day Limestone Landing Park. By the 1800s, paddleboats plied the river, connecting Maysville to other towns up and downriver. Later in the century, trains ran along the riverbanks, further facilitating commerce. By the early 1900s, commerce was king in Maysville as the town evolved into a major hub for tobacco farming, warehousing, auctioning,
Downtown Maysville.
and shipping. The land and climate were ideal for growing burley tobacco, which gives cigarettes their flavor, and the river made shipping the product a breeze. As cigarette smoking swept the nation from the 1920s to the 1970s, Maysville’s economy boomed. Everyone for miles around was involved in tobacco production in one way or another. However, when cigarette smoking fell out of fashion in the 1990s, demand for tobacco all but vanished. The town of Maysville was devastated. This wasn’t the first time Maysville had faced disaster, however. As we followed the historical murals to Limestone Landing Park on the waterfront, we met city worker Terry Stamper who explained that all the fabulous murals
A public mural depicting the Limestone Landing in the 1700s.
A public mural depicting the Sutton’s Landing in the 1800s.
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Public handprint exhibit displayed on tunnel walls near downtown.
were painted on the back of a very substantial concrete flood wall that protects the town when the river water rises. We glanced at the Ohio River as it sparkled innocently in the sun, and it was hard to imagine the water violently rushing and rising. However, catastrophic floods nearly wiped the town of Maysville off the map three times. The huge flood of 1937 swept away all the buildings overlooking the river on Front Street, and Terry told us that during the flood of 1997 he watched an intact house float by. Heading back toward town, we walked through a tunnel whose walls were lined from ground to ceiling with clay tiles bearing children’s handprints. These tiles were made by high school kids in the 1990s, and the ones closest to the ground had been stained by flood water. There was something very heartwarming about all these high schoolers participating in a project that put their personal stamp on
Boutique shops and restaurants near downtown.
the town and that also bore witness to the ongoing threat of floods. Community spirit like this is the very essence of Maysville, and we experienced that unique ethos ourselves the moment we walked into O’Rourke’s Pub for an end-of-the-day pint. A man sitting at a big round table with a group of friends suddenly stood up and greeted us, drew out a chair, and invited us to join him and his buddies at the table. We discovered he was the owner of the bar, Norbert Gallenstein. Over the next few hours, he introduced us to everyone who came through the door. We felt like visiting royalty, and by the end of the evening we’d met a complete cross section of Maysville society, from attorneys to workers at the local power plant to business owners. We even met the mayor. More astonishing than being welcomed into this group was discovering that most of them had grown up together since childhood. Many of their parents and grandparents had gone to kindergarten together too. Perhaps most significant, they had all worked in the tobacco fields as teenagers. It was a rite of passage that
The Parc Cafe features tasty muffins and coffee.
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formed a common bond between everyone and their town. As our newfound friends began to list the “must see” highlights for us to do around town, we could feel the deep affection they had for each other and their hometown. After all, when you’ve grown up hearing personal tales passed down from your great-grandparents about the Flood of 1884 and you’ve taught your kids about the desperation everyone felt when the town lost its livelihood due to the decline of the tobacco industry in the 1990s, there is a connection that goes far beyond just being neighbors. Perhaps most impressive was to learn that the town’s leaders had all invested in the downtown area by buying the historic buildings, restoring them, and keeping them in good shape. So, the charming architecture of Maysville’s historic streets that had initially caught our attention from over in Aberdeen looked as jaunty and as colorful as it did because these buildings were truly loved. We strolled the streets many times
during our stay, and our favorite areas were Market Street, which is paved with brick and lined with buildings standing cheek-by-jowl at varying heights, as well as the seven row houses at the far end of town that were named for the days of the week. One of the most unusual buildings is the beautiful brick Cox building, a former Masonic temple that now houses the Visitors Center. We went inside looking for some literature about the area and were surprised when a petite woman with a huge smile, Susie Pratt, began telling us unusual details about the building. A terrible fire had destroyed much of the structure in 2010, and it had fallen upon her to oversee the building’s renovation. In the process, she had found some architectural peculiarities that the Knight’s Templar York Rite Masons had built into it. “I’ll give you a tour,” she said, and soon we were observing oddities like staircases that went nowhere and a door that opened into an open
The historic Cox Building showcases the magnificence of Richardson Romanesque architecture.
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1898 but was quickly rebuilt and renamed the Washington Opera House. Completely renovated in 2006, this elegant Victorian theater is now owned by the theatrical group The Maysville Players, and each season they host a full lineup of professional productions. Some performances have free admission too, and we enjoyed a terrific free concert by an Elton John impersonator. The historic Russell Theatre at the other end of town was built in 1929 as an “atmospheric” movie theater decorated to evoke a feeling of being outdoors. Built by Col. J.B. Russell, the atmospheric theme of the theater was that of a Mediterranean garden. Russell declared it would be to Maysville what the Roxy was to New York, and for decades it was a very popular movie theater. However, it fell into decline in the 1980s. Concerned citizens bought the dilapidated building in 1996, and a complete restoration is nearing completion. The Russell Theater wasn’t open during our stay; however, the fantastic Kentucky Gateway Museum Center was. This museum features the Kathleen Savage Browning Miniature Collection with dozens of historic building replicas built to an exact 1/12 scale, and the original Russell Theater is one of the exhibits. The centerpiece, however, is a stunning miniature of Princess Diana’s ancestral home, London Spencer House. Peering inside, we could see tiny portraits of Diana.
The historic Russell Theatre.
shaft that went straight down to the floor below. The Asylum Room where many of the rituals took place had a huge mural on the back wall depicting two knights on horseback engaged in a sword fight and, on the ceiling, there was a painting of a crown with a cross through it. Strange symbols were carved into some of the door hinges. The grounds of the museum are equally majestic. A massive courtyard surrounded by the pink- columned facade of the museum is filled with statuary and meticulously pruned landscaping. At the head of these immense gardens stands a replica of Michelangelo’s David between a row of palm trees. With our heads spinning after this tour, Susie suggested we head downstairs to the first floor of the Cox Building where students at the Maysville Institute of Culinary Arts serve fabulous and very inexpensive gourmet meals (under the watchful eye of a professional chef) at the College Café. The café is open only at certain hours, however, so we missed that special gem. But we did enjoy tasty coffee and muffins at the Parc Café’s pretty outdoor patio on several mornings. Maysville has long been a home for the performing arts and was the birthplace of Rosemary Clooney in 1928. Back in 1797, Maysville hosted its first theatrical performance, and the ornate Opera House was built in 1851. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by a fire in
The historic Washington Opera House.
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