Fallingwater

As told by Karen:

Fallingwater, the most famous private residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is located southeast of Pittsburgh. The nearest town is Mill Run. The house is on 5,000 acres in the Bear Run Nature Reserve. Fallingwater was a weekend house for the Edgar J. Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, owners of Kaufmann's Department Store. The house was built between 1935 and 1939. The Kaufmann family used the house, including allowing their employees to stay there, until 1963. Edgar Kaufmann Jr., then 53 and without heirs, entrusted it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. He wanted to be sure the house and land would be taken care of and open to the public.

Wright designed the house to be integrated with the natural beauty of its surroundings. He was successful on many levels.


It took us a little over an hour to arrive. You start at the visitor center where you report for your tour of the house, eat at the cafe or shop in the museum store. You can explore the grounds on your own. As it was 10:30 and our tour appointment was noon, we asked if we could get an earlier time. We were able to tour at 10:42. It even smells different; earthy, clean, pure. It was a diverse and very attentive and respective tour group. The weather was off and on sunny and cloudy. You start with a walk up to the house.

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and had an obvious and infectious love of the house and the Kaufman family. You cannot take pictures on the inside of the house. You can see the inside on the official website. It was emotional to stand in the first floor living space that I have seen in pictures and imagined visiting for so long. I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Bob too.

It surprised me that there is no stained glass used in the house. But after being there I understand. Wright would have considered it an obstruction to viewing nature. Everything in the design of the house was done to bring you to nature or nature to you. The house is built around the boulders on site - in one case a boulder you see outside is used inside as the hearth of the fireplace. There are vanishing corner windows. The windows open hinging away from the corner leaving an unobstructed view to the outside. The guest cottage was designed and finished in the same manner as the main house. It is a wonderful and very special place.

We took some pictures of the outside.

It was well worth the visit. Poor Lucy had to wait in the car which she did patiently. She has been a very good little traveler. We left Fallingwater with a feeling of awe and peace. Back to Meadville where we will get back on Route 6 heading west.