Fallingwater
Mill Run, Pennsylvania
Frank Lloyd Wright is America’s greatest architect, and Fallingwater is one of the most well-known examples of his work. The house was designed in 1935 for Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar J. Kaufmann. The house is perched atop a waterfall, with dramatic concrete balconies cantilevered over the falls. It is often cited as the quintessential example of organic architecture, where the design of a building arises from and seamlessly blends in with the surrounding landscape. The house includes all of its original furnishings, many of which were also designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Fallingwater was given to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy by the Kaufmann family in 1963. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has protected more than 204,000 acres of natural, scenic, and recreational land in Pennsylvania.
Hours
Mid-March through November, Tuesday-Sunday, 10-4. Also open on Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Thanksgiving Friday.
Phone: (724) 329-8501
Directions
Exit 9 (Donegal) of the PA Turnpike, turn left on Route 31 East, then right on Route 711/381 South. When 711/381 splits, turn left on 381 South. Turn right at the entrance to Fallingwater.
Kentuck Knob
Ohiopyle Road, Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania
Although not as well-known as Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kentuck Knob is considered to be just as masterful a design and certainly much more practical and liveable. The house was designed in 1953 for ice cream manufacturer I.N. Hagan and was sold in 1986 to the Lord and Lady Palumbo of London. The house is located 2,000 feet above sea level, with spectacular views of the Youghiogheny River Gorge and surrounding mountains. The house is built on on a hexagonal grid of red cypress and native fieldstone. It features an open floor plan, cantilevered overhangs, and an outdoor sculpture park.
Hours
Guided tours Tuesdays through Sundays, 10-4.
Phone: (724) 329-1901
Fax: (724) 329-0977
Directions
Exit 9 (Donegal) of the PA Turnpike, turn left on Route 31 East, then right on Route 711/381 South. When 711/381 splits, turn left on 381 South. You will pass Fallingwater on the right and travel through Ohiopyle. Turn right at the State Park sign at the south end of Meadow Run Bridge and follow the winding road for 1.5 miles. At the intersection at the top of the hill, turn left toward Chalk Hill. After 3/4 of a mile, the entrance to Kentuck Knob will be on the left.
