Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site
Posted by: 
paulspaper
N 39° 47.644 W 089° 39.061
16S E 273016 N 4408262
Frank Lloyd Wright designed Prairie Style House. Thirty-five room mansion with original art glass and furnishings.
Waymark Code: WM254M
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/06/2007
Views: 178
From the State Historical Agency Website: "The Dana-Thomas House, perhaps the best-preserved example of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Prairie period” dwellings, was built for feminist socialite and heiress Susan Lawrence Dana (1862-1946). Constructed between 1902 and 1904, the spectacular brick house was the largest designed by Wright to that time. It covers 12,600 square feet, with thirty-five rooms and sixteen major spaces. The house contains more than 100 pieces of original Wright furniture, 250 examples of art glass doors and windows, and more than 100 art glass light fixtures. Designed for entertaining, the home’s Gallery and Dining Room can seat forty, and both have two-story barrel-vaulted ceilings. Musicians’ balconies overlook the large public gathering spaces. Other features include an interior terra cotta fountain and a basement duck pin bowling alley. The house has been “restored” to appear as it might have been furnished shortly after being built. In 1974 the structure was entered on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1976 was designated a National Historic Landmark.
One-hour guided tours begin at the carriage house visitor center, which contains a small exhibit area, an auditorium, and the Sumac Shop. Tours open with a ten-minute orientation video that provides background information on Frank Lloyd Wright, Susan Lawrence Dana, and construction of the Dana-Thomas House. Visitors see a stunning collection of elegant art glass, Arts and Crafts style furniture, dramatic lamps, and ceramics. Several items owned by Susan Lawrence Dana and her family are on display. The visitor center and the first floor of the house are disabled accessible. The house’s second floor and basement are not."
Year Completed: 1904
Commissioned By: Susan Lawrence Dana
Nearest City or Town: Springfield, Illinois
Public/Private: Public
Tours Available?: yes
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
There are no specific visit requirements, however telling about your visit is strongly encouraged. Additional photos of the building or house to add to the gallery are also nice, but not required. Pictures with a GPS or you in them is highly discouraged.