Issue 460 April 23rd 2025

The Headlines

Price Tower Found To Be In Good Condition After Easement Visit

Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma was found to be in good condition after the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy conducted an easement visit. The report produced by the easement visit was passed over to the bankruptcy trustee for potential buyers to view.

According to the Conservancy, though easement visits are confidential, they've shared some of the findings due to the public's concern over the building's condition.

Overall, the Price Tower was found to be in good condition with key areas and items remaining largely undamaged. The Conservancy did note that minor leaks were found in the roof of the 19th floor lobby and in the floor of the lobby on the 18th floor. Some water damage was also noted on the 15th and 16th floors. Otherwise, the only other damage noted by the Conservancy was regular wear and tear from use.

However, the Conservancy did state they believe the Price Tower's next owner will need to significantly invest in the building.

The Conservancy also said they will continue to advocate for the preservation of the Price Tower and its items of historical importance.

At this time, the auction of the Price Tower is set to take place in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma in Tulsa on May 6 at 9 a.m.

Destination Madison's New Frank Lloyd Wright Digital Trail

Destination Madison launched Wright in Madison Thursday, a free, self-guided journey exploring local connections to the legendary architect.

Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, studied architecture at the University of Wisconsin and spent many years living at his Taliesin estate in Spring Green.

Explore the Wright in Madison trail and step into the landscape that shaped Frank Lloyd Wright's early life and work. This self-guided journey takes you through the places where Wright lived, learned and found his inspiration, revealing Madison's crucial influence on his legacy.

Wright designed Wisconsin’s only two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Taliesin and Jacobs House, which are two of the stops on the Wright digital trail.

See the connections between his time in the capital city and his iconic designs, including those created at his home, architecture school and studio, Taliesin. Visit and tour Wright’s larger-than-life architectural designs at Monona Terrace, Unitarian Meeting House and beyond.

“The Wright in Madison trail invites both visitors and locals to experience how organic architecture continues to shape the way we live, connect and build,” said Henry Hendrix, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation vice-president.

People following the digital trail can also earn points by visiting the locations, which they can redeem for Wright-themed prizes including socks, stickers and a sketch pad.

Sign up for free to uncover the architectural tours and little-known history found only in Madison and start earning points toward your very own Wright in Madison prizes.

Arthur Dyson's Lapp RiverHouse For Sale

Designed by Arthur Dyson, a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Lapp RiverHouse in Central California echoes Wright’s organic style with its curving lines, natural materials, and deep connection to the surrounding landscape. Tucked near Sanger, this $2.3 million home was a passion project for retired educators Deborah and Greg Lapp, who discovered the riverfront property while kayaking. With Dyson, they created a two-bedroom retreat that blends seamlessly with the Sierra Foothills, complete with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing stunning views and sustainable features like passive cooling and double-paned windows.

The interior features a circular kitchen island, a cozy den, and a river-facing primary suite. Outdoors, the nearly nine-acre lot includes a pool, fire pit, and barn-turned-guesthouse with a workspace below. The home’s sweeping curves and natural integration reflect both its setting and its architectural pedigree, offering a serene, light-filled escape crafted for both beauty and function.

Historical Society Offers Tour Of Wright's Muirhead Farmhouse

Join the Mount Prospect Historical Society on Saturday, May 3, for a daylong bus trip, first to Union, Illinois, for a morning tour of the Illinois Railway Museum, followed by an afternoon tour of one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian homes in Hampshire.

The tour departs 101 S. Maple St., Mount Prospect, at 9 a.m., and the cost for the day is $100 for Mount Prospect Historical Society members and $115 for nonmembers. Participants can register and pay online at mtphist.org.

Between tours, the group will stop at Hampshire’s Copper Barrel restaurant, where you may purchase lunch. You can check the menu at www.barrelonstate.com.

Tour-goers will have plenty of time at the Railway Museum to peruse and possibly ride — on their own — the many trains, both diesel and steam, and streetcars on display there.

After lunch the group will tour Frank Lloyd’s Wright’s Muirhead Farmhouse, built in 1951. Unlike the Wright homes in Chicago, Oak Park and River Forest, which display Wright’s early “Prairie style” of architecture, this farmhouse shows his later Usonian architectural style. Wright built most of the homes in this style outside of Illinois, so it is a treat to see one here.

Participants should be aware the trip requires considerable walking and the ability to climb and descend bus stairs.

For information, call (847) 392-9006.

This Rare Frank Lloyd Wright Lamp Could Fetch $5 Million

A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed table lamp, known as the “double-pedestal” lamp, is headed to Sotheby’s auction in New York on May 13, where it's expected to fetch up to $5 million. Created in 1903 for the Susan Lawrence Dana House in Springfield, Illinois, this architectural lamp is one of only three ever made—and the only one that will ever be available at public auction. The piece is celebrated as a miniature masterpiece of Wright’s Prairie style, blending Arts and Crafts influences with Japanese design inspiration, including geometric motifs and iridescent glass panels that shift in color.

Commissioned by the free-spirited heiress Susan Lawrence Dana, who gave Wright full creative license, the lamp was part of a radical and richly detailed home that featured hundreds of custom-designed elements. Described by Sotheby’s as “a beacon of design” and “a perfect little house” in lamp form, the piece distills Wright’s architectural philosophy into a single object. Its pedigree and rarity make it a crown jewel for collectors—and a potential record-breaker in the design world.

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