Issue 469 June 18th 2025

The Headlines

He Saved A Historic Wright House

Frank Lloyd Wright, even in his later years, continued to produce an astounding number of designs. From the end of World War II until his death in 1959, he designed over 100 single-family homes, each with unique features that continue to fascinate architects and enthusiasts. One standout is "Fountainhead" in Jackson, Mississippi, designed in 1949 for the Hughes family.

Wright's design approach was as complex as ever: when J. Willis Hughes asked Wright to build a house, Wright insisted on a challenging site, which led to the selection of a wooded acre with a gully. The house was designed around dramatic level changes, incorporating water features that made it a truly integrated piece of architecture. Wright used a geometric motif of parallelograms throughout the design, creating a strong and cohesive composition. Wright’s philosophy of large public spaces and more compact private rooms shaped the layout of the house.

Though the house was completed in 1954, it faced issues over time, including structural damage due to shifting soil and leaks from Mississippi’s unpredictable climate. After the Hughes family suffered tragedy, they let the property deteriorate. The house was bought in 1979 by Robert Parker Adams and his wife, Mary, who spent three years restoring it. The restoration became a labor of love, and Robert eventually became known for his work on other historical buildings.

Fountainhead remains a striking example of Wright’s work, with features such as triangular skylights, wooden shutters inspired by Native American and Japanese motifs, and built-in furniture that showcases his signature style. It now stands on the market for $2.5 million, with its restoration and unique design making it a highly sought-after piece of architectural history. Although the house is priced significantly higher than typical homes in Jackson, it reflects the premium placed on Wright-designed properties, which often fetch two to three times the price of non-Wright homes.

The current owners, after decades of living in the home, are looking for a buyer who appreciates the house’s architectural integrity and is willing to restore its water features. The house has no conventional materials like Sheetrock or brick, making it a rare find for those who seek authentic Frank Lloyd Wright design.

This Passion Project Brought To Life A Historic Wright Home

The Zaferiou House in Blauvelt, New York is one of the last homes designed by the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright, completed in 1960 shortly after his death. Nestled in a woodland setting along the Hudson River, this mid-century modern retreat exemplifies Wright's Usonian style, harmonizing architecture with nature through natural materials, flat roofs, open plans, and thoughtful integration with the landscape.

Interior designer Sarah Magness, the home’s current owner, was captivated by the house’s spirit and sought to restore it with care and authenticity. Using Wright’s original plans, she preserved key features like mahogany paneling, Cherokee red concrete floors, and built-in furniture, while making subtle updates to improve function without compromising the design. Her approach was both reverent and refreshing, honoring the home’s historic essence while making it feel alive and relevant.

Each room is a study in mid-century design, filled with vintage furnishings, earthy tones, and soft textures. The living room, anchored by a large fireplace, and the bedroom, which overlooks treetops, are Sarah's favorite spaces for their warmth and tranquility. The kitchen and bathrooms maintain a balance between minimalism and lived-in charm.

Named after its original owner Socrates Zaferiou, who persistently petitioned Wright to take on the project, the house was part of Wright's prefab collaboration with Marshall Erdman. Wright visited the site shortly before his death, making this home a poignant part of his final architectural legacy.

In Sarah’s hands, the Zaferiou House is more than a preserved relic—it's a living, breathing embodiment of Wright’s philosophy, offering timeless beauty, serenity, and a deep connection to the natural world.

Sullivan's Bradley House Summer 2025 Renovations

Sigs at Wisconsin live in the National Historic Landmark Bradley-Sigma Phi house, designed in 1908 for Professor Harold C. Bradley and his family by renowned architect Louis H. Sullivan — mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Since it was designed as a home, it feels like (and is) a home when members return after classes each day. There are five fireplaces and two libraries for studying. Each bedroom and bathroom are unique.

This summers renovations will include stripping the faded black paint from the original cypress shingles, soffits, and fascia and the white paint from the windows; restoring or replacing wood on the decorative cantilevers that has been deteriorated or damaged by woodpeckers; and refinishing the exterior with a natural brown stain closely matching the home's original color.

Bradley-Sigma Phi Historical Landmark Preservation Fund is collaborating with a broad group of advisors and conservation specialists from Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan to inform their approach to the restoration, with a focus on using both environmentally responsible methods and materials that preserve the character of Louis Sullivan's 1909 design as faithfully as possible.

A Hidden Secret On Milwaukee's South Side

Come along and tour the Burnham Block in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is a rare collection of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed American System-Built Homes – his vision for efficient, affordable, and life-enhancing housing.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization. They are staffed by volunteers and rely on generous contributions, grants, revenue generated by their tour program and museum shop to restore, operate and preserve the buildings.

To volunteer or if you have questions, please call (414) 368-0060 or email info@WrightInMilwaukee.org

Wright's Rollin Furbeck House To Market In The Chicago Suburbs

This 5,000 sq ft Illinois home marks a key transitional moment in Frank Lloyd Wright’s career, bridging his late 19th-century influences and his emerging Prairie School style.

Completed in 1897 in the affluent Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, the Elizabeth and Rollin Furbeck House sits just eight blocks from Frank Lloyd Wright’s own home and studio, finished eight years earlier. It borrows many of the same design elements and is one of the earliest examples of Wright’s signature style emerging from his earlier, more conventional commissions while working in the office of his mentor, Louis Sullivan, most notably its wide, hipped roof.

The large single-family home — a wedding gift from Rollin Furbeck’s father — is located in Oak Park’s Estate Section, where the largest, most elaborate homes were built. It features an open floor plan conceived for entertaining, with a large Inglenook fireplace anchoring the parlour. Early Prairie elements are visible in the low-hanging eaves, warm woodwork, leaded and stained glass windows, and built-in cabinetry and bookshelves.

Listed by Louise Nix of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago for $1.98m, the historically significant property is expected to draw strong interest from Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts.

This isn’t a museum piece, however. The current owners, who purchased the five-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home 30 years ago, have made sensitive updates, including a larger kitchen (a common challenge in Wright homes) and a revamped primary suite. They also added a heated in-ground pool to the expansive 13,000 sq ft lot — nearly double the size of most in Oak Park — and built a five-car garage.

Wright's K.C. DeRhodes House Hits The Market For $1.2 Million

The K.C. DeRhodes House in South Bend, Indiana, is a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home from 1906, considered one of the architect’s early masterpieces and the only true Prairie-style residence in Indiana. It’s currently on the market for $1.17 million. The house has been meticulously restored over the years, with significant work done by Suzanne and Tom Miller, who bought it in 1978 when it was in disrepair. They revived Wright's original features, including restoring 65 art-glass windows and painstakingly removing layers of paint from woodwork. Their efforts earned them a Wright Spirit Award in 2021.

The current owners, who purchased the home in 2022, invested $400,000 in modernizing the kitchen and baths, adding air conditioning, and installing an electric vehicle charger. Despite the updates, the house maintains its historical charm, blending Wright’s signature features like terraces, built-ins, and art-glass windows with modern living amenities. The home, set on a half-acre lot in the West Washington Historic District, also includes a finished basement and a two-car garage.

The house has an easement with the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in place to protect its integrity, ensuring any future restoration projects will be monitored. While it’s a unique blend of old-world charm and modern comfort, future owners may still want to make additional updates.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Teater's Knoll Opens For Rare Public Tour

On Saturday, June 7th, one of Idaho's architectural gems, Teater's Knoll, threw open its doors for a special fundraiser benefiting the Hagerman Valley Historical Society.

Tucked above the Snake River near Bliss, this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home from the early 1950s welcomed a small group of visitors for a rare peek inside the only building in Idaho crafted by the legendary architect.

Built as a studio for landscape painter Archie Teater, the house stands out with its quirky 120-degree angles, rugged Oakley stone sourced from nearby and jaw-dropping views of the canyon that seem to go on forever. It is not a sprawling mansion, but the compact design packs a punch, blending seamlessly with the surrounding craggy cliffs.

Guests hopped on a bus to reach the site and had a chance to wander through the cozy interior and striking exterior. Henry Whiting, the home's longtime owner, shared stories about its history and explained how Wright's vision, using eco-friendly materials, smart solar design and a deep connection to the landscape, brought the place to life.

The money raised will help keep the Hagerman Valley Historical Society Museum up and running. For those lucky enough to attend, the tour was more than just a look at a beautiful old house; it was a chance to see how architecture can capture the spirit of the land it calls home.

Want to know about next year's tour? Drop a line to hagermanhistory@gmail.com for updates on the 2026 Teater's Knoll event.

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