Day trips come in several varieties. Some are simple, short jaunts over to the next county; others require more planning and a lengthier drive. Still longer trips are possible, but usually go best if the driving is left to the professionals.
That last type describes a day trip I took over the summer to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, two of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces in southwestern Pennsylvania. Personally, I’d rather not be stuck behind the wheel for six hours, which puts a damper on the entire experience for me. So, a bus trip sponsored by the arts group, Plein Air Camp Hill, seemed like the perfect way to ride.
Getting Started
Even if you’re not doing the driving yourself, a day trip to Fallingwater does require one sacrifice—you have to get up very early. I boarded the bus about 7:30 a.m., my energy boosted by the large cinnamon chip muffin, bottle of water and juicy red apple that I was handed immediately.
Barbara McGeary, a board member with Plein Air Camp Hill, served as our guide for the trip. I asked her about our sponsors. “We coordinate the Plein Air Festival in Camp Hill each year,” she said. “Also, we’re the same group restoring the former Schaeffer School [in Camp Hill] and turning it into an arts and learning center. It’s been a busy time for all of us.”
Our bus trip was technically to the former homes of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar J. Kaufmann (Fallingwater) and Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Hagan (Kentuck Knob). Though now tourist destinations, Wright originally built the houses on commission from these two prominent Pennsylvania families to serve as their private residences. They are near one another, about a three-hour drive from Harrisburg.
Frank Lloyd Who?
Wisconsin-born Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures. He began his professional training as a civil engineer at the University of Wisconsin, but quickly turned to architecture under the tutelage of Louis Sullivan of Chicago.
Our guide at Fallingwater shared with us that Wright had a long but tumultuous life. He had three marriages and seven children, at one point abandoning his family and fleeing to Europe with the wife of one of his clients. The scandal that erupted temporarily destroyed Wright’s reputation as an architect in the United States. Even upon his return, tragedy followed as, in 1914, a male servant murdered his mistress and six other people before setting fire to Taliesin, the home Wright had built for her in Wisconsin.
Through all of this hardship and heartbreak, Wright continued to design buildings. During the last years of his life, Wright designed the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, probably his most recognized masterpiece. Its unique central geometry allows visitors to experience the Guggenheim collection by taking an elevator to the top level, then view the artwork by walking down the slowly descending, central spiral ramp.
Wright also designed many of the interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass. He authored 20 books, many articles, and was a popular lecturer in the United States and Europe. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects recognized Wright as the greatest American architect of all time.
First Stop: Fallingwater
Fallingwater is one of Wright’s most famous and acclaimed works. Edgar Kaufmann, a successful businessman from Pittsburgh, bought 500 acres near Bear Creek Run in the Laurel Highlands and commissioned Wright to build a home near the waterfalls on the property.
Wright believed in designing structures in harmony with their environment. He called this philosophy “organic architecture,” and we saw it in the design of Fallingwater. Wright wanted the new residents to live with the waterfalls, to make them part of their everyday lives. He didn’t want the Kaufmanns to just look at the falls every now and again.
Constructed over a 30-foot waterfall, the house may look big on the outside, but, inside, it actually is quite small. This surprised me because I nearly banged my head as I entered the front door and had to duck as I walked throughout the house.
There are three bedrooms and a large combination living room and dining room. Designers of the time included many walled-off rooms, which Wright believed put the residents in a box. Wright’s philosophy was to eliminate visual barriers, which he did at Fallingwater, enabling the family’s life to be integrated with the out-of-doors.
Juniata County native Jean Tuzinski remembers visiting Fallingwater years ago. “After we finished our tour,” she said, “we had so much fun wading in the water downstream from the falls.” Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to experience that on this trip.
The construction of Fallingwater was developed through a series of cantilevered balconies and terraces. Constructed of sandstone taken from the property and built by local craftsmen, the house was begun in 1935 and completed in 1939, when a guesthouse and service wing were added. It was the Kaufmanns’ weekend retreat until 1953. The house cost $155,000, making it one of Wright’s most expensive homes.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has preserved Fallingwater since 1963, with a major structural repair in 2002, strengthening the cantilevers to repair and prevent structural deflection. This wonderful gift from the Kaufmanns is truly a treasure for future generations.
Next Up: Kentuck Knob
After touring Fallingwater, we stopped for lunch at the Mill Run Grille in Mill Run, Pa. I thoroughly enjoyed my steak salad, complete with homemade rolls, then topped off lunch with a fresh slice of homemade cherry pie and a scoop of ice cream on the top. Feeling refueled, it was off to our second stop on the daylong Wright tour—Kentuck Knob.
The name Kentuck Knob is credited to the late 18th-century settler David Askins, who planned to move from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. When he settled in western Pennsylvania, he decided to name his property Little Kentuck. Ever since then, the property has been known as Kentuck Knob.
In 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Hagan purchased 80 acres of mountain land near Fallingwater. Friends of the Kaufmanns, they commissioned Wright to design their home. As opposed to the more lavish design of Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob is a small, one story “Usonian” house.
Wright felt that a house of moderate cost was not only America’s major architectural problem, but the problem most difficult for major architects to solve. This inspired him to design the Usonian home, the concept of an affordable home to serve the masses, one uniquely American.
Kentuck Knob’s construction materials of native sandstone and tidewater red cypress blend naturally with the surroundings. An open floor plan and great expanses of glass integrate the inside of the house with the outside. Standing on the grounds just behind the back terrace, I was treated to a breathtaking view of the Youghiogheny River Gorge and the Laurel Highlands that surround it.
Our tour of the Kentuck Knob site was enhanced by the chance to see the many sculptures in the gardens and woods around the property. I particularly enjoyed the two sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy, who builds his art in natural surroundings with local materials.
In 1986, Lord Peter Palumbo, a British property developer and art collector, bought the property as a vacation home. He has since moved to a nearby home, providing an opportunity for the public to tour the house.
After seeing Kentuck Knob, I joined the others back on the bus. Our group ended the trip that night with wine and cheese, chocolate chip cookies and, yes, a pleasant and quiet snooze before we arrived back at Camp Hill at about 9 p.m.
So, the next time you think about taking a long day trip, why not seek out a guided bus trip? You can relax, enjoy good food, meet interesting people and, most importantly, sit back, enjoy the trip and as they say, “Leave the driving to us.” I think you’ll find this departure from the typical trip to be refreshing and a lot of fun.
Fallingwater
https://www.fallingwater.org
Kentuck Knob
https://kentuckknob.com
Plein Air Camp Hill
https://pleinaircamphill.org
Don Helin published his first thriller, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in 2009. His second, “Devil’s Den,” has been selected as a finalist in the Indie Book Awards. His third, “Secret Assault,” will be published in Spring 2014. Contact him at www.donhelin.com.
