Burton J. Westcott Residence

The Westcott house was built in 1904 or 1907. Although Storrer lists 1904, he also mentions sources for 1907 and according to Matt Cline, who is working on the restoration project, they have found recent evidence to confirm that the house was built in 1907.

The house viewed from Greenmount Cemetery.
Photograph copyright © 2000 by the
Westcott House Foundation

I've not had the pleasure of visiting the building site in person yet, but wanted to post a photograph and encourage you to visit the official website and contact Matt Cline if you would like further information or would like to contribute to the restoration effort.

The house has two large concrete urns that reminded me of the urns found at the Imperial Hotel.

One of two urns located at the Westcott House.
Photograph copyright © 2000 by the
Westcott House Foundation.

If you have access to the Wasmuth folios (or more likely a reproduction :-) you will find the floorplan for this house on plate LIII. The Wasmuth folios reproduction Studies and Executed Buildings is currently in print (May 2001).

Andrew T. Porter Residence — Tan-y-deri

After hiking up the hill to see Romeo and Juliet, we walked a short distance to see the house that Wright built for his sister Jane and her husband Andrew Porter. The house was based on the design in a Fireproof House for $5000, an article published in the 1907 Ladies Home Journal. There is an excellent view of Taliesin from this hilltop. 

Tan-y-deri is Welsh for "under the oaks."

The house is in the process of being restored. We saw work being done on the flat roof (porch?) and our tour guide told us that the wiring in the house was unsafe now and would be replaced. Although Frank Lloyd Wright is noted for his wonderful custom art glass windows, he did make use of more common leaded glass in some of his earlier houses. You can see typical examples in the upper floor windows here.

Avery Coonley Residence

The Metropolitan Museum in New York has three windows from the Coonley Playhouse. As stated by Thomas A. Heinz in his Frank Lloyd Wright: Glass Art book: "The playful, random quality of the positions of the lines and flashed glass is among the finest examples of abstract art by any artist."

Unfortunately, I only had a low-resolution digital camera with me and flash was not permitted in the museum. I'm taking a photography course and am planning to upgrade to a better camera soon....

The museum also has an exhibit of the living room from the Francis W. Little Residence.