Following Prairie Style Architecture!

As a fan of the Prairie Style architecture, I seek it out when traveling. I love to see beautiful buildings built in this distinctive style. The Chicago Architectual website, describes the Prairie style. “The Prairie style emerged in Chicago around 1900 from the work of a group of young architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright. These architects melded the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement, with its emphasis on nature, craftsmanship and simplicity, and the work and writings of architect Louis Sullivan. They embraced Sullivan’s architectural theories, which called for non-derivative, distinctly American architecture rooted in nature, with a sense of place, but also incorporated modern elements, like flat planes and stylized ornamentation.”

One fine specimen of this stye I saw recently was the National Farmer’s Bank.

The National Farmer’s Bank, a Prairie Style

On a recent trip to Owatonna, Minnesota, my husband and I toured the National Farmers Bank. This amazing architectural gem was designed by Louis Sullivan. Sullivan is known as the “father of the skyscraper” and was Frank Lloyd Wright’s mentor.

Louis Sullivan designed a series of banks called Jewel Box banks across the Midwest. The National Farmer’s Bank is a representation of that design.  Another one I was lucky enough to visit is now Popli’s Ristorante located on 101 3rd Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids.

Bank History

There is a plaque across the street from the National Farmer’s Bank sharing the history. It was the banker, Carl Bennett who wanted a work of art to house his family banking business. In 1906, his search led him to Louis Sullivan. The plaque shares, “Together they created a magnificent home for the National Farmers’ Bank in the heart of downtown Owatonna. This brilliant collaboration of patron and architect produced what many consider the finest small-town bank in America. After helping to make Chicago the country’s architectural capital in the 1890’s, Sullivan came through with a bank design for Owatonna unlike any other. Believing that function and form of a building should complement one another, he conceived a structure resembling a treasure chest, a fitting image for a bank that housed people’s savings.”

Designed in the classic Prairie style, the bank features an arch within a square, then attached to a rectangular office building. Along with Sullivan’s building design, the bank also features the talent of his draftsman George Elsmlie, who designed much of the ornamental details. Elsmlie later became a noted Minnesota architect.

Built of sandstone the architectural design features two huge stained-glass windows framed by a terra cotta. The building also has gold leaf arcs, and 2-ton electroliers. Keith and I loved the murals depicting farm life in Steele County.

Today the bank is a Wells Fargo and is still open. The public as long as they don’t interfere with business. You can stop in and tour, this beautiful building. It is listed as one of the “11 Can’t Miss Stops On a Tour Of America’s Hidden Architecture Gems”.

Frank Lloyd Wright in Mason City

Mason City has been named one of the world’s best cities for architecture lovers. Since Mason City was on our way home, Keith and I decided to stop and tour! You can see Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture in both the Stockman House, and the Historic Park Inn and National Bank.

We first toured the Stockman house after watching a video where we learned that the Stockman House is described one of Wright’s middle-class homes. This is a bit deceiving because it is a bit more upper class! When Dr. Stockman and his wife Eleanor wanted a new home, they selected design by Wright that they admired in Ladies Home Journal. They loved the look and knew of Wright because their daughters had attended Spring Green school. This was where Frank Lloyd Wright’s mother was a teacher and they admired the school’s architecture.

Details of the Stockman House

The Stockman house is a symmetrical house built in 1908. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is the only Prairie School house in Iowa open to the public.

The Stockman’s stayed for only nine or ten years. The last family to live there, put the house up for auction, but no one bid! Eventually the Methodist Church, then located next door, wanted the land for a parking lot. They bought it and moved it here. The home was then purchased by a non-profit group who restored it. Besides the Stockman House, there are also other historic Prairie School Houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s associate Walter Burley Griffin and other Wright Associates.

Historic Park Inn

The Historic Park Inn is the last remaining hotel in the world designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is a tribute as they say on their website, “to the elegance of a bygone era”. This hotel is not just a house museum, but a place you can stay. On a hosted visit a couple of years ago, I had the chance to stay at the lovely inn! which offers 27 rooms maintaining the historical nature of Frank Lloyd Wright’s timeless design.

Soon after he designed the hotel, scandal rocked Frank Lloyd Wright and upset the building of the Park Inn Hotel and City National Bank. Wright took off for Europe with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, the wife of a client. After being married to his wife Catherine for 20 years, he abandoned his wife and children.  This left the development of the Historic Park Inn Hotel in hands of his associates. Wright leaving made his return to Mason City impossible, however, his abrupt departure opened up opportunities for his other associates. 

Completed in 1910, the Times Herald was supposed to move into the end section of the building, but they refused after Wright’s abrupt departure for Europe. In the 1920’s the Depression hit, and the National bank went under along with most of the banks in town. This is not the only bank that Frank Lloyd Wright ever built. He also built one in Dwight, Illinois, the Frank L. Smith Bank. Located along Route 66, this Prairie style bank is one of the stops along the Mother Road!

The rest of the story.

Lawyers moved out of the property and while the hotel remained open, then eventually, the property sold to A.A. Adams who changed the building. He added a third floor for retail shops.

Over time the building fell into ruin and was for sale on EBAY! Eventually local citizens bought it for a dollar and raised funds to restore it to its current beauty!

A day at the Dana Thomas House

Not long ago, my mom and sister and I decided to revisit the beautiful Dana Thomas House in Springfield, Illinois.

Early in his Frank Lloyd Wright’s career, this house was built for socialite Susan Lawrence Dana in 1902. It is special because the house is filled with furniture he created for the house.  The story of Susan Lawrence Dana could be a novel and as many already know Frank Lloyd Wright’s life and the women he loved have been the topics of many books as well.

The Dana Thomas website shares, “The home, the 72nd building designed by Wright, contains the largest collection of site-specific, original Wright art glass and furniture. Wright’s first “blank check” commission, the home has 35 rooms in the 12,000 square feet of living space which includes 3 main levels and 16 varying levels in all.”

The house is absolutely stunning. As Wright continued designing his techniques changed some, but the Prairie style will always be a favorite of mine!