Saturday, July 7, 2018 - Taliesin, in Spring Green, Wisconsin

This is part of my series of visits to buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Taliesin was the home, studio and country estate of Frank Lloyd Wright in Spring Green, Wisconsin, which he completed in 1911 on a 600-acre property. It was rebuilt after a murder and fire in 1914, and reconstructed again in 1925 after another fire. Wright gave Taliesin to the Frank Lloyd Wright foundation upon his death in 1959, and they restored and continue to restore the home and its several nearby buildings, including a school of architecture.

I took the 4-hour "Estate Tour" of the property, which started (as do all tours) at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, involved a shuttle bus to the second Hillside Home School at the far end of the property, then a meandering walk back to the Taliesin Home, stopping at several other buildings and attractions on the rural property.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center is a sprawling horizontal restaurant / gift shop / tour starting point located on the banks of the Wisconsin River. It was designed as a restaurant in 1953 by Wright, and finally finished and opened in 1967, 8 years after his death. Here are my photos of that building:

Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Drone shot of the Wisconsin River from the parking lot of the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Drone shot of the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, on the banks of the Wisconsin River, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The restaurant at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The second Hillside Home School was designed by Wright in 1901 as a 1st-12th-grade school for his aunts. The school closed in 1915. The building was expanded several times, with a drafting studio in 1939, the Hillside Theater in 1955, and the Fellowship dining hall in 1955. The building is still used today as an architectural school.

These photos are of the exterior of the second Hillside Home School (mainly, the outside of the Assembly Hall)

Exterior of the Hillside School (mainly the Assenbly Hall) at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

A rare Frank Lloyd Wright cornerstone, on the exterior of the Hillside School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Assembly Hall in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Fireplace in the Assembly Hall in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Ceiling in the Assembly Hall in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

A corner of the Assembly Hall has a cut-out overlooking the Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Light, in Fellowship Dining Room, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Drafting Studio (we had to stand at the back, work was being done inside) and Gallery Space in the second Hillside School

Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Ceiling supports in the Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Drafting Studio, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Gallery Space, in the second Hillside Home School at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Lobby of the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

String Quartet Music Stand in the lobby of the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Light in the Hillside Theater at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Romeo and Juliet Windmill was designed and built by Wright to pump water to the second Hillside Home School.

Romeo and Juliet Windmill water pumping tower at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Tan-y-Deri, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The view out a window at Tan-y-Deri, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Taliesin grounds, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin, from Tan-y-Deri. Taliesin itself is the house on the hilltop at upper-left.

Tan-y-Deri, at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Midway Barn was designed by Wright and used for farming activities on the property.

Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Gas pump in one of the courtyards at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The first stop inside was at Frank Lloyd Wright's office and workroom. The stone vault in the center of the first two photos was used to store original drawings and valuable artwork (he was quite a collector, especially of Japanese artwork).

Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin. Stone vault at center was used to store original drawings and valuable artwork.

Fireplace in Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Wright's office and workroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Here are a couple of sights between the Office and the Living Room, the next major stop on the tour.

The Living Room was the next stop, and we spent a lot of time there. One corner of the living room (as in most FLW homes) held the musical instruments owned by the family.

Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin (note the string quartet music stand and benches in front of the piano)

Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The Music Corner of the Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin (string-quartet music stand and benches at bottom-right)

Living Room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Hallway, from the living room in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Living room, in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Small room just off the living room, in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin, leading to the cantlievered walkway

Terrace just outside the Loggia in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The cantilevered walkway at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Mrs Wright's bedroom in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

The loggia next to Frank Lloyd Wright's bedroom at Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Fireplace outside Frank Lloyd Wright's Bedroom (?) in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin

Frank Lloyd Wright's Bedroom (?) in Taliesin, in Spring Hill, Wisconsin