Frank Lloyd Wright in Wisconsin Quiz

Answer: Caledonia

Wingspread was designed by Wright in 1939 as a private residence for SC Johnson CEO Herbert Fisk Johnson, Jr. The building was designed shortly after Wright finished the corporate headquarters in Racine. The Johnson family lived in Wingspread until 1959, and then turned the house over to the Johnson Foundation.

Since then, the building has been used for educational conferences. National Public Radio and the National Endowment for the Arts have their roots at Wingspread.

Full disclosure: I attended several meetings of the Racine School Board at Wingspread. It is a beautiful building. In 1989 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

To visit: Wingspread is at 33 East Four Mile Road in Wind Point, Wisconsin. From Highway 32, it is a few miles east and on the south side of the street. Tours are available.

Answer: Columbus

The E. Clarke and Julia Arnold house is one of Wright's later works, designed in 1955-56. It is a diamond module house, with angles of 60 or 120 degrees, and is built of Wisconsin limestone and redwood. The home is built around an ancient oak tree. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The house is located at 954 Dix Street, on the west side of Columbus. It is located a few blocks east of US Highway 151, along state highway 60.

Interestingly enough, the house is not the biggest architectural landmark in Columbus. That would be Farmers and Merchants Bank, which was designed by Wright's mentor, Louis Sullivan.

Answer: Lake Delavan

Lake Delavan offers one of the most concentrated examples of Wright's work anywhere, with five homes all within a few blocks of each other. The first was the Henry Wallis House, built in 1900. Wright was just starting out as an independent architect and got commissions from the wealthy residents of homes on Lake Delavan. Other notable homes include the AP Johnson House, built in 1905, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Wallis cottage is at 3407 S Shore Drive, which predictably is along the south shore of Lake Delavan. You will pass several other Wright homes on the way. The cottage is about 1.5 miles east of the town, which is just east of US Highway 14.

Answer: Madison

Frank Lloyd Wright drew the first plans for Monona Terrace in 1938. The building was not completed until 1997, 38 years after Wright's death. The project was revived in 1990 by Mayor Paul Soglin and approved in a 1992 referendum. Construction finally began in 1994. It is one of the most beautiful convention centers in the United States.

The building is still remarkably futuristic, and has a fabulous setting along Lake Monona. Full disclosure: I have been to several events at the Monona Terrace, and it is a remarkable building. Monona Terrace is in the heart of downtown Madison, a few blocks south of the State Capitol.

Other works by Wright in Madison include the Robert Lamp House (1903), Eugene Gilmore House (1908), Herbert Jacobs House (1936-37) and Walter Rudin house (1957).

Answer: Milwaukee

The Burnham Block is a series of American-System Built homes constructed in 1916. They are an excellent example of Wright's belief in affordable housing. The homes contain many signatures of Wright's style, including flat roofs.

The Burnham Block is at 2732 West Burnham, just west of 27th Street on Milwaukee's near south side. The model B1 home at 2714 West Burnham is open for tours. Tours are available most Saturdays.

Answer: Racine

Wright designed the headquarters of the SC Johnson corporation between 1936 and 1939. They are done in the Streamline Moderne Style. The building is best known for its Great Workroom, which contains soaring columns. The building was named as a National Historical Landmark in 1976. Wright added a research tower in 1950, one of only two high rise buildings he created.

Due to safety concerns, the buildings are no longer used a workspace. However, SC Johnson does offer tours of the buildings.

The SC Johnson Administration building is located at 1525 Howe Street in Racine, between 14th and 16th streets, with the research tower a few hundred feet west.

Other notable work by Wright in Racine includes the Thomas Hardy House (1319 South Main) and the Keyland Boyd House (1425 Valley View Drive, Mt Pleasant, 1954)

Answer: Richland Center

The German Warehouse was actually designed because Wright owed the owner a bill. It is constructed in a Mayan Revival style, and built mainly from concrete. It was begun in 1917 and completed in 1921. Tours of the building are available between May and October.

The Albert German Warehouse is at 300 South Church Street in Richland Center. The town is about an hour west of Madison, right along US Highway 14. The building is at the intersection of Church and Heseltine (County Highway N).

Answer: Shorewood Hills

The First Unitarian Society church is one of Wright's later buildings. It was constructed between 1949 and 1951. The church was named a National Historical Landmark for its architecture in 2004. Wright was actually a member of the church, which his parents helped found. The building is distinctive for its prow-like roof.

First Unitarian is at 900 University Bay Drive in Shorewood Hills, a suburb just west of Madison. The church is directly west of the University of Wisconsin hospital complex.

The church is open for visits Tuesday through Thursday between 10 and 2, and has regular Sunday worship services. There is a virtual tour of the church on-line.

Another notable work in Shorewood Hills is the John Pew House at 3650 Lake Mendota Drive (1940).

Answer: Spring Green

Taliesin was Wright's design studio between 1911 and his death in 1959. It contains buildings from throughout his career. It was named a National Historical Landmark in 1976 and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. The site was built in several stages, with the first beginning in 1911 amidst the scandal of Wright divorcing his wife to be with a client's wife.

Taliesin is located directly south of the town of Spring Green. Take Highway 23 across the Wisconsin River and head west on County Highway C.

Other notable Wright works in Spring Green include Unity Chapel (1886), Romeo and Juliet Windmill (1896), Hillside Home School (1902), Andrew Porter House (1907), Rest Haven Motel (1952) and Wyoming Valley Grammar School (1957).

Answer: Wauwatosa

Annunciation Church is one of Wright's later works, designed in 1956 and completed in 1961, after his death. The church is notable for its "flying saucer" design. Wright's design is a modern interpretation of the Byzantine form, in keeping with the church's roots. The church is among the many Wright buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

The church is at 9400 West Congress Street in Wauwatosa. The church is just west of the intersection of 92nd and Grantosa Drive, close to Madison Park. Tours of the church are available through their website.