Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Home

Coming into Silverton from the south, there was The Oregon Garden. That sounded like a good place to take photos. Those spur of the moment decisions and quick reflexes barely gave me chance to warn those drivers in the rear view mirror of Silver Slug. "Hey guy. That license plate on this truck says I am a tourist." 

At any rate, once off the busy road and following the road back to the gardens was when I noted the sign pointing to the Frank Lloyd Wright designed home. Over the years, I have toured several of his designs. This was the first of his Usonian home design that I had an opportunity to tour. Built in the 1960s, the Gordon Home was moved to the grounds of The Oregon Garden less than ten years ago.

Designed for Gordon, a gentleman farmer, there are two entry doors -- one for the guests and the other for the dirt dragged in from the farm. 

The interior is the usual Wright maniacal attention to detail and the horizontal lines within the home. The entry area has a low ceiling like all of his homes -- opening into the great room of the home. I would have taken a photo, but the room was full of materials for a fund raiser. I opted for the corner sitting area to give a feel for the fret work theme of the windows that is throughout the home.

In the home's original location, this guest room allowed a view of Mt. Hood on the horizon. Wright designed all his homes so there was privacy without drapes. This was in complete contrast to the Victorian homes of his youth. His approach was to let the outdoors in.

Note the floor to ceiling doors. These doors are on all sides of the great room between all the supporting columns. This could certainly be described as an "open floor" plan.

After that wonderful tour of the Gordon home, I opted to pass on The Oregon Garden -- and headed back into the traffic that moves too fast on these back roads.