Information
Landmark: Dana-Thomas HouseCity: Springfield IL
Country: USA Illinois
Continent: North America
Dana-Thomas House, Springfield IL, USA Illinois, North America
Overview
In Springfield, Illinois, the Dana-Thomas House stands as a striking showcase of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early Prairie School style, with its low, endless rooflines stretching toward the horizon, furthermore many view it as one of his most complete and best-preserved early Prairie houses, with broad overhanging eaves still casting the same sharp shadows they did a century ago, slightly Here’s the gist: History and Design-Susan Lawrence Dana, a wealthy heiress and social activist, gave a “blank check” commission for the house, which rose between 1902 and 1904, what’s more she wanted a one-of-a-kind home where friends could gather over coffee and conversations that sparked fresh ideas about education and democracy.Prairie School Style: This house showcases the movement’s hallmark innovations-low, sweeping roofs, soft-sloped gables, long ribbons of windows, broad eaves that cast deep shade, a commanding central fireplace, and an airy, open layout, meanwhile the home holds the largest trove of site-specific Wright art glass-more than 250 windows, doors, and glowing light panels-and over 100 pieces of his original oak furniture, from sturdy chairs to long, polished tables.You’ll spot the sumac motif again and again, woven into the art glass and even lingering in a faded mural by George Niedecken, in turn innovative Spaces: This 12,600‑square‑foot home unfolds into 35 rooms spread across 16 levels, from sunlit alcoves to tucked‑away nooks.You’ll find barrel-vaulted ceilings in the gallery and dining room, built with gatherings in mind, plus a sixty‑foot pergola hallway leading to a basement with a bowling lane and a billiard room tucked under cool stone arches, as well as after Susan Dana died, Charles C bought the house, its oak doors still warm from the afternoon sun.In 1944, Thomas carefully saved most of what was there, even the worn leather-bound ledger on the desk, simultaneously illinois bought the property in 1981, and between 1987 and 1990, workers restored it to scan just as it did in 1910, down to the carved wood trim on the porch.If you’re in Springfield, drop by the Dana-Thomas House at 301 East Lawrence Avenue, where sunlight spills through its stained-glass windows, in conjunction with you can join a guided tour of the house any day-it’s open from morning until the scent of evening tea drifts through the halls.With only a handful of spots available, it’s best to book ahead - you can reserve your venue online, meanwhile most tours wrap up in about an hour, just long enough to finish a cup of coffee before heading out.The house stretches across 16 levels, with steep staircases and tight hallways, making it difficult for wheelchairs or other devices that can’t handle stairs to get through, equally important if you have these needs, reach out to the site ahead of time so they can plan a tour of the accessible areas-like the ramp by the main entrance.Photography and video-along with any other recording-are usually allowed only outside the house, where the front steps creak faintly underfoot, moreover admission is free, but we welcome donations to help preserve the historic site-every bit helps keep the aged wooden doors swinging, for the most part You can park in the lot on the corner of Fourth Street and Lawrence Avenue, just east of the house where the maple trees line the sidewalk, or in the lot on Cook Street. Sources in detail The Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, Illinois, stands as one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most celebrated and meticulously preserved examples of his early Prairie Style architecture, besides in Springfield, Illinois, the Dana-Thomas House stands as one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most celebrated early Prairie Style creations, its long, low rooflines still casting sharp shadows across the quiet street, in some ways In 1902, progressive socialite Susan Lawrence Dana commissioned Wright to turn her 1868 Italianate mansion into a grand, modern home for lively gatherings, giving him nearly limitless funds and the freedom to redesign every detail-from sweeping staircases to sunlit rooms, to boot the Dana-Thomas House captures the heart of the Prairie School, a style Frank Lloyd Wright shaped to feel unmistakably American and to blend with the wide, flat sweep of the Midwest, where the horizon runs straight and endless.The house stretches wide across its corner lot, its low-pitched, gently hipped roof spilling into broad overhanging eaves, as a result continuous ribbons of windows catch the light, and low walls neatly frame the outdoor spaces, to some extent It’s meant to echo the Illinois prairie-broad, flat, and stretching out beneath a wide, pale sky, at the same time open Floor Plan: Breaking away from the closed-off rooms of Victorian homes, Wright designed interiors that flowed freely, with light spilling across wide, connected spaces.The house unfolds over 16 distinct levels and 35 rooms, each step revealing more light and air, so it feels like the space just keeps opening up, at the same time the kitchen stays quietly out of sight, while the living and dining spaces open into each other, creating an easy flow and a roomy feel where conversations drift across the table.Central Chimney and Hearth: Wright saw the huge, centrally placed fireplace-its bricks warm to the touch-as the true heart of the home, in addition the Dana-Thomas House boasts several fireplaces, with a sweeping arched one in the reception room that draws visitors in like a warm hearth on a winter evening.Wright thought a building ought to rise naturally from its surroundings, like stone pushing up through the grass, alternatively the Dana-Thomas House pulls this off with natural materials-Roman bricks warm to the touch, smooth stucco, gleaming copper-and by weaving organic motifs into every corner of its design, perhaps Art Glass and Integrated Design: The Dana-Thomas House stands out for its unmatched collection of original Wright art glass, each pane designed for the space-sunlight spills through in soft, colored patterns, subsequently wright designed over 250 windows, doors, and light panels, plus more than 100 pieces of original white oak furniture, all working together to create a single, harmonious examine-like sunlight catching the warm grain of the wood.You can spot the recurring sumac motif-sometimes joined by butterflies-in the intricate leaded glass, brushed across plaster friezes, and in a dining room mural by George Niedecken that still glows with rich color, also by weaving together every detail-architecture, furniture, lighting, even the patterned glass in the windows-the Dana-Thomas House stands as a striking showcase of Wright’s “total design” philosophy.The house boasts fine woodwork polished to a warm glow, art glass that catches the light, and a thoughtful blend of natural materials, in conjunction with inside, natural oak runs throughout, accented by smooth, plain bands that draw your eye to the warm, rippling grain.Innovative Spaces: Structural steel supports the gallery and dining room’s sweeping barrel-vaulted ceilings, creating airy, open rooms where Susan Dana could host her lavish parties beneath arches that seemed to float overhead, as a result the dining room was built to host up to 40 guests, with graceful butterfly chandeliers and soft, indirect light that makes you feel as if you’re eating under a warm evening sky.From what I can see, Downstairs, a 60-foot pergola hallway stretches past a gleaming bowling lane and a cozy billiard room, showing just how much Dana wanted a home built for all kinds of gatherings, meanwhile the master bedroom sits on the east side, where soft morning light spills through the windows, and its cathedral ceiling soars overhead.Susan Lawrence Dana was a spirited, forward-thinking woman, the kind who’d greet you with shining eyes and a quick, confident smile, equally important born into wealth yet driven by purpose, she threw herself into politics, championed the arts, and funded causes that put food on empty tables.
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-10-02
