New book spotlights Dana-Thomas House
State historic site among famed homes profiled in ‘Frank Lloyd Wright: The Rooms’

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[November 11, 2014]  SPRINGFIELD – The Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site has earned a prominent spot in a new book about the most amazing interiors designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Dozens of photos from the Dana-Thomas House fill “Frank Lloyd Wright: The Rooms” by Margo Stipe with photographer Alan Weintraub. Stipe calls the home “a stunning work of art, a huge jigsaw puzzle of mesmerizing details.”

The book is available at the Dana-Thomas House’s Sumac Shop, which is open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Among the home’s details that get particular mention in Stipe’s book are the arched entry, with its butterfly-themed art glass; the vaulted-ceiling dining room; and the spacious master bedroom.

The Dana-Thomas House was built for Springfield socialite Susan Lawrence Dana, who gave the young architect almost complete control. “The house was Wright’s first opportunity to explore the realm of possibilities without the fetters of budgetary constraint and he rose to the occasion,” Stipe writes.


“Frank Lloyd Wright: The Rooms” is published by Rizzoli International Publications Inc. It says, “By focusing specifically on the rooms Wright created, this book gives an unparalleled exploration of the interiors and decorative arts of an architectural master.”

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Author Margo Stipe is curator and registrar of collections at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Taliesin West, and the author of “Frank Lloyd Wright: The Interactive Portfolio.” Alan Weintraub is a widely published architectural photographer whose books include “Frank Lloyd Wright: The Houses” and “Frank Lloyd Wright: American Master.”

The Dana-Thomas House was built between 1902 and 1904. It is perhaps the best-preserved of Wright’s “Prairie Style” homes, with more than 400 pieces of specially made art glass and original furnishings.

The house, located at 301 E. Lawrence Street (Fourth and Lawrence) in Springfield, is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. For more information, visit www.dana-thomas.org.

[Justin Blandford, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]

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