Love Great Architecture? - Here's the Wright Stuff!

The only Oregon building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was originally in Wilsonville, OR.

The house, designed for Conrad and Evelyn Gordon as a Usonian-style farm house is now located in Sllverton, next to the Oregon Garden. The house was moved to its present location in 2001 to prevent a threatened demolition after Evelyn Gordon's death.

In 2004 the Gordon House was recognized as a state architectural treasure and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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It is the only Wright designed house open to the public in the Pacific Northwest

Having read "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan, my book group decided to have our meeting in Silverton and tour the house. It was well worth the 60 minute trip south on a cool and cloudy day, the last Sunday of August. For $5.00 per person and advance reservations we had a lovely guided tour, with plenty of time for questions and browsing.

Wright's design sited the house with sweeping views of the Willamette River through windows on both sides of the Great Room. I wish I had seen that. It must have been spectacular!

Today the views are of massive oaks and farm land.

The Great Room, with reading nook.

The grid detail in the windows of the house was designed by Wright as a less expensive alternative to stained glass. Each piece of glass is inset between the cutout layers of plywood. Imagine the cost of that work today!

One of the wonderful features of the Master Bedroom are the unusual corner doors that open to a deck covered by an incredible cantilevered eaves.

All the floor to ceiling doors open for the lovely breezes of summer and fall evenings. Each room has the built in furniture for which Wright is known. The Western red cedar wood of the house adds warmth and adds contrast to the glass and block used throughout.

Can't recommend a visit to the Gordon House enough. It is a unique treasure to which Oregonians are fortunate to have access.