New Book Explores Frank Lloyd Wright's Summer Cottage

Expand

About an hour south of Milwaukee sits Delavan Lake, an almost 2,000-acre body of water that today is visited mostly by anglers but in the early years of the 20th century was a destination retreat and a popular vacation resort for wealthy Chicagoans.

As turn-of-the-century Chicago heat drove affluent families to build summer “cottages” along the shores of Wisconsin lakes, famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright was also making his mark on midwestern architecture. Between 1900 and 1905, Wright was commissioned to build five private homes on Delavan Lake, the largest of which was Penwern, designed for Chicago entrepreneur Fred B. Jones. Penwern, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, offers more than 6,500 square feet of interior living space as well as more than 2,000 square feet of decks and porches, all providing grand views of Delavan Lake.

At the time of its construction, Penwern boasted ambitious architectural details, from the sweeping arches above the main entrance and central porch, to the attached tower where the bachelor Jones was said to host card games for business associates and friends. The property features multiple buildings in addition to the main house, including a boathouse created with strong Japanese influences, a gatehouse highlighted by Gothic towers and a stable and greenhouse that both espouse traditional Wright design aspects.

Award-winning photojournalist Mark Hertzberg’s book, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Penwern: A Summer Estate, beautifully captures the historic early days of life on Delevan Lake. Hertzberg is the author of three books about Wright and serves on the board of directors of the Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin Tourism Heritage Program. He will speak at the Milwaukee Public Library Central Branch (Rare Books Room) on Tuesday, July 9, at 6 p.m. in an event co-sponsored by Boswell Book Co.