A Frank Lloyd Wright Treasure for Rent

The Seth Peterson Cottage sits on a bluff overlooking Mirror Lake near Lake Delton, Wisconsin. It was one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last commissions, and was completed in 1959, the year of Wright’s death. Very little was published about this building when it was originally constructed. However, when the building was rehabbed in the late 1980s, the work was acclaimed as one of Wright’s most architecturally significant designs.

The cottage features a combined living room/dining room with a central fireplace, a tiny kitchen, a small bedroom and bath. The main room feels amazingly large since it features a sloped roof. The room’s height measures only 6 feet 8 inches at the wall behind the sofa, but rises to 12 feet on the opposite wall of windows.

This cottage, tucked in a quiet spot in Mirror Lake State Park is open to the public for tours on the second Sunday of each month, and can also be rented for overnight use . Although the cottage is booked months in advance, it is a popular destination for Frank Lloyd Wright admirers who want to actually “reside” for a day or two in a Frank Lloyd Wright home.

— Bo Mackison is a writer and photographer from the Madison area, and a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. She recently discovered the Seth Peterson Cottage and plans on spending a winter’s night there in early 2009. Visit her galleries at Seeded Earth Photography to see more Wisconsin photos.

Taliesin – Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio

Mr. Wright's View from his Bedroom

Frank Lloyd Wright grew up in these hills near Spring Green, Wisconsin, located about 30 minutes west of Madison. He worked on several of his uncles’ farms in the Spring Green area during his youth, and as he didn’t particularly enjoy farm chores, he often wandered up on this hill to enjoy the view. As an adult, he designed Taliesin, his famous home and studio, and nestled it into the same hillside.

Taliesin, where FLW lived and worked for nearly 50 years, has only recently been opened to the public. Seen only by guided tour, you are offered intimate glimpses of Wright’s home, studio and gardens, all designed by the architect who was one of the leaders of the Prairie School Architectural movement. The living spaces are decorated with furnishings of his design and Asian art which he collected and used as an integral part of his living environment.

Tours leave from the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitors’ Center, another nearby FLW building, and are available from May through October. Call 588-7900, area code 877, or visit Taliesin for more information.

— Bo Mackison is a Wisconsin photographer who totes her camera throughout the State. She loves Frank Lloyd Wright and his many architectural wonders and highly recommends the tour. To see other photos by Bo, visit her gallery at Seeded Earth Photography.

Monona Terrace’s Roof Garden

summer spectacle of flowers

Nearly everyone in Madison can identify the Monona Terrace Convention Center, a beauty of a building designed by notable architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and located downtown on the shore of Lake Monona. But not everyone knows there is a remarkable garden with citizen access on its roof.

The William T. Evjue Rooftop Garden is currently ablaze with prairie-style flowers in the planters and plenty of space to enjoy the panoramic views. To the south is Lake Monona with the city of Monona peeking from the far shoreline. To the north are awesome views of the State Capitol Building, many downtown buildings including the Madison Club and the Hilton pictured here. The near east and near west sides of Madison are also visible.

If you have a camera, be sure to come visit just after sunset. You can take a photograph of the Capitol “springing” from the roof’s fountain. See the photo Capitol as Night Falls for an idea of what you might shoot.

The rooftop gardens are open Sunday through Thursday from 8 am to 10 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 8 am to midnight. For further information, call (608) 261-4000.

— Bo Mackison is a Madison writer and photographer who loves finding fun places to enjoy nature and take photographs. See her photo gallery at Seeded Earth Photography.