Even if you know nothing about architecture, you have likely heard of Frank Lloyd Wright. Undeniably the most famous American architect, Wright designed over 1,000 structures throughout his life, from houses to apartments, chapels, museums, commercial buildings, and more. Of these, only 532 were completed.
The landscape in his home state of Wisconsin inspired his work immensely. Wright designed a total of 57 structures in Wisconsin, 45 of which were completed and are still standing today. Driving Wisconsin’s Frank Lloyd Wright Trail, which covers 200 miles and includes stops at nine of the architect’s most impressive works in the state, is an easy way to see a variety of his creations, including one of the eight Wright sites that are heritage-listed by the UNESCO.
While all nine sites on the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail are worth seeing, we selected the three that really can’t be missed — and one bonus.
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Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin
The gist: Taliesin can be considered the nerve center of Wright’s creativity and the basis of all of his architectural achievements. The estate also showcases multiple structures designed by Wright throughout his life and career, allowing visitors to see the progression of his artistry over the span of 50 years.
Taliesin, F. L. Wright's home for nearly 50 years, from above. Photo: Taliesin Preservation
Inside the architect's studio and the former home of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin. Photo: Taliesin Preservation
The Visitor Center spire at Taliesin. Photo: Taliesin Preservation
Initially built in 1911 and rebuilt after two devastating fires in 1914 and 1925, Taliesin, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was Wright’s home for nearly 50 years. Taliesin means “shining brow” in the architect’s ancestral Welsh language. The home is located on the edge of a hill in the Wisconsin River Valley in the southern part of the state, where Wright spent his childhood. According to the principles of organic architecture that he worked by, Wright used local limestone and Wisconsin River sand to build a home in harmony with its rural surroundings. While Taliesin is the name of the house, the 800-acre property comprises much more than one residential structure, including the Midway Barn, an agricultural building; the Hillside Studio and Theater, the architect’s studio and the former home of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; and Riverview Terrace, today the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center.
Address: 5607 County Road C, Spring Green, WI 53588, US
How to visit: Taliesin is located in a rural setting, one hour west of Madison and 2.5 hours from Chicago O’hare International Airport on the I-90. The Taliesin estate is open and hosts tours from April through November. Tickets are available for purchase online.
Where to eat: The on-site Riverview Terrace Café, open daily from May 1 to August 31 with reduced hours in the fall, serves lunch highlighting local and seasonal ingredients. While it is not a full-scale restaurant, the cafe fulfills the 1953 wish of Wright to have a restaurant in this particular building of the Taliesin estate.
Where to stay:The Usonian Inn LLC, located five minutes away from Taliesin, is the ideal place to stay for those who want to be fully immersed in Wright’s world, even at night. The Usonian Inn was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s apprentice, JC Caraway, in 1948, and opened for business in 1952. It is the only Usonian motel in the world.
SC Johnson Administration Complex in Racine, Wisconsin
The gist: The only corporate headquarters that Wright designed that remains operational to this day.
Inside the Great Workroom at the SC Johnson Administration Complex. Photo: Travel Wisconsin
The SC Johnson Administration Complex in Racine, Wisconsin. Photo: Travel Wisconsin
In 1936, H.F. Johnson, Jr. scrapped the plans for the SC Johnson complex in Racine and asked Wright to take over the project. “Anybody can build a typical building,” he later said of the project. “I wanted to build the best office building in the world, and the only way to do that was to get the greatest architect in the world.”
And Wright delivered. The shapes, colors, and materials used for the complex were strikingly innovative. For the Wax Administration Building (the tower of the complex), Wright used 43 miles of glass Pyrex tubing instead of windows to bring in diffused sunlight all day long. He also broke the code of the traditional office at the time by creating an open-plan workspace in the Great Workroom. The Great Workroom, with its slender, supporting concrete columns resembling giant lily pads, is likely the most surprising part of the entire complex. Wright worked on more than just the buildings. For this project, which cost $900,000 instead of the $200,000 initially budgeted, Wright designed 40 different pieces of furniture, including desks.
Address: 1525 Howe St, Racine, WI 53403, US
How to visit: The SC Johnson Administration Complex is located less than 45 minutes from downtown Milwaukee on I-94, and is about an hour away from the Chicago O’Hare Airport on I-94. Tours are free and open to the public with advance reservations.
Where to eat: If it’s time-warp type of day you’re after, make sure to break for lunch at the no-frills Kewpee Sandwich Shop, open since the 1920s. Reputed to have the best burger in all of Racine, it’s also a good place to enjoy an old-fashioned rootbeer float. Kewpee Sandwich Shop is located just five minutes away from the SC Johnson Administration Complex. Note that the establishment only accepts cash and does not take reservations — just like in the old days.
Where to stay:The Hotel Verdant, located five minutes away from the SC Johnson Administration Complex, is a modern, beautifully furnished, and sustainably designed hotel whose mission is to bring nature inside. The rooftop garden is an excellent place to admire the natural surroundings.
Burnham Block in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The gist: Wright’s only six system-built that are still standing. The homes, which are over 100 years old, show another facet of Wright’s architectural genius, one that is meant to benefit the larger public, no matter their budget.
Exterior of model B1 in Burnham Block in Milwaukee. Photo: Travel Wisconsin
Inside the living room at Model B1 in Burnham Block in Milwaukee. Photo: Travel Wisconsin
Burnham Block is not one Wright-designed structure but six in one location. The six small homes, built between 1915 and 1917, were examples of what the architect believed to be the future of affordable housing: beautiful yet mass-produced standardized homes, or “system-built homes.” Wright’s vision for the system-built homes was to save Americans money and reduce construction waste by getting all the parts needed for a home built off site in a factory and then assembling them on location.
Address: 2714 W. Burnham Street, Milwaukee, WI 53215 US
How to visit: Burnham Block is less than 20 minutes away from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, and less than 90 minutes away from Chicago O’Hare Airport on I-94. he public can tour the interiors of two homes on the Burnham Block while accompanied by trained docents. Tours last between 40 and 50 minutes and cover two homes: Model B1 and a Two-Family. Admission is $15 and advance reservations are required.
Where to eat:The Diplomat, less than 15 minutes away from Burnham Block, is lead by chef Dane Baldwin, winner of the 2022 “Best Chef Midwest” James Beard Award. Expect American fare with shareable plates at a reasonable price, as well as a large selection of wine, cocktail, and beer.
Where to stay nearby: 10 minutes away from Burnham Block, Saint-Kate is a modern and fun hotel located within walking distance from Milwaukee’s entertainment district. Amenities include record players and ukulele’s, and there’s a gallery space displaying local art.
Bonus: Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House in Madison, Wisconsin
The gist: Jacobs I is the first of 140 Usonian houses designed by Wright.
While not on Wisconsin’s Frank Lloyd Wright Trail, the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House, also known as Jacobs I because it was the first of two houses designed by Wright for the family, is one of the nine works by the architect to have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a must-see. Built in 1936-1937 for $5,500 (about $120,000 today), Jacobs I is considered to be Wright’s first and finest example of Usonian architecture, i.e. a style that the architect wanted to be become vernacular to the United states. In an attempt to bring something unique to the architectural landscape of the US, as well as something coherently integrated to its natural environment, Jacobs I was constructed out of natural material such as wood, stone, clay brick, and glass. Unlike the European-style houses that were commonplace in the US at that time, Jacobs I is an L-shaped, flat-roofed, one-level, single-family home with an open interior that positions the living room, dining room, and kitchen as one large space. The large expanses of glass ties the house and its residents to the natural world, an essential part of Wright’s architectural vision.
Address: 441 Toepfer Ave, Madison, WI 53711, US
How to visit: Jacobs I is located in Madison, just 10 minutes from the city center. The building is privately owned, but tours are available by appointment.
Where to eat: About 15 minutes away from Jacobs I, The Old Fashioned Tavern & Restaurant serves Wisconsin specialties, including cheese curds, fish fry, and 50 Wisconsin beers on tap.
Where to stay: Less than 15 minutes away from Jacobs I, the elegant Mansion Hill Inn is a 160-year-old cozy, yet luxurious, boutique hotel.
