Gordon House (Silverton, Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Gordon House
|
|
Front of Gordon House
|
|
 Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 869 W. Main St., Silverton, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Built | 1963 |
| Architect | Wright, Frank Lloyd; Goodrich, Burton G. |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement, Usonian |
| NRHP reference No. | 04001066 |
| Added to NRHP | September 22, 2004 |
The Gordon House is a special home designed by a very famous architect named Frank Lloyd Wright. It's now located inside the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. This house is a great example of Wright's idea for homes called "Usonian."
Wright wanted to design affordable homes for regular American families. These homes were part of his "Usonian" series. The Gordon House was one of the last homes he designed in this style. It was based on a modern home design that Life magazine asked him to create in 1938.
Contents
History of the Gordon House
The Gordon House was designed in 1957 for Evelyn and Conrad Gordon. It was finished in 1963, which was four years after Frank Lloyd Wright passed away.
Original Location and Move
The house was first built near Wilsonville, Oregon. It was placed there to offer beautiful views of the Willamette River and Mount Hood. After Evelyn Gordon died in 1997, the house was sold. The new owners wanted to tear it down to build a bigger, newer house.
However, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy stepped in to save the historic house. This group works to protect Wright's buildings. In 2001, they got permission to carefully take the Gordon House apart. They planned to move it to the Oregon Garden, which is about 21 miles (34 km) away.
Moving and Rebuilding the House
The Building Conservancy worked with the Oregon Garden Society and the City of Silverton. They started taking the house apart on March 9, 2001. The house was moved in four large pieces. The top floor, which had two bedrooms and a bathroom, was moved as one big section.
The house needed some repairs because it had been neglected. Its siding (the outside covering) and roof were fixed. This was made possible by grants from the Architecture Foundation of Oregon and the Oregon Cultural Trust. A new foundation, just like the original one, was built for the house in its new location.
The Gordon House Today
One year after it was moved, the Gordon House opened to the public. It is now the only Frank Lloyd Wright home in the Pacific Northwest that people can visit.
Design and Features of the Gordon House
The Gordon House has about 2,133 square feet (198 square meters) of space. The living room has tall windows and glass French doors that are 12 feet (3.7 meters) high. This design, along with Wright's classic horizontal lines, helps connect the inside of the house with the outside.
The second floor has two bedrooms, and each one has its own private balcony. The house's design is based on a seven-foot square grid. A large, windowless concrete block section forms the walls of the small basement and kitchen. This block extends above the roof, hiding vents and a big skylight for the kitchen.
The house is built from cedar wood and painted cinder blocks. It also features Wright's special custom wood patterns around the windows, known as fretwork.
The Gordon House was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 22, 2004. The Gordon House Conservancy takes care of it. You can rent the house for small events, or take public tours when it's not reserved. It works as a historic house museum.
Gallery
-
Main entrance near carport is door at right; the left service door enters between kitchen and laundry
-
Gordon House living room exterior features 12 foot floor-to-ceiling windows; the steps and foundation replicate the original
-
Overview shows chimney concealed for enhanced horizontal lines
-
Fretwork of Gordon House
-
East side
-
Front
-
Northeast corner
-
Living room configured for a small event
See also
- Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy
- List of Frank Lloyd Wright works
- List of Registered Historic Places in Marion County, Oregon
