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Long and narrow windows bear the ceiling create a sense of spaciousness as well. Wright also made the house seem bigger than it is by creating an open floor plan, living the cypress boards and brickwork horizontally and designing store and furniture that would not fill and overwhelm the house. Today, the house is seen as an origin of Usonian thinking that influenced modern American homes. Wright designed this 1,200-square-foot house at a total cost of $7,000 for a journalist earning a $50-a-week salary.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House
The two-bedroom, one-bath house with a den measures 1,200 square feet, but it seems bigger inside, thanks to Wright’s combination of high ceilings, large expanses of glass, and an open floor plan. Even the kitchen, which only holds one person comfortably, feels airy, with its tall slot window that floods the space with light. The roof restoration was finished in October 2023, making the project about sixteen weeks in total, costing around $250,000 in the end. For a home that’s only about 1200 square feet, this number may seem a bit high, but when you factor in its compelling history and world-renowned architect behind its design, the value today is truly priceless. The roofing project included complete removal and replacement of the existing protective roofing material, as well as all of the copper gravel stop flashing installed in 1995. Prior to the start of roof work, areas of concern where minor leaking had occurred were accounted for.
Location
As highway bulldozers aimed Route 66 at Marjorie’s property, the team of preservationists scrambled to devise a rescue campaign. Unfortunately, for all its marvel and wonder, the house could not protect the Popes from tragedy. In the later days of the spring they moved in, baby Ned embraced his newfound knack for walking. He roamed the nearby woods with his friend, a little girl who lived next door. With the innocent curiosity of any young child, “his attention had been attracted by the ducks in the pond” and he waddled into the water.[29] Although not very deep, the boy drowned before his parents could reach him.
Journey to Woodlawn
The Pope-Leighey House, named for its only previous owners, is modest in size at only 1,200 square feet. Bounded by the humble budget of the Pope family, who commissioned the house from Wright in 1939, this structure nonetheless exhibits the distinct features characteristic of his formidable vision and style. The architectural element of compression and release, the cantilevered roofs, and the windows that open to the outside create an immediate interaction with the surrounding landscape. They also create a sensation of spaciousness and allow plenty of sunlight into the home. This house seems to reach far beyond its square footage and exudes the cleverness and comfort of true mid-century design. The heated concrete floors are one in a series of surprises I encounter during my visit to Pope-Leighey House, dedicated as a National Trust Historic Site in 1965.
CURRENT PROJECTS: POPE-LEIGHEY HOUSE’S NEW ROOF
National Trust for Historic Preservation members receive one FREE single house or combo tour admission. Plan to be on site for up to 1-1.5 hours if you are taking one tour and up to 2-2.5 hours if you are taking both tours. Tour Woodlawn Manor and Pope-Leighey House in the George Washington Memorial Parkway Corridor. View the vast differences in architecture from the early 1800’s to 1900’s in a unique juxtaposition along US Route 1. We believe that historic places and sites of all types and periods are obligated to be places of truth-telling and inclusivity.
Time your tour accordingly
Although Pope-Leighey House is a relatively young house within the surrounding preservation community of Virginia, its history is highlighted by recognition of its architectural significance and its stakeholders’ efforts to protect it. After Loren and Charlotte Pope sold the property to Robert and Marjorie Leighey, the house was subject to demolition with the planned construction of a Falls Church, VA, segment of Interstate 66. Marjorie Leighey took considerable steps to raise awareness of the house in an effort to save it from demolition, even enlisting the personal efforts of Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall.
The flat roof with a cantilevered carport, heated concrete floor slab and uniform treatment of the interior and exterior walls are features consistent with other Usonian designs. In 1963, the structure sat in the path of a highway expansion project and faced demolition. It was donated by the then-owner to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and, in 1965, moved 15 miles away to Woodlawn, which was originally part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. In 1995, due to the instability of the clay soil, the house had to be moved 30 feet uphill, where it still stands today. As a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, we believe all Americans deserve to see their history in the places that surround us.
Originally built in Falls Church, Virginia, in 1941, the home was commissioned by newspaper columnist Loren Pope. In 1963, the home came under threat of demolition due to the expansion of Interstate 66. Marjorie Leighey, then a widow, campaigned to save the home, eventually striking a deal with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to move the house to Woodlawn in exchange for lifetime tenancy at that site.
Homeschool Day at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House - Alexandria Living Magazine
Homeschool Day at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
t Annual woodlawn Needlework Show
In the Spring of 2024, all exterior wood will be cleaned and re-treated to give the house a uniform appearance. In recent years, it became apparent that it was time to evaluate the current state of the building's roof, identify any issues, and work to address them in order to ensure the home’s stability. Today, our staff is dedicated to telling a more complete version of Woodlawn’s history and partnering with our community to steward the land and these historic buildings for future generations. Subsequent owners of Woodlawn mansion, attracted by romanticized ideas of the antebellum South, repaired and preserved the home for their own uses.
Wright, who liked to be involved at every step of the process, visited the site of construction several times. Frank Lloyd Wright’s connection to Arizona, the location of his personal winter home Taliesin West, runs deep, with his architectural influence seen all over the Valley. Here, PhD student David R. Richardson gives a brief overview of several of Wright’s most notable projects in the Grand Canyon state.
Experts reached a solution that cleans and protects the siding from biological growth and UV rays, yet some of the weathering will remain. Narrow wood Dutchman, small wood-grafts used to repair cracked and damaged wood, were also completed to provide a more stable exterior skin. In 2023, we are currently working on a project to repair the roof at Pope-Leighey House. This work will also return the home’s exterior to what would have been Frank Lloyd Wright’s original design.
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