Kentuck Knob: Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania. January, 2003

I finally got a chance to visit Kentuck Knob with some fresh snow on the ground.  The home is beautiful!!!  As usual, I took the in-depth tour when I visited.  So far I've always had a private tour when I do this.  It is a wonderful opportunity to spend some quiet time in a Frank Lloyd Wright home with a knowledgeable guide to answer your questions give her views and experiences with the house.  Patricia was my guide this morning and she had me looking at the home in many different ways. 

Kentuck Knob from the driveway.  Fish-eye lens.

The clouds kept rolling in and out.  Some of the photos had good sunlight and others were pretty gray.  I like the gray ones.  They give you an idea of how cold it was walking around the outside of the home for over an hour snapping photos.  :)

Front door looking towards prow.

Patricia talked about a lot of the work that was done after the home burned.  The fire happened after the Hagans had sold the house to Lord Palumbo and the renovations had started.  It is always a shame when a historic monument like Kentuck Knob burns, but at the same time, it forced the renovations to be done at a level that might not otherwise have been proposed.  The only reason I say this is that I was looking at some photos of Kentuck Knob that were taken before the Hagans sold the home in a book, The Vision of Frank Lloyd Wright by Thomas A. Heinz.  If you look at the photo above, you'll see how perfect the boards are that go along the edge of the roof.  In the photos that I saw from the early 1980s, the boards were not straight and definitely needed to be refinished.  The mortar between the stones on the kitchen wing was pretty deeply etched away.  They are now in perfect shape.  It shows the level of work that was done during the renovation.  This home is in wonderful shape. 

Looking towards carport. Windows with snow.

Heinz goes on to describe Kentuck Knob in this way, "Where Fallingwater is flamboyant, the Hagan house is restrained."  I completely agree with this statement.  And therein lays the beauty of this home.  There is an elegance and simplicity to this home that completely draws you in and makes you want to live there.  Fallingwater is a wonderful place to visit, and I would trade my favorite mountain bike to be able to spend the night there, but I'm ready to move into Kentuck Knob and never leave.  

Carport from Front door

Terrace off Dining Room

Wall Looking towards prow.

This photo to me emphasizes the boat-like nature of Kentuck Knob.  From this angle it looks like the house is cutting its way through rough waters towards the trees. 

Kentuck Knob from below.

Skylight with snow

Each of the skylights collected snow in a unique way depending on how the wind ran over the top of the house.  This was my particular favorite. 

Terrace

Skylights over prow

Terrace and wall from prow

Terrace looking from prow

Living room and front door from driveway

Work room and carport

Carport and work room with fish eye lens

Front door and living room with fish eye lens

Work room roof and windows

Driveway lamp

Living room and prow

Prow and skylights

Skylights from below

Prow and skylights

The native stone dominates the view from below the prow.  I love the way the roof line does not match up with the outline of the stone work. 

Prow with fish eye lens

I couldn't resist playing with the fish-eye lense from the point of the prow.  Though this photo is completely out of proportion, I love the way it looks. 

Skylights and prow with fish eye lens

Home from road below

Inside of the bathroom door????

I know, this is totally out of place.  I probably shouldn't have even taken this photo.... But I couldn't resist.  I was given the opportunity to powder my nose in an original Frank Lloyd Wright bathroom and I took it.  This is my proof that I got to use the bathroom. 

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