Bernardine and I.N. Hagan saw the home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright called Fallingwater in 1953. Fallingwater was owned by the Kaufman family and the Hagans loved the dwelling. They contacted Frank Lloyd Wright and asked him to design a home for them to be placed on the 80 acres they had recently purchased in Western Pennsylvania.
At this time in his life Frank Lloyd Wright was 86-years-old and working on a variety of projects including the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He agreed to design the Hagan’s home. When the home was complete he had never set foot there except briefly during the construction phase.
The Hagans moved into Kentuck Knob on July 29, 1956, which happened to be their 26th wedding anniversary. They loved the beautiful woodland hills and valleys surrounding their home.
In 1986 the Hagans sold the Kentuck Knob to Lord Palumbo of England. Kentuck Knob is a small one story usonian house, usonian, meaning affordable for the common people. Considered a signature design of Wright, it sits just below the crest of the hills and appears almost part of the mountain itself.
The house’s construction materials are native sandstone and tidewater red cypress that easily blend in with the surrounding woodlands. The truly functional kitchen is the architectural core of the home. Its stone walls anchor the two wings of the house and rise up to pierce the horizontal line of the roof made from copper. An open floor plan incorporates the great expanses of glass that surround it. The home provides an impressive view of the Youghiogheny River Gorge and the beautiful Laurel Highlands mountains.
To many Kentuck Knob represents an enhancement of the many standards associated with the type of organic architecture Mr. Wright explored during his long career.
The home’s interior reflects the style of the current owners, who are committed to preserving and maintaining Kentuck Knob for the enjoyment of all who have a deep admiration for the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Kentuck Knob is located seven miles south of Fallingwater and six miles from the National Road.
WEBSITE
http://www.kentuckknob.com/
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