IL has a crook for a governor (worse than the previous one who is currently serving time in prison). After years of looting and plundering the state, he is now getting around to punishing those represenatives who refused to vote his way. One way he is getting back at them is with tactical closings. Such as the Frank Lloyd Wright “Dana-Thomas” house:
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x776465273/Doors-close-at-Dana-Thomas-House
Christmas won’t come to the Dana-Thomas House this year, as volunteers and visitors alike paid teary goodbyes and watched the doors close at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The Dana-Thomas House is one of 12 state historic sites that are closing today in accordance with budget cutbacks announced in August by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The cuts at the Dana-Thomas House affected about 120 volunteers, reducing the site’s staff to its manager, Don Hallmark, who will be the only person on hand to ensure the building’s custodianship….
Pics are from:
http://www.peterbeers.net/interests/flw_rt/flw_roadtrip.htm
Or specifically:
http://www.peterbeers.net/interests/flw_rt/Illinois/Dana_Thomas/dana_thomas_house.htm
Great site for Wright photos.
jt8
The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. — John Gardner
Edited 12/1/2008 2:01 pm by JohnT8
Replies
That stinks, but that is one butt ugly house. Looks like an elementery school gone wrong. I do find it odd that a Wright house is a state venture. I would have thought the Wright houses around the country would be private, most likely non-profit, ventures. Vic
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it's a beautifully proportioned and detailed construction.
I'm with you man! I don't like any of FLW's stuff I think it's all ugly! I can't see using state funds to keep something like that open anyway. sell it and let someone who loves Frank pay the bills!
I don't like any of FLW's stuff I think it's all ugly!
I agree with you in principle, but hey, I'm a whore. I'll bend up copper cornice for a dog house if somebody will pay me. http://www.quittintime.com/ View Image
I guess i'm a whoremonger cause i'd frame them for ya! :)
And in case some of you thought I was exagerating when I said that our current Gov was a crook:
Feds take Blagojevich into custody
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/12/source-feds-take-gov-blagojevich-into-custody.html
jt8
A year from now you may wish you had started today. -- Karen Lamb
I saw the same story and was wondering if you had.
Maybe we can get two governors in a row in prison! The cynic in me thinks he won't see the inside of a prison until after his term is over. What a shame. I suspect his LT. Gov would do a good job.
jt8
A year from now you may wish you had started today. -- Karen Lamb
I was thining of you when I was just reading that article. Wonder if his replacement will be ope to tkaen bribes to keep the FLW right houses open?
""The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in a statement." from CNN
My politician is less dishonest than your politician.
If he needs a bodyguard while in prison CA will volunteer Arnold the Governator. He has turned out to be as useless as a screen door on a submarine.
Experienced, but still dangerous!
That is really too bad. I don't dare tell my husband! I hope it doesn't fall into disrepair...I love his homes.
yep, its a dirty shame. but those cuts gotta come from somewhere.
hopefully when things get turned around priceless buildings like that will be taken off the endangered species list
yep, its a dirty shame. but those cuts gotta come from somewhere.
I don't have the hard facts, but when they first mentioned it a year or so ago, most people were shocked because the D-T house makes a profit. It is staffed almost completely by volunteeers. Last time I was there they had a 'suggested' donation of $5/person. They have thousands of people go through every year. Plus it has the most complete collection of furnishings of any FLWright home, many of which were donated to the house. For instance, former Gov Jim Thompson headed up a group that bought an urn at auction for several thousand $$$ a few years back. The group donated the urn to the house.
The closure is political. They are designed to hurt his political oponents.
jt8
The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. -- John Gardner
Ya-know, I have heard that FLW's homes are a nightmare to preserve. the conservatores who oversee his designs are trying to redesign without destroying historical integrity. His designs were built for aestetics not longevity
just another story about the differences of an architect and builder
Ya-know, I have heard that FLW's homes are a nightmare to preserve. the conservatores who oversee his designs are trying to redesign without destroying historical integrity. His designs were built for aestetics not longevity
Seems like they spent a fortune stabilizing Falling Water. The D-T isn't too bad. Like any large 100 year old house, it has maint issues, but not as bad as F-W.
Found the urn article:
Urn returns to Wright placeAnother piece of Illinois history is back home. A hand-hammered copper urn, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and bought in 1904 for Susan Dana's Springfield house, was purchased on December 10 at a Christie's International auction in New York City for $286,000, a world-record price for one of Wright's copper urns. Former Gov. James R. Thompson led a fundraising drive prior to the sale. He and Donald Hallmark, site manager for the now-state-owned Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, made the winning bid.
The urn is one of two that Susan Dana bought. Both left the house in a 1943 auction of many of Dana's personal possessions. A Springfield collector purchased them, then sold them at auction in 1986. At that time, according to staff of the state Historic Preservation Agency, the department that administers the house, Lord Peter Palumbo of Great Britain paid more than $80,000 for the Dana urn.
Thompson was instrumental in purchasing the house as a state historic site in 1981 and in securing the funds for a three-year renovation that began in 1988. All but seven pieces of the original Wright-designed furniture ? three dining room chairs, a straight-back chair, two lamps and the matching urn are now back in the Dana-Thomas House. Beverley Scobell
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1999/ii990108.htmljt8
The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. -- John Gardner
I think thats a shame and quite honestly, I get a bit ticked when I see stuff like this as how much can it cost to keep the doors open? Its staffed by all volunteers or very low paid folks who are just doing it because they want to and maybe I'm guessing it costs $100-200k a year to run.
I see far more money being wasted in stupid programs each year than keeping something like this up and running as its a part of American heritage.
Maybe we need less big bucks spent on political campaigns and more money spent of saving some of the mainstays of America like its buildings and history.
OK, I am getting down off my soap box now.
You're absolutely right Mike.
There is a suggested donation but no mandatory entrance fee.
Everyone there is volunteer from the tour guides to the people working the gift shop. They aren't in it for the money. They're at the house because the like the art, the history, and want to share it with anyone willing to listen and walk around for an hour.
I'm guessing it costs $100-200k a year to run
And the Gov spends more than that flying between Springfield and Chicago every year (rather than living in the big Gov's mansion in Springfield).jt8
The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. -- John Gardner
My wife and I made a trip down to Springfield take the tour a couple of weeks ago. Originally planned to do it next summer until we heard that it was closing. The house has an amazing amount of detail that those photos only start to show. Aside from the home itself, the site is also one of the most complete original collections of FLW furniture at any one site.
It's too bad that Blago hasn't been tied to enough things to get indicted. Illinois will be better off when he's out of office.
It's too bad that Blago hasn't been tied to enough things to get indicted. Illinois will be better off when he's out of office.
Almost makes me wish he'd take bama's senate seat.jt8
The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. -- John Gardner
I have been there: Inside it is truly marvelous, with amazing sight lines and interior design.
FYI: Although the house was obtained for the state during the governorship of Jim Thompson (not in jail or indicted!), he had a budget problem in that he could not afford to furnish it. He arranged for all of the furnishings to be donated; most of them are the originals that had been sold off.
Big Jim knew how to play the game without looking like a crook. And for all his faults, at least he tried to improve the state. The current yahoo is simply a crook looting the state for everything he and his friends can get. I suppose the dead people in Chicago will elect him for another term.
jt8
The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. -- John Gardner
The number of buildings he designed in his lifetime was prodigious. But this is one of his better-known works. Closing it reflects bad judgment on the governor. Especially in view of the volunteer effort to keep it open.
Are they allowed to use such sites for alternate uses (i.e., conferences, weddings, etc.)? A recent article in the local paper brought up the city art museum and various soirees they've hosted to bring in capital. Wonder if there are other options for financing that haven't been explored yet.