Fallingwater is hardly a secret. It’s one of the most iconic buildings of the 20th century and is a popular pilgrimage site for architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright fans. What is less well known is that diehard fans can spend the night nearby in their own FLW treasure.

Just thirty minutes from Fallingwater is Polymath Park, home to two Frank Lloyd Wright houses and two houses designed by Peter Berndtson, Wright’s apprentice – all of which are available for overnight stays.

The Duncan House (1957) was originally built in Illinois as one of Wright’s middle-income Usonian homes, and has many of the typical Usonian characteristics: native materials, cantilevered overhangs, clerestory windows and a carport, all of which work perfectly in its new Pennsylvania setting. To save it from demolition, it was taken apart piece by piece, catalogued, and reassembled in here in 2007.

Mäntylä (1952) is another of Wright’s Usonian homes, this one originally built in Minnesota. It has the typical Usonian features, along with a unique roofline and large back windows overlooking the patio. Many of the furnishings in this house are original. It, too, was brought here piece by piece to save it from demolition.

Although the Wright houses were both relocated here, the Berndtson homes are original to the site. Berndtson designed them using the theories he learned during his apprenticeship with Wright, so they share many of the same characteristics. They were built as summer homes for two wealthy businessmen from Pittsburgh: the Balter House (1964) and the Blum House (1965). The later still has a working fireplace. There was a plan to make the area a community of Usonian homes, but only two were actually built. Now they live alongside the Wright houses.

We made our booking back during the heart of the Covid lockdown, when it felt like we would never travel again. Our booking was for 18 months later in order to get one of the FLW houses on a weekend in the fall when prices were (slightly) cheaper. It was worth the wait. We stayed in the Duncan house for two nights surrounded by its amazing architecture and period antiques.

There’s a delicious (but pricey) restaurant in a modernist building near the park entrance which was previously the park owners’ home. Otherwise, bring microwaveable or picnic meals (the houses have table and flatware, a fridge, microwave and coffee maker, but no oven or stove use).

Tips: Tours visit the houses each day 11-5, so if you are staying multiple nights be prepared to socialize or spend the day elsewhere. Fallingwater is 30 minutes away.

Frank Lloyd Wright

Another FLW house, Kentuck Knob, is 45 minutes away. The fantastic Andy Warhol Museum, inclines, and other attractions of downtown Pittsburgh are an hour away (Pittsburgh: A Steep Commute!). Our pierogis and potato pancakes from S&D Polish deli reheated perfectly in the microwave, making for a memorable final meal in our temporary home.