State-Langdon in Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
World-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright called Madison his hometown
The Madison Heritage Series
Wright's years in Madison were formative. As a teenager, he witnessed the tragic collapse of an addition under construction at the capitol. Eight workers died. The memory haunted the architect throughout his life. At age 17 he landed a job with University of Wisconsin professor, architect and engineer Allan Conover, from whom Wright later said he learned more than anyone else. Wright also briefly attended the UW.
Wright moved to Chicago in 1887, where he worked for the prestigious firm of Adler and Sullivan before setting up his own practice in 1893. Preeminent leader of the Prairie School architectural movement, Wright believed in letting a building's purpose and environment influence its design. He became America's best-known architect by pioneering radical innovations in the structure and appearance of buildings.
Sidebar:
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright lived in Madison between the ages of 11 and 20 and thereafter considered it his hometown, visiting frequently throughout his life. Wright created designs for more than 30 Madison buildings, of which 11 were constructed and eight remain. The first, an 1893 boathouse at Carroll Street and Lake Mendota, was torn down in 1926 with little public awareness of who designed it. But Wright's stature in Madison grew over time, despite his controversial personal life and unpaid debts. In 1938, he launched a campaign to build a city auditorium. Wright's efforts and those of his local supporters were finally realized in the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, completed in 1997, 38 years after his death.
Erected 2006 by City of Madison.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 43° 4.69′ N, 89° 23.448′ W. Marker is in Madison, Wisconsin, in Dane County. It is in State-Langdon. Marker is at the intersection of North Carroll Street and Langdon Street, on the right when traveling north on North Carroll Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Madison WI 53703, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Phi Gamma Delta House (within shouting distance of this marker); Beecroft House (within shouting distance of this marker); Van Slyke House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Suhr House (about 300 feet away); James Mears House (about 400 feet away); Quisling Towers Apartments (about 600 feet away); Breese J. Stevens House (about 600 feet away); Wootton - Mead House (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.
More about this marker. This marker is part of the Madison Heritage Series, Sharing Our Legacy, created for Madison's sesquicentennial. The marker was sponsored by the Madison Community Foundation and J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.
Regarding World-famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright called Madison his hometown. According to David V. Mollenhoff, Madison: A History of the Formative Years (2nd ed.), pp. 220-21, "Somehow Wright heard about the $7,000 architectural competition being offered by the Madison Improvement Association to design two public boathouses. He applied and won. ... These two Madison buildings were among the first commissions Wright secured when he opened his private practice.
"The Mendota boathouse was completed in April 1894 at a cost of $4,000. The brown-shingled, cream stucco structure was located at the foot of North Carroll Street and had a capacity of twenty-eight rowboats. An arched entrance and two flanking pavilions capped by low-pitched roofs dominated the lakeside facade. Unfortunately, this handsome structure was razed in 1926."
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. This is a list of markers that relate to Frank Lloyd Wright.
Also see . . .
1. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. (Submitted on July 6, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)
2. Movers & Shapers. Article names Wright as one of the ten most influential people in Madison history. (Submitted on July 12, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,955 times since then and 58 times this year. Last updated on July 11, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 4, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 5. submitted on July 6, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. 6. submitted on January 6, 2011, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.