Susan Lawrence’s Secret Marriage

Susan Lawrence Dana and Lawrence Joergen-Dahl married secretly on March 19, 1912.  It took another two months for Springfield to become aware of the wedding. The marriage was certainly a love match for Dana (1862-1946), the wealthy socialite who a decade earlier had commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design what

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First Christmas at the Dana House

The house Frank Lloyd Wright designed for Susan Lawrence Dana allowed her to entertain on a grand scale. As her new home was nearing completion in December 1904, Mrs. Dana hosted a series of parties, receptions and fundraisers for charity that lasted 9 days. Author, Roberta Volkmann shares memories of

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Dana-Thomas House Neighborhood

Across the Street and Around the Corner — Zooming in on Susan Lawrence Dana’s Neighborhood What was Springfield like in the early 1900s? Who were the people who were Susan Dana’s neighbors on Lawrence and Fourth Streets? What was their impact on Springfield? Join the Dana-Thomas House Foundation presentation. Meet

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The Lawrence Women and the Lincoln Colored Home

The Lawrence Family had a long history of public service. In 1898 a unique home was established to serve a part of the community that had been previously excluded by other organizations. The Mary A. Lawrence Industrial Home later became incorporated as the Lincoln Colored Home with Mary A. Lawrence,

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Frank Lloyd Wright Trail, IL

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trail was authorized by the state legislature in late April and announced officially by the Illinois Office of Tourism. Official Frank Lloyd Wright Trail signs will be posted throughout the state this summer, officials said. “The new trail celebrates Frank Lloyd Wright history and his connection

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Education Packet

An Education Packet is available from the Dana-Thomas House for use in classrooms. The packet contains a PowerPoint and narrative to accompany the photos and is available in elementary, intermediate or high school levels of design and content. To download Education Packets, visit Click Here The Education Packet is divided

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Dana-Thomas House Foundation – Media

Flower in the Crannied Wall Susan Lawrence Dana and Her Artwork Presentation by By Dr. John Arthos University of Indiana Monday, June 4th at 7 PM Springfield Art Association M.G. Nelson Family Gallery, 700 North Fourth Street, Springfield, IL

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Dana-Thomas House Foundation

The purpose of the Dana-Thomas House Foundation is to promote citizen awareness of the architectural significance of the Frank Lloyd Wright Dana-Thomas House Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, and to protect the House through promotion of special events, educational programs, acquisition of funds and properties, and to otherwise take any

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About The House

The Dana-Thomas House (DTH) was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1902 for Susan Lawrence Dana, a forward-thinking socialite living in Springfield, Illinois. The home, the 72nd building designed by Wright, contains the largest collection of site-specific, original Wright art glass and furniture. Wright’s first “blank check” commission, the home

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Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright – Architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) revolutionized American domestic architecture. He was just thirty-five in 1902, the year he began design of the Dana House. He was already well-known in the Midwest for his innovative approach to residential architecture. The Dana House commission was his largest to

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