Wright Apprentice John Rattenbury Visits Kentuck Knob

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Director Marianne Skvarla, Bernardine Hagan, John Rattenbury, Beverly Gardom

This summer the staff at Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob had the privilege to host a meeting between former Kentuck Knob owner, Bernardine Hagan, and former Wright Apprentice, John Rattenbury.

Pastries, coffee, and tea were served in the living room as staff listened to Mrs. Hagan and Mr. Rattenbury talk of their experiences with Mr. Wright.

John Rattenbury at Kentuck Knob

One of the room's favorite stories was about ice cream. Mr. and Mrs. Hagan would often send gallons of their Hagan Ice Cream to Taliesin as a gift for Mr. Wright and the Apprentices. Mr. Rattenbury specifically remembers as many as fifty Apprentices, including himself, lining up for a scoop. And, who do you suppose was doling out those scoops? Mr. Wright, of course.

Bernardine Hagan signing her book for John Rattenbury

After the visit, Mr. Rattenbury and Mrs. Hagan signed copies of their books, including one for each other.


Photos by Jason Jack Miller

Kentuck Knob Presentation to Women's College Club of Pittsburgh

Recently, Heidi Ruby Miller visited the Women's College Club of Pittsburgh where she presented a slideshow featuring photos of Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob taken by Jason Jack Miller.

College Club of Pittsburgh inside the Pittsburgh Athletic Association

Housed in the beautiful Pittsburgh Athletic Association building in Oakland, the club treated Heidi to a tour and a wonderful lunch before her talk.

Many thanks to Diane Owen who set everything up and to the members for making the presentation a delight.

We look forward to seeing the group when they visit Kentuck Knob this spring.

If you would like Heidi to do a presentation for your group, please contact her at hmiller@kentuckknob.com or call 724/329-1901.

Kentuck Knob's Pieces of the Berlin Wall

Fayette County in Southwestern Pennsylvania is home to three pieces of the Berlin Wall thanks to Lord Peter Palumbo, the current owner of Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob.

Piece of the Berlin Wall in the Kentuck Knob Sculpture Meadow

PHOTO BY Jason Jack Miller

Two of the pieces are on the Kentuck Knob property: one at the entrance to the Sculpture Meadow and one at the top of the hill, near the house. The third is on display at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort ten minutes away in Farmington, PA. We are especially honored to have these historical reminders as the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall is celebrated this week.

Piece of the Berlin Wall near Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob

PHOTO BY Jason Jack Miller

Kentuck Knob at Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau Annual Dinner

BACK: Patricia Coyle, Laurie Bryner, Heidi Ruby Miller, Marianne Skvarla; FRONT: Robin and Monica Jackson

The Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau held its annual dinner on Thursday, October 22, 2009, at the Fred M. Rogers Center on the St. Vincent College campus. The theme IT'S A WONDERFUL DAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD played not only on the meeting's locale, but also the bureau's new tourism campaign: Laurel Highlands Pennsylvania - A Place of Wonder.

The entertaining featured speaker, James Kane, shared with the group "The Secret to Creating Loyal Customers, Members, and Guests."

Representing Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob were Executive Director Marianne Skvarla, Assistant Director Monica Jackson, Marketing Director Patricia Coyle, Merchandising Director Robin Jackson, Cafe Director Laurie Bryner, and Educational Marketing Director Heidi Ruby Miller.

Patricia Coyle and Marianne Skvarla from Kentuck Knob chatting with Brad Heiser of Fallingwater

Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob by Donald Hoffmann

Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob by Donald Hoffmann

Architectural critic Donald Hoffmann shares his insight into Frank Lloyd Wright and the designing of the I. N. and Bernardine Hagan House, affectionately known as Kentuck Knob. Filled with historical and architectural notes, Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob offers a glimpse into Mr. Wright's design aesthetic during the mid-1950s and his Usonian style. Hoffmann often utilizes graphics to show the versatility of the hexagonal modules which form the geometric base of the home.

Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob by Donald Hoffmann is available in stores and online at Amazon and other booksellers.

Venture Outdoors Bike Tour to Stop at Kentuck Knob

Photo by Heidi Ruby Miller

Venture Outdoors is hosting the Wright Ride on the Great Allegheny Passage on Saturday, September 19, 2009.

This easy, ten-mile ride takes place in Ohiopyle State Park along the Great Allegheny Passage. A picnic lunch and tour of Kentuck Knob follows. The guided house tour and sculpture meadow exploration is included in Venture Outdoors's activity fee.

Date: Saturday, September 19
Location: Ohiopyle
Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Cost: $37.00 non-member / $27.00 member / $20.00 kids
(Please note: the children’s rate of $20 is only available to children ages 6-12.)

Kentuck Knob on Pittsburgh G20 Summit Site

An article about Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob is now up on the Pittsburgh G20 Summit website under the Cultural Phenomenon section:

http://www.g20pittsburghsummit.org/quality-of-life/cultural-phenomenon/house-on-kentuck-knob/

Entrance to Kentuck Knob as seen through the carport

Photo by Jason Jack Miller

SYNOPSIS
In 1954, Hagan Ice Cream owners I.N. and Bernardine Hagan contacted architect Frank Lloyd Wright via their friend Edgar J. Kauffmann, owner of Kaufmann's Department Stores and the architectural masterpiece Fallingwater. The Hagans wanted a Wright-designed home of their own for 80 acres of timbered farmland on a hilltop which maps referred to as Kentuck Knob, located in the Appalachians. The house, now owned by Lord Peter Palumbo, exemplifies Usonian traits such as horizontal lines and built-in furnishings, while conforming to Mr. Wright's principles of organic architecture through the use of natural materials like Pottsville Sandstone and Tidewater Red Cypress.

Kentuck Knob Sunset Tour

View from Kentuck Knob

Photo by Heidi Ruby Miller

Frank Lloyd Wright's House on Kentuck Knob will offer Sunset Tours on Saturday, November 14, 2009 and Saturday, December 12, 2009 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM.

This late afternoon tour is given by senior guides and includes all private spaces in the home. Hors d’oeuvres are served while you relax in the living room. Space is limited to ten guests, but no less than two. The price is $100 per person.

For more information or to reserve a spot, please contact Kentuck Knob Marketing Director Patricia Coyle at pcoyle@kentuckknob.com or 724/329-1640.

Kentuck Knob's Continuing Education Hours

Pennsylvania teachers can earn free PDE-Approved ACT 48 hours at Kentuck Knob. (We are currently seeking approval for continuing education hours for teachers in Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia.)

6 FREE Teacher Training Session Hours
• guided, personalized tour of the Kentuck Knob house
• guided, personalized tour of our extensive sculpture meadow
• creation of a lesson plan for your classroom from post-tour discussions

Due to the success of our Summer 2009 Educational Outreach Program, Kentuck Knob is happy to offer more teacher training sessions in May - August 2010 on Wednesdays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM:

Other teacher training sessions can be added throughout the year as demand dictates. If you have questions or would like to book a teacher training session, please contact Educational Marketing Director Heidi Ruby Miller at hmiller@kentuckknob.com for details.

teacher Valerie Cortis and Kentuck Knob Educational Marketing Director Heidi Ruby Miller

Kentuck Knob: Frank Lloyd Wright's House for I.N. and Bernardine Hagan

Kentuck Knob: Frank Lloyd Wright's House for I.N. and Bernardine Hagan by Bernardine Hagan

This hardcover book, written by Bernardine Hagan about her time working with Frank Lloyd Wright, is filled with documents, photos, and of course stories about Kentuck Knob, from its creative inception through the thirty years the Hagans called it home.

The beautiful photos were taken by I.N. Hagan and capture both the structural and the aesthetic.

You can order copies from the publisher The Local History Company or online at Amazon and other booksellers.