In 1953, Bernardine and I.N. Hagan purchased 80 acres in the mountains above Uniontown, in Western Pennsylvania, where their families had lived for generations. After falling in love with their friends, the Kaufmann's home, Fallingwater, they telephoned Frank Lloyd Wright and asked if he would design a house for them. His answer was, “Of course. Come on out.”
At 86, and hard at work on the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania and about 12 residential homes, Wright said he could “shake it (Kentuck Knob) out of his sleeve at will” never even setting foot on the site, except for a short visit during the construction phase. This would be one of the last homes to be completed by Wright.
A team of local builders, led by then seventy-three year old Herman Keys, could not have known the masterpiece they were about to build when they began construction in the early 50’s. The Hagans moved into the home on 29, July 1956—their 26th wedding anniversary and spent thirty years at Kentuck Knob. There is a sense of beauty, comfort, serenity and harmony in the house and all of its surroundings,” Mrs. Hagan says in her book, “Kentuck Knob: Frank Lloyd Wright’s House for I.N. and Bernardine Hagan.”
After I. N. fell ill, the Hagans could no longer remain on the mountain so they sold the house in 1986 to Lord Palumbo of England. “Life, on occasion, becomes a matter of serendipity. When circumstances conspire to propel one in a certain direction, it is best to go with the flow, or so I have found, even if the precise destination is at the time unknown. My purchase of Kentuck Knob falls into such a category.”
“I think that both I and the state of Pennsylvania owe a great debt of gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. I.N. Hagan for an inspired commission from an architect of legendary renown.”
Kentuck Knob opened for tours in 1996.
Fallingwater is the name of a very special house that is built over a waterfall. Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most famous architect, designed the house for his clients, the Kaufmann family. Fallingwater was built between 1936 and 1939. It instantly became famous, and today it is a National Historic Landmark.
Why is it so famous? Think about it! A house that doesn’t even appear to stand on solid ground, but instead stretches out over a 30’ waterfall. It captured everyone’s imagination when it was on the cover of Time magazine in 1938.
The Kaufmanns were from Pittsburgh, PA. They owned Kaufmann’s Department Store, a very exciting and elegant place to shop in the 1930s. (Today, it is part of the Macy’s chain). Edgar Kaufmann and his wife, Liliane, had one son, Edgar jr.
The Kaufmanns lived in the city, but like many other Pittsburghers, they loved to vacation in the mountains southeast of Pittsburgh. They could hike in the forest, swim and fish in the streams, go horseback riding, and do other outdoor activities.
Pittsburgh at the time was sometimes called the “Smoky City,” due to the amount of air pollution from Pittsburgh’s steel industry. People who could afford to take the train to the mountains ($1 round trip) relished the chance to breathe fresh, cool mountain air.
The Kaufmanns had a summer camp for the department store employees, located along a mountain stream called Bear Run. When the Great Depression made daily living so hard for so many people, the employees no longer had time or money to come up to Kaufmanns Summer Camp. But Mr. and Mrs. Kaufmann and their son dearly loved the mountains, and decided to make the summer camp their own country estate.
Their summer camp home had been a very small cabin with no heat and no running water. They slept outdoors on screened porches! The cabin stood very near a country road. When traffic became noisy after the road was paved, the Kaufmanns decided it was time to build a more modern vacation house.
They turned to Frank Lloyd Wright to design it for them. At the time, their son was fascinated with Wright’s ideas and was even studying with him at Wright’s school, the Taliesin Fellowship.
The Kaufmanns, who had recently become very interested in modern art and design, also were intrigued by Wright’s ideas, and they asked him to design a new vacation house. They knew that Wright loved nature, as they did, and Wright knew that the Kaufmanns wanted something very special at Bear Run, something only an innovative architect like himself could design. He also knew that they loved the waterfall, and he decided to make it part of the new house.
When the Kaufmanns first looked at Wright’s drawings, they were very surprised! They thought their new house would have a wonderful view of the falls. But instead, with the house right on top of the falls, it was very difficult to even see them. But not to hear them! Frank Lloyd Wright told them that he wanted them to live with the waterfalls, to make them part of their everyday life, and not just to look at them now and then.
All times are approximate.
Click here for our Departure Locations
Departing from Frederick MD at 6:45am.
We will depart from Skate Frederick Parking lot on Riverbend Way rear of Wal-Mart Rte 26 Frederick.
Departing from Hagerstown MD at 7:30am.
We will depart from MTA ParknRide Col. Douglas Dr off of Rt 65 Sharpsburg Pike across from the Sleep Inn between Wendy's and the MVA.
First Stop, Falling Water, Then Lunch Will Be Provided, Then The Final Stop Will Be Kentuck Knob
Returning to Frederick at 7:00pm
Returning to Hagerstown at 7:45pm.
WAIVER POLICY:
SCHEDULE OF COVERAGES
Trip Cancellation: Pays lost deposits and tour payments due to unforeseeable sickness, injury, or death of you, an immediate family member, traveling companion, or business partner, inclement weather conditions causing delay or cancellation of travel; your home being made uninhabitable by fire, flood or similar natural disaster, vandalism, or burglary; your being subpoenaed, required to serve on jury duty, hijacked, or quarantined; being involved in or delayed due to an automobile accident en route to departure location. Waiver fee is not refundable.
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER:
If waiver is purchased with your reservation, the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion will be waived. This is applicable to all coverage's contained in the waiver. You must be medically able to travel when you pay your waiver fee. In the event that a claim is filed, the injury or illness must be substantiated to the Claims Department.
This waiver must be purchased no later than your final trip payment date.
PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION APPLICABLE TO ALL COVERAGES:
This waiver will not pay for loss or expense incurred as the result of injury, sickness, or other condition of you, a traveling companion, or immediate family member of you or your traveling companion which manifests itself during the 60-days immediately preceding and including your coverage effective date, unless the condition is controlled through the taking of prescription drugs or medication and remains controlled throughout the 60-day period. A sickness has manifested itself when medical care, treatment, or diagnosis has been given.
The above is a summary of the coverage being provided.
All benefits provided are non-insurance services, not insurance benefits. When waiver is not purchased, any costs associated with, and purchase price of the tour, are the responsibility of the traveling party.
Non-Waiver Refund Policy:
A cancellation notice must be received 45 or more days prior to departure date for single day tours, in order to receive a refund. A refund will be issued less $10 processing fee per seat if cancellation is received 45 or more days from the date of departure per seat cancellation; from 45 days to day of departure, refund less $10.00 per seat fee can only be issued if seats are resold or cancellation waiver is purchased. In order to resell seats, trip must be sold out. NO SHOW on the day of departure mean NO REFUND! All monies due on day of departure will be charged to customer's account. No refunds are made for tickets to Broadway plays, sporting events, or other special entertainment – events for which admission Kewl must purchase tickets. Waiver Fee is non-refundable.
