40 US Historical Homes That Are Worth the Visit

9.Fallingwater

Fallingwater, in bucolic rural Pennsylvania, is arguably famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s most iconic work. It is a beautiful example of his commitment to strong, clean horizontal and vertical lines as well as his concept of organic architecture, best illustrated by the home’s outgrowth over a natural waterfall. Once the location of a simple summer cabin retreat, Edgar and Liliane Kaufmann contracted Wright to design a structure more fitting of the picturesque landscape. Wright, given to procrastination, famously girded his design genius and, in two hours before a previously unexpected visit by Edgar Kaufman, effortlessly completed the initial blueprints for a residence that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wright designed the home in 1935 when he was already 67 years of age. The architect, heavily influenced by Japanese design, oversaw the 5300 square foot residence construction and its featured Cantilevered design.

With the initial building estimate of $35,000 dollars, the waterfall residence’s budget ballooned to $75,000 dollars. They dealt with some questionable engineering choices, disputes with onsite engineer Edgar Kaufman, and increased funding. Nevertheless, he completed Fallingwater in 1938. It was quickly recognized as an architectural achievement, being named a National Historic Landmark in 1966. The home’s construction cost an estimated $2.8 million, adjusted for inflation; another invested almost $12 million into its restoration at the turn of the century. So admired for this achievement, the residence was lauded by the Smithsonian’s “Life List of 28 Places to See Before You Die.”