Westmoreland County is now home to one of only four Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the U.S. that offers overnight lodging.
Polymath Park, a new 125-acre resort that includes Wright’s Duncan House, opens on June 14th in Acme.
Wright built the Usonian-style house in 1957 for Donald and Elizabeth Duncan, who lived there until 2002, when the estate was sold to a developer. To preserve the building, the
Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy found a new owner, and in 2006, the 2,200 square foot, three-bedroom property was moved from Lisle, Illinois to Polymath. Resort CEO Tom Papinchak oversaw the yearlong reconstruction process.
Operated by the Usonian Preservation Foundation, Polymath offers educational tours, banquet and conference facilities and lodging. The resort also includes the Balter and Blum Houses, built for Pittsburgh industrialists by Wright apprentice Peter Berndtson.
The 1,600 square-foot Blum House includes a visitor center, café, shop, and spa. The resort’s grounds feature wooded hiking trails and reflecting ponds; its proximity to
Fallingwater and
Kentuck Knob is expected to boost tourism. “We have a lot of reservations--people from all different destinations,” says Laura Nesmith, with Polymath. The resort’s first overnight guests hail from Australia and England. “We’ve had calls from Baltimore, New Jersey, Louisiana, Kentucky.”
Located 45 miles from Pittsburgh, the resort offers lodging for 18 people and may expand its accommodations. An opening celebration will take place on June 14th, followed by a Usonian Gala on June 15th. Public tours are available on June 16th and 17th. To
R.S.V.P., call 724-544-3049.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource: Laura Nesmith, Polymath Park Resort
Image courtesy of the Polymath Park Resort