Dana-Thomas House: Art Glass at Night

Returning for a second year, join expert volunteer guide Frank Marchant as he leads you through this exciting special experience - Art Glass at Night. On this guided specialty tour, you'll have the opportunity to examine the art glass in the evening light as your guide explains Wright's work in further detail and how the Dana House's iconic art glass helped create the perfect ambiance for the original homeowner's evening events.

The tour will last approximately one hour. Space is limited; reservations are required. Donations to support the site are suggested; cash donations are accepted at the door, electronic donations can be made at https://www2.illinois.gov/dnrhistoric/Experience/Sites/Central/Pages/Dana-Thomas-House.aspx

This tour is recommended for teens and adults with an interest in Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, and/or guests who have toured the house before, who would like a more in-depth experience. I f you are interested in a more general/introductory tour of the home, you can make a reservation at https://danathomashousetours.eventbrite.com

Important Notes:

1. The tour will begin at the front door of the home, on Lawrence Avenue.

2. Photos/video recording are limited to the exterior of the house only; photography and video recording are not permitted indoors. A gallery of photos of the site, including interior images, is available at

https://dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/research/photogallery.html

3 . The house contains 12,600 square feet of architecture, split over 16 elevations connected by stairs. Interior lighting levels are similar to what was available in 1910. Please keep this in mind when reserving your tour.

About the Site

The Dana-Thomas House was designed and built between 1902-1904 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was commissioned by Susan Lawrence Dana, a Springfield socialite, philanthropist, and activist who offered Wright his first "blank check" commission to design a home in which she could advance her ideas about democracy and education. At 12,600 square feet, with 35 rooms and over 500 art glass elements, when completed in 1904 it was the largest and most extravagant home Wright had designed thus far in his independent career as an architect. Today it is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; with most of its original furnishings and art glass still intact, it is one of the most complete of Wright's Prairie style homes in the United States today.

Parking

The Dana-Thomas House is located at 301 East Lawrence Avenue in Springfield, Illinois. A free parking lot is located directly across the street from the house, at the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Lawrence Avenue.

Host or Publisher Illinois Department of Natural Resources State Historic Sites Springfield