Read, Reflect and Create Night at the Dana-Thomas House

Bring your own materials and spend some time working on a creative project in the inspiring atmosphere of the Dana-Thomas House.
About this Event

Enjoy a relaxing evening in the peaceful atmosphere of the Dana House. Bring a book to read, bring your journal or sketchbook and reflect on the day, bring your current craft project and create, or use our materials to try our featured craft project. Individuals, families and small groups are all welcome; please feel free to bring your own non-alcoholic drinks and light snacks to enjoy. This event is free and open to all ages; children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Reservations are recommended.

Please note, wi-fi and electrical outlets are NOT available. Additional important notes are listed below. If you have a question about whether your project is appropriate for this event, please contact us at [email protected] to discuss it with our team. Examples of projects individuals have previously enjoyed at this event include (but you are not limited to): crochet, knitting, diamond art, coloring, sketching, watercolor, journaling, origami, gouache.

Note for May 2026: We will not have a Color, Craft and Create Night on Monday, May 25; the site will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.

Important Notes:

1. The Dana-Thomas House includes 12,600 square feet of architecture, split over 16 levels separated by stairs. Please keep this in mind when rmaking reservations. Questions about accessibility and requests for reasonable accomodation should be directed to [email protected].
2. Photography, video and other recording are only permitted outdoors; indoor photos, videos, and other recording are not permitted. A gallery of photos of the site, including interior images, is available at https://dnrhistoric.illinois.gov/research/photogallery.html Photos of our sites are also posted to our Facebook (State Historic Sites at Springfield, IL) and Instagram (@statehistoricsitesspringfield) feeds.

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 collaborated with Wright on 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 100 art glass windows, 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.

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. Additional free parking is located behind the house and west of the railroad tracks in the lot off of Cook Street.