Category: Woodlawn

Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 projects, which resulted in more than 500 completed works. Wright promoted organic architecture (exemplified by Fallingwater), was a leader of the Prairie School movement of architecture (exemplified by the Robie House, the Westcott House, and the Darwin D. Martin House), and developed the concept of the Usonian home (exemplified by the Rosenbaum House). His work includes original and innovative examples of many different building types, including offices, churches, schools, skyscrapers, hotels, and museums. Wright also often designed many of the interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass.

The house of moderate cost is not only America’s major architectural problem but the problem most difficult for her major architects. -Frank Lloyd Wright, 1936

The Pope-Leighey House, formerly known as the Loren Pope Residence, is one of three suburban homes in Virginia designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. At the Pope-Leighey House now located at a site on Woodlawn Plantation in Mount Vernon VA, Frank Lloyd Wright strived to solve this problem. Today, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House is a National Trust Historic Site, owned and operated by The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America’s communities.

The design follows Wright's Usonian model of well-designed space for middle-income residents with a design that brings nature inside, using modest materials and a flat roof. This home has an L-shaped single-story floor plan with two bedrooms and a bathroom in one wing and living and dining areas in the other. At the juncture of the two wings are the home's entrance, a study and the kitchen. To accommodate the original site's slope, the house features two levels. The home has many interesting architectural details and furniture that was designed by Wright. Pope-Leighey House is open to visitors from April 8 to December 20 from  Thursday through Monday. Visitors are welcomed.

An historic site of The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Pope-Leighey relies exclusively on admissions, shop purchases and tax-deductible contributions to support its mission.