| December '34 | Wright's First Site Visit |
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The visit to the waterfall in the woods stays with me and a domicile has taken vague shape in my mind to the music of the stream. When contours come you will see it. Meantime, to you my affection. - Frank Lloyd Wright to Edgar J. Kaufmann
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| July ’35 | Kaufmann sends fee schedule to Wright |
| …we should have in mind that the total cost of construction plus the furnishings should be between $20,000 and $30,000. I would prefer if you would start making the layout keeping in mind the $20,000 figure because we both agreed that in the process of building and completion there will be some additions which will always creep in to make the cost more than $20,000. |
| Sept. ’35 | Wright produces first drawings as Kaufmann drives towards Taliesin from Milwaukee |
| Mr Wright was not at all disturbed by the fact that not one line had been drawn. As was normal, he asked me to bring him the topographical map of Bear Run, to his draughting table in the sloping- roofed studio at Taliesin…I stood by, on his right side, keeping his colored pencils sharpened. Every line he drew, vertically and especially horizontally, I watched with complete fascination. ..Mr. Kaufmann arrived and Mr. Wright greeted him in his wondrously warm manner. In the studio, Mr. Wright explained the sketches to his client. Mr. Kaufmann, a very intelligent but practical gentleman, merely said…"I thought you would place the house near the waterfall, not over it." Mr. Wright said quietly, "E.J., I want you to live with the waterfall, not just to look at it, but for it to become an integral part of your lives." And it did just that. |
| Dec. ’35 | Quarrying begins at Bear Run |
| There were maybe two or three layers of stone suitable for the house. To cut the stone you first made a tracemark in the top of the stone with a chisel…This created a weakness in the stone. Then you made holes in the stone along the tracemark – about 8-10 inches apart – just big enough to allow you to put in soft wedges. Once the wedges were all set up in a row, you’d tap them gently until you reached the layer underneath and the stone would then be cut and taken out. We did it all by hand. We’d load it up on the back of Les Sander’s old truck and take it down to the construction area. The Kaufmanns also brought an old delivery truck down from Pittsburgh. We also used horses and sleds. - Earl Friend, construction worker, later the Kaufmanns’ groundskeeper, and retired maintenance director of Fallingwater |
| April ’36 | Sample wall is built, foundation lines are staked, Wright makes second site visit, new bridge is begun |
| The mason has the old piers down (from the original bridge over Bear Run) and is starting the new masonry work tomorrow - so let’s all drink a toast to the new house. |
| June ’36 | Wright visits site with Bob Mosher and establishes elevation of first floor |
| Selected site clearing begins Masonry work begins on retaining walls Stone piers built.
Tuesday [June 9] the great tree came crashing down and the sunlight poured in to dry things up considerably. We took it down in three pieces and the engineering required to land it in the only space possible without harm was interesting. Seven men and a team seemed superfluous, but all were used. Next, all the hampering brush; then it was surprising to see the sense of increased space. From the bridge the site looks tremendous and consequently quite thrilling…. |
| July ’36 | Builder Walter Hall arrives
Concrete bolsters poured
Masonry work on basement and first floor walls continues |
| During a period of nearly forty years of active building experience (I am now 57), it has been my lot to build many small and medium sized houses; most of which should have been remodeled the day they were finished – due in part at least to my inability to make untractable clients see the truth in matters of design. After all these years it certainly would be a pleasure to work on a house where this obstacle to success would be removed… - Walter Hall to Frank Lloyd Wright |
| August, ’36 | First floor cantilever is poured, additional steel inserted without Wright’s approval |
| My dear E.J.: If you are paying to have the concrete engineering done down there there is no use whatever in our doing it here. I am willing you should take it over but I am not willing to be insulted….I don’t know what kind of architect you are familiar with but it apparently isn’t the kind I think I am. You seem not to know how to treat a decent one. I have put so much more into this house than you or any other client has a right to expect that if I haven’t your confidence – to hell with the whole thing. Sincerely yours, Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect. August 27, 1936
Dear Mr. Wright: If you have been paid to do the concrete engineering up there there is no use whatever of our doing it down here. I am not willing to take it over as you suggest nor am I willing to be insulted….I don’t know what kind of clients you are familiar with but apparently they are not the kind I think I am. You seem not to know how to treat a decent one. I have put so much confidence and enthusiasm behind this whole project in my limited way, to help the fulfillment of your efforts that if I do not have your confidence in the matter – to hell with the whole thing. Sincerely yours, Edgar J. Kaufmann.
P.S. Now don’t you think that we should stop writing letters and that you owe it to the situation to come to Pittsburgh and clear it up by getting the facts? August 28, 1936 |
| September, ’36 | Hall works on living room and chimney mass |
| I am thoroughly enjoying the work since I have been more self reliant, and as the work progresses, and the beauty of the living room develops, it gives me the greatest thrill of my life, and to resort to the vernacular, "It is a shame to take the money" for I am fully recompensed in the satisfaction of accomplishment. |
| October, ’36 | Second floor poured, except for west bedroom terrace
Edgar Tafel arrives on job
Cracks appear on second floor parapets
Roof poured over guest bedroom terrace
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| During my time, we framed the ceiling above the mater bedrooms, and then the roof above that. I remember the cement-mixer – a single-motored job, where every bit of sand, cement, and gravel was shoveled into it. When mixed, it would be lowered into a wheelbarrow and hand-pushed to the location and "dumped" into the forms…into the parapets it had to be shoveled by hand. When the concrete was set, the forms were stripped and work started right away to "smooth" down the places where the form joints were, and a thin mix of cement was troweled on. That’s why there’s so much trouble with the parapets – the round tops were always crooked, and needed work. But at the end it looked all so "modern" a material, as if it all came out of a machine! - Edgar Tafel, apprentice |
| November ’36 | Masonry work for third floor begins
West bedroom terrace poured |
| Deer season started exactly when we were to pour the second-floor roof slab, and nobody appeared on the site until each one got his deer. That delayed things several days only. Mr. Wright wanted me back, and E.J. wanted me to stay on the job. I was happy to leave. It was cold (and) a lonesome place, with nobody around after working hours. - Edgar Tafel, apprentice |
| December ’36 | Third floor and third floor roof poured
Chimney mass completed
Masonry work largely completed
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| Mr. Kaufmann was out Sunday (December 20) and found a new fracture in the south parapet wall over center bolster beam. This is another proof that the southeast corner has gone down. I had seen the crack before but failed to show it to Mr. Kaufmann. He has taken this very calm considering the seriousness of it…I am dodging the facts to the workmen and outsiders until you can offer some solutions. Mr. Kaufmann tells me not to worry, but as all I am getting out of this house is the happiness of building a Wright house, any failures hurt me to that extent. |
| January ’37 | Wall inserted under west bedroom terrace; Wright orders it removed
Roofs finished with asphalt and gravel
Three-story window installed
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| I suppose there is nothing in your experience by which you might measure the disappointment and chagrin which you have handed me. I have put my best inspiration and effort into creating something rare and beautiful for you, whom I respect and have conceived affection for, only to find that so far as you could add ruin to my work and reputation you did so behind my back when I was helpless, with no idea, apparently, that you were so doing….Any pleasure I might take in having done something noble and fine for you is outraged by any outside interference with my effort on your behalf, no matter how well meant the interference may be…. -Frank Lloyd Wright in a letter to Edgar Kaufmann |
| February ’37 | Floors insulated with redwood
Glass installed
Radiators installed
Work begins on flagstone floors
Bob Mosher returns to site |
| In spite of having had a very pleasant and restful holiday, my thoughts have been daily, almost hourly, with the work in Bear Run, which has become part of me and a part of my life, and one hates to be separated until the work has been completed to everyone’s satisfaction…Do not forget in drawing the details for furniture and woodwork that this is not a town house but a mountain lodge and should have that feeling in its furnishings…. |
| March ’37 | Work continues on floors
Metal shelves and kettle installed and painted |
| The living-room floor was completed the night before the Kaufmanns arrived and the next morning they came in stomping off the heavy snow, surprised and pleased with the results. We are still quarrying; that has been a drawback, as the supply has had a hard time keeping up with the demand. We have replaced a number of spots done at the beginning in order to improve the whole. The stone has been thin and warpish, there are places I am not satisfied with, and I have taxed the stonelayers’ patience to a high degree in making them replace, recut, and choose their stones. They are trained now but some have quit because of their lack of patience. |
| April ’37 | Hatch and stairs to stream installed; the house is finally closed-in |
| In discussing matters with our client it is well to have in mind the motif of the building – that is to say, the reason why it is as it is where it is. We got down into that glen to associate directly with the stream and planned the house for that association. Hence the steps from living room to stream. |
| June ’37 | Bathrooms and wardrobes detailed by Edgar Kaufmann, jr.
Liliane Kaufmann selects interior details with Wright’s guidance |
| My Dear Mrs. Kaufmann: The samples duly arrived and indicate magnificent material – the red color too heavy but the grey and white good. Nevertheless have the feeling that something less strident in pattern, (in fact no pattern at all), some coarse texture of the weaving – blue or yellow or warm grey with a bright thread woven into it, would be more in our thesis – "the nature of materials" and better for the house itself looking at the ensemble. Because the environment is so rich and lively the detail of the furnishings can be merely tributary….the furniture units and pillows should run the gamut of color - in variety - from mercury red to cream or tan color, blue-green, yellow in between. But I am afraid of more pattern as we have already put so much design into the thing. |
| August ’37 | Plunge pool at stream is built
Most of the furnishings installed |
| This is Mr. Kaufmann’s sentiment about the function that water will play in relation to the house: that over half of the time in the summer months that are spent here swimming, bathing, and sunning are rigidly adhered to, and that their functions are indispensable to the life of the house…. - Bob Mosher to Frank Lloyd Wright |
| December ’37 | Family begins using house |
| Dear Mr. And Mrs. Wright, it is really difficult to tell you how much pleasure you gave all three of us, when you sent us that beautiful print for Christmas. It is propped on the desk in front of me as I write this and I find myself continually looking up from my paper to enjoy it….Thank you both a thousand times for sending it and for thinking of us. We have had the two happiest weekends of our lives in the house, the one over Christmas and this one. There are large balsam branches laid along the metal shelves around the living room and twined in the bars of the balustrade going up the staircase - you can’t imagine how lovely it looks. We have had rather large house parties both weekends and it is a continual delight to see how beautifully the house adapts itself to large and rather scattered groups of people. I do hope you will very soon find it possible to spend a few days here with us, especially as Mrs. Wright has never seen the house at all, or heard the sound of the rushing water…We all three wish you the happiest of new years and are more than grateful for the joy you have given us. |
| January ’38 | Fallingwater in Time, Architectural Forum, at MOMA
Edgar Kaufmann asks Wright to design a servants’ wing and guest house |
| Dear Mr. Wright - Business took me to New York the opening day of the Museum of Modern Art show, and I thought you’d like to hear a little of it… Without a formal opening or any but the slightest advance press notes, the crowd was steady and good. I found myself explaining away the misconceptions of journalists…The total effect is strong and pleasant, I think you’d find it decent, tho not in your manner; and much of the public, warmed up by the publicity in periodicals, will give it some study. |
| May ’38 | Wright sends first versions of servants’ wing/guest house drawings |
| We have been studying the plans for the extension at "Fallingwater" and we are very enthusiastic about them excepting that when discussing the matter further with Mrs. Kaufmann I find she feels it will be too great a burden to put such a large addition on the present house. She is very anxious to keep it simple and with the least amount of care…. |
| January ’39 | Kaufmann asks Walter Hall to begin construction
Excavating and quarrying begin
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| We are all thrilled that we are building again. It will help to fill up the first six months of 1939 – so details are important. Please don’t let us down - get to work! - Edgar Kaufmann to Frank Lloyd Wright |
| February ’39 | Masonry work begins |
| There had been three or four stone masons who worked on the house. The Kaufmanns let them go and used local boys in the construction of the guest house because the local boys would do anything you told them to…Most of us were unskilled laborers. The Kaufmanns brought their plumber, carpenter, and electrician from Pittsburgh, but most of the work was done by locals and we didn’t have any skills. There wasn’t a real need for skilled labor. |
| March ’39 | Steel installed in guest house |
| I have had a wonderful ten-day period of work: I have 30 men; half of the steel in first-floor guest part. I have forms up for garage roof, about 2/3 of the stone work completed. I have the job well organized and it is running smoothly. Plenty of willing help, with low wages. General labor: farmers and neighbors. I have the stone work up with cheap farmer masons, and I am quite happy over it, if it will only please you. - Walter Hall to Frank Lloyd Wright |
| August ‘39 | Servants’ wing/guest house and canopy largely completed
Plumbing and wiring work completed
Wright makes site visit
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| Kaufmann asks Wright …that you will arrange to visit with us at least twice a year for a day and night so that we can have the benefit of your judgment and advice to keep the interior arrangement in harmony with your architectural creation… I always feel that I am a better man after having spent hours with you and regret that our paths cross so seldom. |
