The Dana-Thomas House is one of the must-see landmarks in Springfield. Designed in 1902, this house was Frank Lloyd Wright’s first commission with a blank check, meaning he was free to design the house without any financial restrictions. Because of this, Wright was able to design the place with the largest collection of site-specific glass and furniture of any other building he modeled.

These glass and furniture pieces are the focus of one of the specialty tours “Of Glass and Wood.” Some of the most beautiful furniture in the world can be found here in Springfield, and much of it is mentioned during a standard tour of the house. “I worked alongside the restorer for the window a, “said Dave Hicks, a long time volunteer tour guide and now I have this special connection with the glass. 

On the first Saturday of every month at 1:15 p.m., visitors can have a special tour that focuses on these items specifically, rather than a broad tour of the entire building. The custom glass designed for the house is equally stunning, with a focus on drawing the attention of those inside the building to the outside world. There are over 450 art glass windows to be appreciated, and this tour allows people to gain a greater appreciation of such intricate pieces. ” Tour Guide and UIS student Katie Brethorst remarked, ” I went through the house and absolutely fell in love with the story susan and beauty of made me about to want to explore and learn everything I could about to house and its history.

Another specialty tour at the Dana-Thomas House is “Wright Concepts.” This tour occurs on the first Friday of every month, and it focuses on “Prairie School” architecture. This art style was created in an attempt to make a new architectural style in North America. It is intended to stray from more traditional European styles and is modeled after the American Prairie instead. Long horizontal lines, flattened roofs, many horizontal layers, and long bands of laterally grouped windows are implemented to recreate the flat emptiness of the Prairie. Frank Lloyd Wright was famous for his buildings that were designed in this style. By touring the Dana-Thomas house with a focus on this flair, guests can walk through a case study in architectural history.

Tours at the Dana-Thomas house in Springfield happen every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. These tours give an amazing broad introduction to the house, the style, and Frank Lloyd Wright, the man who designed it. However, these special monthly tours provide a chance for visitors to gain a deeper understanding of some more specific aspects of this fascinating site.