Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water (A World Heritage Site)
Perched above a mountain cataract on a rocky hillside deep in the rugged forest of Southwestern Pennsylvania, some 5 minutes from Ohiopyle, is America’s most famous house. The commission for Fallingwater was a personal milestone for the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, since it clearly marked a turning point in his career. After this late-career triumph, the sixty-seven year old would go on to create a series of highly original designs that would validate his claim as “The world’s greatest architect.”
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S KENTUCK KNOB
In 1953, Bernardine and I.N. Hagan purchased eighty acres in the mountains above Uniontown in Western Pennsylvania where their families had lived for generations. After falling in love with the home of their friends the Kaufmanns, Fallingwater, they telephoned Frank Lloyd Wright and asked if he would design a house for them. His answer was: “Of course. Come on out.”
At eighty-six, and hard at work on the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, and about twelve residential homes, Wright said he could “shake it (Kentuck Knob) out of his sleeve at will” never even setting foot on the site, except for a short visit during the construction phase. This would be one of the last homes completed by Wright.
OHIOPYLE FALLS
In the heart of Ohiopyle, the Ohiopyle Falls stretches the width of the Youghiogheny River. Admire the power of the 20-foot drop and be sure to read some of the interpretive signage about the history of whitewater and the falls, including the story of George Washington’s run-in with the river.
MEADOW RUN
Cool off and have a blast in Ohiopyle's natural water park, Meadow Run. Sit in the creek bed and ride the water down the natural waterslides. While Meadow Run is widely known for the waterslides, be sure to continue hiking upstream! You will find areas for rock climbing, extraordinary rock outcroppings, and Flat Rock, a great place to picnic with your feet in the river. Another secret stop is the Cascades, a large waterfall with multiple ledges that you can directly hike to.
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