FLW logo (1)

You’re in the Wright Place!

, ,

Walter Boat House (1948)

Walter River Pavilion

The tour guide didn’t accompany us, but encouraged us to walk down to the boathouse designed by Wright to hold Lowell Walter’s boat. It was hard to try to picture something like this in 1950; it is nicer than a number of boat houses that I have seen today. Complete with rails and an electric winch to haul his boat from the water, there is a great deck above and even a small office, complete with fireplace and sleeping quarters. I can only imagine how nice this would have been back then!

I have had the pleasure of having now visited more than a dozen Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures, from his original Home and Studio in Oak Park, Illinois, to a gas station in Cloquet, Minnesota, to a home in Atherton, California, and many more in between. Each trip and each visit gives me more insight into the man and into his incredible designs. Each visit to another building also gives me greater appreciation for an architectural style that is absolutely unequaled; Cedar Rock was certainly no exception.

Leaving a Legacy

Upon his death in 1981, Lowell Walter donated to the Iowa Conservation Commission and the people of the State of Iowa his beloved Cedar Rock. Originally built at a cost of about $150,000, it has been taken care of through a trust fund and managed by the Iowa DNR. (Not being owned privately is what allows visitors to take the pictures that would not normally be allowed… or to play the Steinway as I did.) That trust is now running precipitously low on funds. I hope that this well-preserved example of Wright’s work will not succumb to the same fate as many of his other structures. And if you have not yet been to Quasqueton, this is definitely a place well worth the visit!

Read about the rest of our tour on the Cedar Rock page!

Lowell Walter's Thompson TVT

Tour Cedar Rock

Cedar Rock is open for public tours. Reservations are required and you will need to email or call to reserve your place.

Location

2611 Quasqueton Diagonal Blvd, Independence, IA

View all FLWsites on a Google Map

Share This FLW Site

Related Articles

Van Tamelen House mailbox

Van Tamelen House (1956)

According to Wikipedia, Marshall Erdman (born Mausas Erdmanas on 29 September 1922, in Tverai, Lithuania) “emigrated to the United States at age 17” and, after

Read More
Taliesin rock wall

Taliesin

Our chosen tour at Taliesin — the Highlights Tour — consisted of two (very quickly passing) hours, first inside the original architectural school with its

Read More
Search this Site
Recently Added
Explore
Sponsor

For Your Home

About Me

Yvonne Carpenter-Ross

FLW Enthusiast & Webmaster

Architecture and home design have always fascinated me. As a young girl I enjoyed drawing floor plans, rearranging my parent’s furniture and playing with Lincoln Logs and Legos.  My passion has always been the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Since I have been old enough to drive a car, I have visited Frank Lloyd Wright homes in the Chicagoland area and attended the Wright Plus house walks. Now, as co-owners of Northern Sky Designs, my husband & I are able to combine our website design skills and FLW travels to bring you this website! Enjoy!

Yvonne Carpenter-Ross