The tragic story of Guggenheim architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s secret love nest
By Ron Hogan
On Aug. 15, 1914, Frank Lloyd Wright was overseeing the final stages of construction at Midway Gardens, a massive entertainment complex on the South Side of Chicago. John, the second of his six children, was helping out on the project, when his father went out to take a phone call.
When Wright came back, he looked shocked and had to lean on a table to keep from collapsing.
“What’s happened?” John asked.
The call had been from Wisconsin, where Wright had built an estate called Taliesin for himself and Mamah Borthwick, his mistress for the last five years. Her two children from her previous marriage were with her at the time.
“Taliesin is on fire,” Wright said. “Why did I leave them today? What if they’re hurt?”