Rosenbaum House
Frank Lloyd Wright built only one house in Alabama. It's here in Florence and called the Rosenbaum House after its first owners. They and their four young boys moved into the home in 1940. This was in the midst of the Great Depression when Wright's high end commissions had all but dried up. He was expanding into middle class homes and the Rosenbaum's was his second of about sixty built. He called his new and unique style Usonian--a portmanteau of U.S. and North American.
Wright Designs in Nellie's Galley
During the tour we learned that Wright sent one of his young students to supervise the home's construction. Unfortunately, this being the young man's first home he made many rooky mistakes. Our tour guide said Mr. Rosenbaum's letter to Mr. Wright, delineating all the mistakes, ran to six pages. In 2002, before opening the home to the public, the city of Florence spent only (!) $600,000 correcting the mistakes.
UNA Campus
Just north of downtown Florence is the very pretty campus of the University of North Alabama.
Yesterday I mentioned that we turned right on the Tennessee River and are heading towards Nashville. It has since been pointed out to me, by someone not so geographically challenged, that Nashville is on the Cumberland River and that we're headed to Chattanooga. Chattanooga! Cool, we've always wanted to see Chattanooga ;-)
In Florence, Alabama. No miles today and holding at 1778 miles. DBH
