flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

The Usonian Inn, a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired motor lodge, is on the market for $665,000

Hotel Facilities

The Usonian Inn, a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired motor lodge, is on the market for $665,000

The Usonian Inn proudly displays many Wright-inspired characteristics, the most prominent of which is the use of cantilevered overhangs.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | March 30, 2016

Photo Credit:  Teemu08, Wikimedia Commons 

For any horror movie fans or aspiring horror filmmakers out there, having an inn of your own would provide the perfect canvas for reenacting your favorite horror moments, such as the shower scene from "Psycho" or “Here’s Johnny!” from "The Shining" (come to think of it, if you ever find yourself in a scenario reminiscent of a horror movie, stay away from the bathroom). But for one particular inn that just hit the market, it isn’t just horror movie buffs that might be interested in making the $665,000 purchase, but fans of architecture, as well.

The Usonian Inn, which was previously known as the Rest Haven Motel (which sounds like a name that could have been taken directly from an old horror movie), is an 11-room motor lodge in Spring Green, Wis., that was constructed in 1952. What makes this particular inn noteworthy is that Jesse C. Caraway, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the structure.

As Curbed.com reports, the Park Inn in Mason City, Iowa, is the only hotel still in existence that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright himself, but The Usonian Inn proudly displays many Wright-inspired characteristics. The most prominent of which is without question the use of cantilevered overhangs.

The V-shaped building was one of the first to use aluminum siding, which was provided by Reynolds Metals for free as a promotional tool, and was also once considered for a feature in Life magazine. Currently, the inn is listed on the State and National Register of Historic places.

And don’t let the old horror trope of haunted or creepy inns scare you away, the Usonian Inn has undergone more than a few facelifts in an effort to keep the structure looking young. In 1992, the inn’s grounds were freshly landscaped and the current owners, Carolina and Theo Dursina, have provided significant upgrades, as well, such as the addition of sustainable fixtures and double-glazed windows and a new roof.

While the $665,000 price tag certainly isn’t cheap, the building’s unique history and quality location near Spring Green, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin home and studio, and the Wisconsin River do make for an intriguing purchase.

Related Stories

Hotel Facilities | Apr 21, 2021

First newly constructed Signia by Hilton Hotel to be built in Atlanta

Signia by Hilton is a new upscale brand from Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

Hotel Facilities | Mar 16, 2021

Navy Pier’s first hotel opens

KOO designed the project.

AEC Tech | Mar 4, 2021

The Weekly show, March 4, 2021: Bringing AI to the masses, and Central Station Memphis hotel

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders about the award-winning Central Station Memphis hotel reconstruction project, and how Autodesk aims to bring generative design and AI tools to the AEC masses.

Market Data | Feb 24, 2021

2021 won’t be a growth year for construction spending, says latest JLL forecast

Predicts second-half improvement toward normalization next year.

Hotel Facilities | Feb 16, 2021

Santa Monica Professional Building restored into a modern hotel

Howard Laks Architects designed the project.

Modular Building | Jan 26, 2021

Offsite manufacturing startup iBUILT positions itself to reduce commercial developers’ risks

iBUILT plans to double its production capacity this year, and usher in more technology and automation to the delivery process.

Daylighting | Jan 16, 2021

Daylighting system creates 'an oasis in the city' for renovated hotel in downtown Minneapolis

Solatube daylighting systems were used to bring natural light into the lobby of the Midland Bank building in Minneapolis.

Giants 400 | Dec 16, 2020

Download a PDF of all 2020 Giants 400 Rankings

This 70-page PDF features AEC firm rankings across 51 building sectors, disciplines, and specialty services.

Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020

2020 Hotel Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. hospitality sector

Gensler, Jacobs, and Suffolk Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest hotel sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.

AEC Tech | Nov 12, 2020

The Weekly show: Nvidia's Omniverse, AI for construction scheduling, COVID-19 signage

BD+C editors speak with experts from ALICE Technologies, Build Group, Hastings Architecture, Nvidia, and Woods Bagot on the November 12 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021