Treasures: The Valentines of Susan Lawrence Dana

301 East Lawrence Avenue,Springfield IL 62703

12 February, 2023

Description

Katie Brethorst-Stockwell will discuss the love stories of Susan Lawrence Dana and her three Valentines: Edwin Dana, Lawrence Joergen-Dahl, and Charles Gehrmann. Join us for a special tour in which we hear these stories while we examine the treasures from our archives that highlight these men’s places in Susan's heart, presented by site interpreter Jennifer Caldwell. The one-hour tour event will feature stories rarely told and artifacts not often seen. The program will conclude with refreshments in the Gallery space where Susan introduced the man who became her second husband to the city of Springfield on Valentine’s Day in 1912. Space is limited to 25 guests per session, and reservations are required through https://SLDvalentines.eventbrite.com. General Information The program will be offered at two different times - 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Both sessions are the same; please choose the one that is most convenient for you. The program will last approximately one hour. Meet your guides at the front door of the Dana-Thomas House on Lawrence Avenue. Please note this is not a seated program; guests will explore the rooms of the house with the guides as information is presented. Folding chairs will be available for guests not able to stand for long periods. Please note the Dana-Thomas House includes multiple elevation changes and staircases. Interior photography and video recording are NOT permitted at the Dana-Thomas House. Parking Two free parking lots are available; one at the corner of Fourth Street and Lawrence Avenue, directly across from the house (former YMCA parking lot); and one behind the house just west of the railroad tracks (enter from Cook Street). About the Site The Dana-Thomas House was designed and built between 1902-1904 by renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It was constructed for Susan Lawrence Dana, a Springfield socialite, philanthropist, and activist who collaborated with Wright on his first "blank check" commission to design a home in which she could advance her ideas about democracy and education. At 12,600 square feet, with 35 rooms and over 100 art glass windows, when completed in 1904 it was the largest and most extravagant home Wright had designed thus far in his independent career as an architect. Today it is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; with most of its original furnishings and art glass still intact, it is one of the most complete of Wright's Prairie style homes in the United States.