Frank Lloyd Wright

Seamour and Gerte Shavin Residence, Chattanooga, Tennessee (1950) (S.339)

(Note, due to the fact that the internet is constantly changing, and items that
are posted change, I have copied the text, but give all the credits available.)

Interior Photographs By James on the Elk River, March 2004

I did not have the opportunity to view the interior of the residence. The interior photographs are courtesy James on the Elk River, www.waymarking.com 2004. Images taken March 29, 2004.

AN AFTERNOON WITH AN ORIGINAL OWNER
By James on the Elk River

Life now offers very few opportunities to meet the original owners of a Frank Lloyd Wright home. This afternoon I had that very circumstance of good fortune!

A fan of Frank Lloyd Wright art/design, and inspired by a sidebar about the Shavin House in an insert in the Chattanooga Times Free Press this weekend, I set out to find the house on Missionary Ridge today. For address purposes, the Shavin House 'fronts' North Crest Road on the western brow of Missionary Ridge, but it sits above and is barely visible from the road. The Wrightesque characteristics of the building are much more evident from Crest Terrace Drive, 'behind' the house on the eastern brow of the Ridge.

Mr. Shavin was occupied with a neighborhood yardman when I arrived, but very soon he most graciously suffered my request to spend some time photographing the ouside of the home and grounds. A keen octagenarian and 50+ year resident of a Wright building, he has likely met his share of FLW trade-dress wearing (my 'Four Organic Commandments' shirt), camera-toting, Wright disciples knocking on his door!

So, I spent the better part of an hour strolling around the yard, taking in the essence of Wright's design here on the Ridge, and enjoying the view of the City of Chattanooga below, and the Tennessee River and Lookout Mountain to the west, and the Tennessee River and Walden's Ridge to the north.

I spoke with Mr. Shavin briefly only a couple of times, and offered my hand and my thanks for the opportunity to visit his one-of-a-kind historic home. As for telling the story of the Shavin House, John Shearer authored an excellent article about the Shavin's and their home, "Frank Lloyd Wright House On Ridge Turns 50", on December 17, 2002, in the Chattanoogan.com.

James on the Elk River
Southern Middle Tennessee

Footnote...
I visited with Mr. Shavin and photographed his home on Monday afternoon, March 29, 2004.

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMD45
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=5959f045-84ae-4dbe-a7aa-1bd4004f5878&II
D=655ab32d-ad85-40f6-9c09-de1d957b5108

1: Living room including mitered glass corners, the Wright designed Music Stand and native red cypress trim.

2: Living room Built-ins, red concrete floor with four foot grids, and the large centrally located stone fireplace.

3: Large living room fireplace, with the dining room and the background.

4: Built-in seating, with the butterfly chairs in the background.

5: The Wright designed Music Stand is very similar to the music stand designed for the Zimmerman Residence, 1950 (S.333).

6: Wright designed Dining Room table and chairs. The chairs are similar to the chairs in the Miller Residence 1946 (S.289), Mossberg Residence 1948 (S.302), Harper Residence 1950 (S.329).

7: The row of clerestory windows with cut-wood light screens provide light to the Gallery as well as privacy. Built-ins are seen on the left. The red concrete floor shows the four foot grid system.

8: Detail of the cut-wood light screen windows. Glass is sandwiched between two pieces of wood. Although these were used in many homes, this design seems to be unique to the Shavin Residence.

9: This march 29, 2004 image shows the originally designed fountain and wading pool as a pond.

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