Local Entertainment

House upon the rocks
BY DARIN FENGER, STAFF WRITER
--See Image(s) Below--

Published on: June 18, 2004

An exotic but little-known home that is nestled into a local hillside of rocks and boasts ties to one of America's most famous architects is about to finally get some attention.

The Wright House in the Wellton Mohawk Valley will be the topic of a slide show and discussion tonight during Yuma Fine Arts' third Noche Caliente, an evening of culture and conversation.

The group's executive director, Louis LeRoy, said the unique home is sure to spark an exciting evening.

"I'm sure this is going to inspire lots of conversations about people's favorite buildings in Yuma," LeRoy said.

"Plus, I'm not sure many people here are even aware of the Wright House. This is just an unusual opportunity to have a beautiful architectural statement in Yuma.

‘‘There are a lot of beautiful homes here, don't get me wrong, but something as distinctive as this house warrants a little attention."

In addition to a slide show about the Wright House, LeRoy will also share interviews with people associated with the home.

The last Noche Caliente, held at the Gowan Company building, boasted an attendance of 60 people. LeRoy said he expects at least that many — or more — to come out for tonight's festivities.

"We've already had a number of people calling," he said. "This event has just proven to be a nice way for people interested in hearing conversation about art to get together for an informational gathering from time to time. We're happy to provide Yuma with that opportunity."

In addition to its obviously unusually style, the Wright House is also notable because it was designed by preeminent Arizona architect Blaine Drake, an apprentice of America's beloved Frank Lloyd Wright.

According to Arizona State University records, Drake worked with the master designer at his famous home, Taliesin, in Wisconsin.

ASU's experts on architecture say that Drake launched his Arizona practice in 1945 and went on to design about 200 projects in his career. The majority of his work was in Phoenix. After earning much national and international recognition, he retired in 1985.

LeRoy said the Wright Home gets its name from the Wright family, no relation to Frank Lloyd Wright, who moved out into the Wellton area for ranching in the 1924.

"Roy B. Wright was a dentist in Oakland who retired in the late 1940s,'' said LeRoy. ‘‘He's the one who had the house built."

The home is built into a rock outcropping, using the area's native stones in forming the structure's foundation and walls. LeRoy noted that this approach was always a favorite of Frank Lloyd Wright, which was to blend a home's aesthetics into its surroundings.

"It looks like it literally grew up out of the ground. It's just a beautiful building."

In fact the home, the directions to which are kept private, is not easy to see until in close proximity. Public tours of the home, by the way, are not available.

Bill Wright, Roy's grandson, told LeRoy that stone masons were brought here from Phoenix and Tucson to create the home's basic structure. Field laborers then did the rest of the construction.

The Wright House has been owned outside the Wright family for some years now. Past residents have included Yuma County Supervisor Lenore Stuart.

The Wright House, situated atop a rocky outcropping near Wellton, will be the subject of an arts gathering tonight. The home was designed by Blaine Drake, a student of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Photo by Louis Leroy

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