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The House That Moved Twice: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian Gem

When visiting historic Alexandria, Virginia, most people expect red brick Georgian mansions or Federal-style plantations. They don’t expect to find a low-slung, flat-roofed wooden structure from 1941 tucked into the woods.

This is the Pope-Leighey House. It is one of the few Frank Lloyd Wright homes on the East Coast open to the public, and it represents his vision for affordable American living. But this house almost didn’t survive. It had to be dismantled and moved—not once, but twice—to escape destruction.

The $5,000 Request

In 1939, Loren Pope, a journalist for the Washington Evening Star, wanted a home. He didn’t have much money (he reportedly made about $50 a week), but he had taste. He admired the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, the most famous architect in the world.

So, Pope wrote Wright a letter.

He wrote: “There are certain things a man wants during life, and of life. Material things and things of the spirit. The writer has one fervent material wish: a house created by you.”

Surprisingly, Wright said yes. He agreed to design a house for Pope’s small family in Falls Church, Virginia, with a budget of just $5,000 (roughly $110,000 today).

What is a “Usonian” Home?

Wright used this project to showcase his “Usonian” concept. Developed during the Great Depression, Usonian homes were Wright’s answer to the housing crisis: modest, efficient, affordable homes for the average American.

The Pope-Leighey house features classic Usonian elements:

• The Carport: Wright hated garages (he thought they encouraged hoarding junk), so he invented the open “carport.”
• Radiant Heating: The house sits on a concrete slab with hot water pipes running underneath. This eliminated the need for bulky radiators or dusty vents.
• Materials: The house is built almost entirely of brick, glass, and Tidewater red cypress wood.
• L-Shape: The layout hugs the landscape, separating the private bedrooms from the public living areas.

Inside the “Touchstone”

Wright originally wanted to name the house “Touchstone.” Walking inside, you can feel his mastery of space.

Like many Wright homes, the entrance is a “compression” point—a low ceiling and narrow hallway that makes you feel squeezed. But walk five steps down into the living room, and the space explodes. The ceiling soars to 11 feet, and walls of glass connect you directly to the outdoors.

The Furniture: To save money and space, Wright designed the furniture himself.

• Plywood Construction: The tables and chairs are made of simple plywood.
• Modular Design: The chairs can be pushed together to form a couch or separated for dining.
• Built-Ins: There are no dressers or wardrobes; all storage is built directly into the cypress walls.

The Mystery Pattern: Look up at the clerestory windows (the ribbon of windows near the ceiling). They feature a wooden fretwork pattern. Some say it looks like a turtle; others say a bird. Wright never confirmed the meaning, leaving it a mystery.

The Fight Against the Highway

The Pope family sold the house in 1946 to Robert and Marjorie Leighey. They loved the home, but in 1961, the State of Virginia came knocking. They planned to build Interstate 66 right through the living room.

Marjorie Leighey refused to let the house be destroyed. She donated the home to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and used the state’s condemnation money to help fund its rescue.

The First Move (1964): The house was meticulously dismantled, piece by piece, and moved 15 miles away to the grounds of Woodlawn, a historic plantation in Alexandria.

Marjorie’s Return: In a unique arrangement, Marjorie Leighey was given “life rights” to the house. Even though it was now on museum grounds, she moved back in and lived there from 1969 until her death in 1983, often hosting architecture students for tea.

The Second Move (1995): In the 1990s, the house began to crack. It turned out the soil at the new location was unstable marine clay. The house was lifted again and moved 30 feet to a sturdier foundation, where it sits today.

If You Visit

The Pope-Leighey House is located on the same property as Woodlawn, allowing you to tour an 1805 plantation and a 1940s modernist gem in the same afternoon.

• Location: 9000 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309.
• Tours: Guided tours are required. Combo tickets for both Pope-Leighey and Woodlawn are available.
• Accessibility: Due to the historic nature of the home (narrow hallways and stairs), accessibility is limited.

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For More Information

Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House (www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org)