Pittsburgh visit 2011 part II Fallingwater and Ft. Necessity

When the Grouch and young son met up with the Missus we set off for Fallingwater, the home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1930 for the Kaufmann family (A Pittsburgh department store empire that was bought out by Macy's).  I visited the place with a friend back in the 70s and in my rebellious phase disdained everything about the home and the bubbling enthusiasm of the docents.  This time more mature, or at least older and maybe wiser I viewed the home again and the setting and appreciated the beauty of both home and the grounds.  Young son who is more sophisticated than I was at the same age really liked it.   After we finished visiting the house we set off for Ft. Necessity which is close to Fallingwater.  The Missus teaches about the fort in her American History course for her 5th grade class and couldn't pass up the opportunity to see it.  As a bonus we got to view the burial spot of General Braddock not more than a mile or so from the fort.  A two-fer!

http://fallingwater.org/      Fallingwater

http://www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm    Ft. Necessity

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM12DF_General_Braddocks_Grave

Pictures are below, click on them for a larger view

Fallingwater (but then you figured that out on your own!)



Walking to the visitor center - a very nice facility that did not exist in the 70s.



You have arrived!  No pictures allowed inside.

The water was running very strong during our visit.  The last time I was there it was hardly more than a trickle.

Young son and the home.



The Missus inside the gate at Ft. Necessity looking formidable yet alluring



The troops do a battlefield walk at Ft. Necessity

The marker for Braddock's grave

Braddock's grave marker.  The original road cut through to Ft. Pitt by the British and locals passes within yards of the monument and traces can still be viewed.  History is fascinating!