KEWL BUILDINGS U.S.A. PART 1

“AS WE TRAVEL AROUND THE UNITED STATES,” the Discoverer website writes, “we witness fantastic buildings that adorn the country’s cites and towns…. Let’s take a road trip across America as we explore the coolest buildings in all 50 states.” 

Well let’s not explore all 50 of their choices here, but a goodly number of them caught my eye for one reason or another. In Parts 1 and 2 today and tomorrow are tidbits about several. 

Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House—Alabama. The Discoverer recounts, “Arguably one of the greatest architects the U.S. has ever produced, Frank Lloyd Wright was a believer in blending his structures into their surrounding environment. This type of ‘Organic Architecture’ symbolized a harmonious meeting of nature and man, and this home in Florence, Alabama is one perfect example of this philosophy.”

The Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House. Image by Blake Wylie/Wikipedia via the Discoverer.

 I especially appreciate FLW’s efforts in designing what were termed American System-Built Homes.

Dr. Seuss House—Alaska. “You can easily see,” the Discoverer observes, “how this whimsical house outside of Talkeetna is known to everyone as the Dr. Seuss House. The owner originally planned to build a two-story cabin, but he decided to add another floor and didn’t stop. There are now somewhere between 14 and 17 floors. The best way to see it is by taking a ride on the Alaskan railroad.”

Dr. Seuss House. Image by @mearsinak via the Discoverer.

Daughters Suz and Beth certainly admire Dr. Seuss even though they’ve never visited his whimsical residence. I’ve been to Alaska, but not to Talkeetna, south of Denali State Park, 273 miles south/southwest of Fairbanks. My Toyota FCHV Adventure traveled to the southeast 2300 miles from Fairbanks to Vancouver.

Walt Disney Concert Hall—California. The Discoverer writes, “It’s nearly impossible to pick just one incredible structure in California. From the Getty House to Coit Tower, many iconic landmarks could have made this list. But the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles is a spectacular modern marvel designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Outfitted with asymmetrical stainless steel panels that bend and warp like a series of sheets around the exterior, the building hosts the Los Angeles Philharmonic symphony, and is a stunning achievement inside and out.

Image by Linda Pomerantz Zhang/Unsplash via the Discoverer.

I recall a favorite production at (and around) Disney Concert Hall: Annie Gosfield’s post-avant garde War of the Worlds. “The Los Angeles Philharmonic says Gosfield ‘works the boundaries between notated and improvised music, electronic and acoustic sounds, refined timbres, and noise.’ ” I noted, “This ain’t Verde, folks.”

In Part 2 tomorrow we visit a high school reminding me of Thomas Cromwell, a hotel recalling time travel, and a mansion offering convenient parking. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025