Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House ©2017 Sarah Becker by Sarah Becker Architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian master work, the Pope-Leighey House is situated in a wooded hollow, an accepted part of historic Woodlawn’s 19th century landscape. Built for journalist Loren B. Pope, in 1940, the 1200 square feet house was moved to Woodlawn in 1964-1965 for preservation purposes. The Pope-Leighey House was originally built on a 1½ acre lot in East Falls Church, Virginia. Wright, born 150 years ago, on June 8, 1867, in Richland, Wisconsin, is widely remembered. The American Institute of Architects describes him as “the greatest American architect of his time.” In 1914 The Washington Post “credited [Wright] with being among the first in this country to design a bungalow.” Wright, who survived the Great Depression and two World Wars, found Americans want for moderately priced houses fascinating. His goal: “to reduce the actual cost of residential building and at the same time give the family whose income is perhaps $2,000 a year a modern comfortable home.” Like many of today’s millenials Pope, a $50 per week copy editor with The Washington Evening Star, could not afford a costly northern Virginia dwelling. Undeterred Pope wrote architect Frank Lloyd Wright an appealing six page request. Wright responded favorably recommending a “classic of the Usonian type of architecture;” a functional, inexpensive, 1800 square feet, one story house. Pope approved the plans in October 1939. Pope’s contractor, cabinet-maker Howard Rickert, proclaimed Wright’s scaled down two bedroom one bath, L-shaped design “the most logical house he had ever seen.” The cost: $7,000. In 1939 Frank Lloyd Wright was considered a great, if not over-the-hill architect. At age 72, his critics thought him well past his prime. “Wright’s surge of creativity after two decades of frustration was one of the most…