WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — It now appears that nature, not tree trimmers, damaged the Frank Lloyd Wright Samara House last month in West Lafayette.
“A co-dominant trunk from a neighbor’s aging pin oak failed due to internal rot,” Samara’s Site Director Nathan Allaire said, noting that Samara House has more than 100 trees and shrubs for which they actively care. “Unfortunately, this failure came from outside our property line.
“To help prevent similar issues in the future, we are working closely with the city of West Lafayette’s green space director to ensure that both our trees and neighboring ones are managed responsibly,” Allaire said.
West Lafayette police said Thursday, Oct. 2, that it appears that a section of the upper part of the tree broke off during the nighttime hours. That upper section hit the Samara House, police said.
“We’ve completed repairs on five of the seven damaged copper fascia pieces,” Allaire said. “The remaining two will likely need to be fully recreated — a complex task given the sharp geometry of Wright’s design and the level of craftsmanship required.
“The impact also crushed a few bricks along our recently restored driveway; those repairs are still pending.”
Police said the falling tree also damaged a Duke Energy power line.
“From what I understand, Duke Energy also contracted an emergency third-party tree service to handle the initial cleanup since their equipment couldn’t fit on our historic driveway,” Allaire said.
That explains why neighbors heard chainsaws and saw crews working in the area about 2:30 a.m. Sept. 17, according what neighbors told police.
Samara volunteers, staff, neighbors and maintenance staff cleared the driveway of the debris left from the falling tree and the tree cutting crew, Allaire said. The incident did not interrupt the scheduled tours of the famed house east of Northwestern Avenue.
A Samara House employee who arrived for work on Sept. 17 found a corner of the house damaged, and she reported it to police, according to West Lafayette police.
Famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the house adjacent to Northwestern Avenue under contract for John and Catherine Christian. The house was completed in 1956, according to the Samara House website.
The house and the drive still need repairs.
“We are currently reviewing the situation with our insurance provider to determine whether a claim will be filed,” Allaire said. “If not, the John E. Christian Family Memorial Trust, which funds all preservation work at Samara, will cover the costs. Indiana Landmarks co-stewards the property with the trust, and together these nonprofit organizations rely on freewill donations to sustain their efforts and continue serving the community.”
The house and tours are still available.
Samara House closed to the public in May 2020 to allow a large restoration project.
The house reopened for tours in 2023, according to the Indiana Landmarks website. The tours resumed starting in July after the second phase of restoration.
Information about tours may be found at the Sarama House website. Reservations are required, and the price for adults is $20.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Rotted tree damaged the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara House in West Lafayette
Reporting by Ron Wilkins, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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