The innovative windmill that Wright called "Romeo and Juliet" was conceived in 1896 and constructed in 1897. The windmill is a sixty-foot tower combining octagonal-shaped and diamond-shaped forms that support each other. These interlocking forms supposedly suggest Shakespeare's lovers in an embrace. The windmill was commissioned by Wright's aunts despite objections from the uncles, who claimed the structure would not withstand the first storm. It has, however, remained standing in its original form for more than one hundred years. The design incorporates not only a windmill but also a watertower and supplied water to the Hillside Home School constructed in 1902 for Wright's aunts. The original wood shingles were replaced with horizontal boards and battens in 1939.

photographs © jhd-designz

Location: Taliesin, Route 23, Spring Green, WI 53588

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