Anna is currently a member of the UW-Madison class of 2023. She is majoring in Anthropology, while earning certificates in Archaeology and Material Culture Studies. Anna is excited to work with Wisconsin 101 this summer as a way to pursue her interests in public history and museum studies!
By This Author:
OBJECT HISTORY: Frank Lloyd Wright Pew/Bench
This bench documents the history of the First Unitarian Meeting House and showcases Frank Lloyd Wright’s intense attention to detail as a designer. Wright hoped that the design of these benches would directly reflect the goals of the Meeting House. The flexibility of their configuration meant that groups of all sizes could meet.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Organic Architecture
Born in 1867 in Richland City, WI, Frank Lloyd Wright designed nearly 150 buildings in Wisconsin alone, as well as numerous homes and churches across the United States. Wright’s philosophy of matching an architectural structure to its natural environment, along with his pioneering designs, garnered him an influential legacy lasting long after his death in 1959.
Unitarianism and the Madison Meeting House
Once enjoying unobstructed views of Lake Mendota and sharing its land with the University of Wisconsin’s experimental fields, the First Unitarian Society Meeting House now sits on UW-Madison’s Medical campus. Designed in 1947 by Frank Lloyd Wright to embody the mission of the First Unitarian Society and egalitarian vision of its minister, Rev. Kenneth Patton, the Meeting House served as a space that encouraged diverse groups to connect.