Pope-Leighey House

The Pope-Leighey House (1941–42) at 9000 Richmond Highway in Alexandria, Virginia has one of the most dramatic survival stories in Wright's entire body of work. Journalist Loren Pope wrote to Wright in 1939 asking for a house he could afford on a reporter's salary. Wright responded personally and designed a Usonian — board-and-batten cypress siding, brick, in-floor radiant heating, and art-glass clerestory windows — built for approximately $7,000. When the house was threatened by highway construction in Falls Church in 1964, it was dismantled and moved to the grounds of Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria. It was threatened again in 1995 by foundation problems and moved a second time to its current location on the Woodlawn grounds. The house is now operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and open for tours. Rick McNees photographed the house for the Wright-Site archive, including the distinctive Florida cypress siding.