My husband and I enjoyed a great tour on Father's Day Sunday. Suzanne, our interpreter, was very thorough and our tour group was small, consisting of only two other adults--shout out to the couple we met from Downers Grove! The tour was about an hour long and was more about the various families who've lived in the house over the past 110+ years rather than Frank Lloyd Wright himself, which was very interesting. If you're visiting a FLW home, there's a good chance you already know something about him, thus there really isn't need to discuss the architect himself in great detail on this tour. It was sad to hear about the many items original to the house that had been stripped from the walls, etc. and sold over the years. Stained glass windows are still out in the world with various owners, as well as fixtures and furniture, but these items can't be repurchased until the mortgage is paid off. Our interpreter said that Christie's Auctions knows where many of the items are now, so hopefully they can get them back down the road. Another Yelp! reviewer mentioned that some light fixtures and paint colors in the home obviously aren't original and they seemed to be bothered by this. Personally, those cosmetic things didn't matter to me. Upgrades are going to happen over the years. There is a boardroom now, and the home is rented for private parties, weddings, and more. The bills needs to be paid and other sources of income are vital to keeping a home like this open to the public. The $20 per person admission fee felt appropriate to me, given that the entry fee is helping to pay down the last remaining $100k left on the original $1.7million montage. Wow. They've come a long way. Wright In Kankakee (WIK) "is the not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the acquisition and preservation of Frank Lloyd Wright's first prairie style design." All of the volunteers were super friendly and the gift shop had a lot of lovely items for sale. We took a Duffy Electric Boat ride around the Kankakee River afterward. $10 per person for 30 minutes and the ride left from the dock near the Bradley House. All in all, a terrific way to spend and afternoon. Highly recommend. read more

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Just finished a tour of this Frank Lloyd Wright home. Tours run an hour long and cost 15 dollars. Recommend a visit! I had a great tour guide all to myself, which was nice as usually there are many people on tours of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings. There was a bus load of people leaving when I began my tour. Tours are on Friday and the weekend. Friday is probably best to avoid crowds! Beautiful home on the river with a lot of history. Glad it was restored! read more

The B Harley Bradley House - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Kankakee, Illinois

I've visited many FLW homes, and while the B Harley Bradley House is absolutely worth a visit, it is hardly the most amazing restorations of one of his properties. Then again, in a small town 50 miles outside of Chicago and with a foundation doing terrific work on a small budget, it is still impressive work. The home itself had been considerably changed by many owners, including a long time as a restaurant and inn, complete with a commercial kitchen and additions for lodging. So, the fact this home is even in the condition it is is pretty amazing. I don't mean to imply it's still not an FLW gem, but with rooms used as modern offices, a contemporary ceiling fan, shiny brass wall sconces, and a patio converted into a meeting room with a conference table, it's not quite like stepping back in time, either. There are rooms that are quite remarkable. The front room, although empty, is beautiful. The dining room has had missing stained glass windows lovingly restored. The entrances demonstrate Wright's tendency to compress spaces before entering spacious and comfortable rooms. And as one of his first prairie-style homes, the Bradley House is historically significant. The tour is interesting. A great deal of info has been collected on each of the owners, and some of the stories are quite tragic (a suicide, a murder during a kidnapping attempt, and failed businesses.) Still between the haunting stories and evocative space, the trip from Chicago and $25 tour fee was well worth it. read more

I enjoyed my first visit to a FLW property. The Bradley House is nicely tucked away in a residential community with easy access to the downtown area & the expressway. I was in town for a meeting at the property and took advantage of the break-time to explore a bit. The space is very inviting and totally serene. Which is important in setting the tone for meetings & trainings! The Executive Director was on site and welcomed our groups wondering. The kitchen is fully functional allowing our meeting caterer to serve lunch with ease. There is ample parking and accommodation for guests with mobility issues. Each room offered interesting architectural details that many come to expect from the Wright-design legacy. If you are in the area consider taking a tour to enjoy a walk down memory lane. I will return with my family to tour the property and take advantage of the water activities offered at the adjacent lake during our next "staycation" or long summer weekend. read more

The B Harley Bradley House - Meeting with a view - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Kankakee, Illinois

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The Bradley House tour is fascinating and informative! The restoration of this historic home is beautiful. It makes me so happy that this amazing work of art is being preserved. read more

https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&surl=1&q=B+Harley+House&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&rlz=1I7GGNI_enUS528&gws_rd=ssl#gws_rd=ssl&spf=1563049899137 I have never been to this place but like some of the information about B Harley House, like the fact that it is a Frank Lloyd Wight-designed home, constructed in the Prairie School style, that was constructed in Kankakee, Illinois in 1900-1901. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._Harley_Bradley_House Here are other links for B Harley Bradley House in Kankakee, IL https://www.google.com/search?q=Where+is+the+B+Harley+Bradley+house+today%3F&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS858US858&oq=Where+is+the+B+Harley+Bradley+house+today%3F&aqs=chrome..69i57.29062j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 read more

While visiting from out of state, we visited the B Harley Bradley House & received a tour from an exceptional volunteer, Laura. The house and grounds are stunning & Laura's passion for FLW and the Bradley House was contagious! We have visited many FLW properties, but the thing I loved most about this visit was how the tour focused on the various owners of the property and restoration (and less on FLW himself - although much was discussed about his attention to detail & talent). The tour provided a wonderful lesson on local history. I very highly recommend visiting the Bradley House! read more

Disappointing Frank Lloyd Wright home. Loved the beautiful location and grounds and appreciate the had a lot of work to do to restore this house. Disappointed by the modern windows put in on the porches and the velvet red material used on cushions and drapes, didn't seem FLW at all. Our guide really relied on the book she had. Wish there was more work done to keep it true to its original. Didn't like the offices that were in the bedrooms nor the baby shower that was going on during the tour. read more