In the 1950s, Wisconsin’s own Frank Lloyd Wright designed a home for art teacher Louis Penfield centered around a small poplar tree on 30 acres of land in Willoughby, Ohio.
They were the last residential plans Wright ever created. Born in Richland Center, Wright is considered one of the greatest architects of all time. Wisconsin is home to more than 40 of his buildings.
He died in 1959, leaving the plans for the Willoughby home laid out on his drawing board.
News with a little more humanity
WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.
The Penfield family never built the house but kept alive the hope that it one day would be constructed.
That vision landed with Debbie and Sarah Dykstra, a mother-daughter duo who bought the land in Ohio and promised to finish the home, committing to keeping the architecture as close to Wright’s vision as possible.
“To take this piece of art and have them change it would be very hurtful,” Sarah Dykstra said on the Magnolia Network.
Their 14-month journey to build the home, known as RiverRock, is now the subject of a Magnolia Network show called “The Last Wright: Building the Final Home Design of America’s Greatest Architect.” It premiered this month with streaming available on HBO Max.
The RiverRock House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Photo courtesy of RiverRock
The house, completed in January, is available for people to rent.
Sarah and Debbie Dykstra joined WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” to talk about their efforts to bring the RiverRock House to life.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Rob Ferrett: Debbie, this was a building that was designed to be on this exact spot. Tell us a little bit about how it fits in on the landscape.
Debbie Dykstra: It was designed to go roughly 60 degrees off of a particular poplar tree that is on this property. Seventy years ago, it would have been fun, but because we were doing it now, the design created a problem with the roots. We were afraid we were going to lose the tree.
But this house sits right on this particular piece of land because of that poplar tree and we decided to make the build as authentic as possible. We had to stick to that particular spot and try to save that poplar tree. And so far, so good.
The RiverRock home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright has 18-foot windows. Photo courtesy of RiverRock
RF: Sarah, the budget in 1959 was $25,000. Today, that money wouldn’t get you very far.
Sarah Dykstra: No, maybe the door. It was definitely a different scale of money in 2025 but I told somebody it was less than our first construction bid, but a lot more than 1959.
RF: Debbie, what is it that grabs you about Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture?
DD: If you look at the way he built things versus the way things are built today, it’s completely different. There’s no other architect like him around ever. As far as the inside-outside design, he did it first.
I have always loved being outside. When I’m sitting in the house, it has 18-foot windows, I feel like I’m sitting outside. But you don’t feel the weather change.
He also started the great room concept, of which many houses built since then have gone that route.
A stone fireplace at RiverRock house in Ohio. Photo courtesy of RiverRock
RF: Sarah, did you catch the Frank Lloyd Wright bug from her?
SD: I think I had it first because she likes the cozy, warm, snuggly houses and I like all the straight lines. So I picked up on those things from Mr. Wright a long while back and that’s what really caught my eye.
Things like those straight lines, the glass, the rock have always drawn me into Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs. But learning about his philosophies and the compression and release, the passive solar energy systems that he built in the house. You’re just like, holy cow, how on earth in the 1950s did he think of some of these things?
RF: Debbie, what was it like to be going through this process and you’re being captured for TV?
DD: I’m 74 and this definitely was the strangest part of my entire life and my daughter will say the same thing. I mean, it was a great experience. We learned a lot and they learned from us.
My specific thing initially was we only do three takes. We’re not going to make this like a regular movie where we have lines. I’m not going to remember what you told me 10 minutes ago so get it in the three takes.
It was a strange situation but our whole family was involved at some point or another and that was very exciting to have them forever be remembered. That was special.
Sarah, left, and Debbie Dykstra, in their complete RiverRock house. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Network