WHEN THE TWO WORLDS OF ICONIC CREATORS BORN IN 19TH CENTURY AMERICA COLLIDE as people come from across the United States to celebrate these two creative souls, we knew we were in for a fabulous weekend.
Frank Lloyd Wright, born in 1867, became one of the most notable designers of homes beginning with his low and long Prairie style home; right through his more affordable, Usonian homes during the Great Depression.
Wallace Merle Byam, known as Wally, was born in 1896 and began publishing ‘how to’ plans for building travel trailers in Popular Mechanics magazine for 25 cents. In 1931 Wally began manufacturing and selling Airstream travel trailers in Los Angeles.
The vibrant city of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, home of the Phillips Petroleum Corporation, was where we gathered with our Airstreams. It was here that Mr. Price of Price Pipeline wanted a three-story office building but eventually agreed to the 19-story structure which was completed in 1956. This is the only FLW skyscraper ever to be built and to this day it remains a viable commercial building with a restaurant, office space and hotel rooms.
Here we enjoyed a panel discussion with experts from both camps who discussed the correlation between these two creative minds. In addition to their arrival in the late 1800s, both men experienced hardships as youths. Wright began creating small, useful homes with built-in furniture to ensure it wouldn’t be moved; while Wally was working on an even smaller (and movable!) scale, with furniture placed and not to be moved in his Airstream travel trailers. FLW constructed hundreds of homes, many which remain today; while Byam brought us our silver adventure pods and created adventurous caravans that included the Around-the-World caravan. Both men left indelible marks on American history and their legacies presented to the world remain iconic symbols to this day with many Wright homes still in existence; and it is estimated about 70% of all Airstreams ever manufactured are still in existence, including our 1954 Flying Cloud.
Camp Dawg 