The Tree That Escaped the Crowded Forest
Wednesday, September 5th, 2007 at 8:00 pm 
By Ryan BrownWhew, back from another short trip. A few months ago my wife told me she had some good news and some bad news. The bad news was that I would have to attend her high school reunion. The good news was that we could stay at a very unique Inn:
It’s not often that one gets the chance to stay in a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Price Tower does not disappoint. I’ll leave the historic particulars to the Price Tower Wikipedia entry, but here is their summary:
The Price Tower is a nineteen story, 221 foot high tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma that was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is the only realized skyscraper by Wright, and is one of only two vertically-oriented Wright structures extant (the other is the S.C. Johnson Wax Research Tower in Racine, Wisconsin).
The Price Tower was commissioned by Harold C. Price of the H. C. Price Company, a local oil pipeline and chemical firm. It opened to the public in February 1956.
I would highly recommend the Inn to anyone interested in architecture. The building has so many amazing details, and such great history. Many of the structural and design elements of the building were way ahead of their time. Of course, there are also many examples of Wright’s touch. My favorite - the elevators:
There are 3 small elevators (4 people can squeeze in) shaped like half octagons. I imagine there are many technical/structural reasons for this arrangement. However, there was also a functional reason. Frank Lloyd Wright designed the building down to the last detail, including the furniture. He didn’t want tenants to diminish the design by moving in their own (non-FLW) furniture. How to stop them? Small, oddly shaped elevators. 
The guided tour provides access to some of the original apartments and the penthouse office of H.C. Price. It also includes many entertaining Frank Lloyd Wright anecdotes. It’s a blast.
Check out the Price Tower Website for more details and information about the Inn.
Here are a few more photos:
