Fallingwater

MILL RUN, Pa.--Some have called it the best private home in America. Countless others have at least gushed over it. And whether you've been there or not, there's no denying the beauty and aesthetic power of Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Fallingwater here.

As part of Road Trip 2010, CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman visited Fallingwater for the first time and was inspired and deeply impressed by what he saw.

Completed in 1937, Fallingwater was the vacation home of the Kaufmann family from Pittsburgh, about 63 miles away. The incredible house stayed in the family until after the father, Edgar Sr., and his wife Lilliane had both passed away. In 1963, son Edgar Jr. entrusted the house to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and in 1965 it became a museum.

The Kaufmanns, who owned the Kaufmann department store in Pittsburgh, had originally rented the property, formerly the site of a country club, and used it as a retreat for employees of his store. They then purchased it and set about looking to build their vacation home.

The main house came first, followed by the guest house, which is located just above, in 1938. Between the two buildings, there are 169 original pieces of furniture designed by Wright, one of the largest collections of the famous architect's furniture anywhere on Earth.

This is the classic view of Fallingwater, taken from below the main house and looking back at it through an opening in the trees. Though the picture was taken in the summer, there are many photos taken from this spot that show Fallingwater in the winter, with all surfaces covered in snow, and the famous waterfall frozen in place.

Click here to read the related story on Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, and click here to check out the entire Road Trip 2010 package.

August 12, 2010 4:00 AM PDT

Photo by: Daniel Terdiman/CNET

| Caption by: Daniel Terdiman