William R. Heath House

The William R. Heath House is a Prairie School residence in Buffalo built with dark red brick, low-pitched hipped roofs with projecting eaves, and a large porch supported by square columns. The structure contains seven bedrooms on the second floor and features open floor plans that merge living and dining spaces.

The house was built between 1904 and 1905 from a design by Frank Lloyd Wright for William Heath, a lawyer and vice president of the Larkin Soap Company. It emerged during Wright's prolific period in Buffalo, when he designed several significant structures for the city.

The residence reflects Prairie School living ideals, with flowing spaces that merge dining and living areas and blur the boundary between interior and exterior. The generous porch functioned as a social gathering space, embodying the concept of permeable domestic life.

The house sits elevated on a terrace above street level, providing privacy despite its proximity to the sidewalk. Visitors may find better views of its architectural details by approaching from various angles around the property.

The mortar treatment between bricks creates distinctive shadow lines with flush vertical joints and deeply raked horizontal joints that emphasize the lateral composition. This subtle craftsmanship conveys Prairie School philosophy of organic architecture in even the smallest construction details.

Location: Buffalo

Architects: Frank Lloyd Wright

Architectural style: Prairie School architecture

GPS coordinates: 42.92580,-78.87530

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:25