The Dark Side of Frank Lloyd Wright, Part Two: Mass Murder, Cults, and the FBI
Summary
Hosts Ben and Noel explore the dark history of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin estate, detailing the 1914 massacre by Julian Carlton and two subsequent fires that destroyed the compound. The episode covers Wright’s turbulent marriages, the cult-like atmosphere of his architectural fellowship, and his controversial political views. It concludes with the FBI’s decades-long surveillance of Wright, driven by J. Edgar Hoover’s personal vendetta and suspicions of sedition during World War II.
Topics discussed
Intro, ads, and Natural Courses promo
Julian Carlton hired at Taliesin and his strange behavior
The Taliesin massacre: murder and arson
Survivors escape and Carlton's suicide attempt
Aftermath, ads, and rebuilding Taliesin II
Frank Lloyd Wright's marriages and reputation struggles
The second fire at Taliesin and financial ruin
The Taliesin Fellowship and cult-like dynamics
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FBI surveillance of Frank Lloyd Wright for sedition
Outro credits and final advertisements
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