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Kentuck Knob, or the I.N. Hagan House as it is known by architects, is marking its 50th anniversary in a testament to the genius of its designer, famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the craftsmanship of its local builders and the vision of its original owners.
For most of its life, Kentuck Knob, constructed of locally quarried sandstone and cut red cypress, served as a private residence. I.N. Hagan, of Hagan ice cream fame, and his wife, Bernardine, lived in the home for 30 years, selling it in 1986 to Lord Peter Palumbo, of Great Britain, who used the home as a vacation site.
Lord and Lady Palumbo opened its doors to the public in 1996, and an estimated 30,000 visitors pass through them each year.
But even before it became a public fascination, there were those dedicated Frank Lloyd Wright admirers who would seek out Kentuck Knob with the hope of getting at least a glimpse of the work of art.
"Quite often they would find us," Benardine Hagan said when she spoke of the sightseers, "but it was our home."
To much of the outside world, Kentuck Knob remained virtually unknown until its opening 10 years ago. It wasn't nearly as well known as Fallingwater, the other Frank Lloyd Wright home nestled in the mountains of Fayette County.
"The Hagans meant it to be that way," said Marianne Skvarla, Kentuck Knob's assistant director. "It was their permanent residence."
Hagan said she and her husband were ecstatic when they first entered their new home 50 years ago.
"We were thrilled," she said. "It was more than we expected it would be."
The Hagans corresponded with Wright at his residence in...