Every time we pass the sign for California Historical Landmark 999, I want to exit the freeway and today we finally made the detour.

The plaque reads:

The Civic Center complex was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959) near the end of his long career. The Administration Building was completed in 1962 and the Hall of Justice in 1970. They are the only government buildings designed by the distinguished architect that were ever actually constructed. The project fully embodied Wright's ideal of organic architecture--a synthesis of buildings and landscape. In Wright's words, the structures were planned to "melt into the sunburnt hills."

The selection of Frank Lloyd Wright, in 1957, to design the Civic Center was controversial. The project was Wright's largest public project, and encompassed an entire campus of civic structures.

Groundbreaking for the Civic Center Administration Building took place in 1960, after Wright's death and under the watch of Wright's protégé, Aaron Green, and was completed in 1962 (the building and I are the same age).
To us, the interior felt like the Guggenheim and the outside felt very Disneyesque (Mr. Wright had been a guest of Mr. Disney, so who knows).


It was a surprising and delightful tour of a much anticipated place. There is just something about this creation, one of his last designed projects that we can actually wander in. So cool.
This was an especially poignant time to visit Mr. Wright's creations due to the fact that this year is the 150th anniversary of his birth (more about him on June 8th).