Arkansas’s answer to Taliesin is this beautiful Ozark chapel made of glass

E. Fay Jones’ Path from Wright Apprentice to Master

A short film changed Fay Jones’ life in 1938. Just 17 years old, the Arkansas teen saw Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax building on screen and knew what he had to do.

First came World War II, where Jones flew Navy bombers in the Pacific. Then in 1949, a chance meeting with Wright at an architecture conference led to a 30-minute chat.

By 1953, Jones was Wright’s apprentice at Taliesin. Back in the Ozarks, he built his own style using local woods and glass.

His crowning work, Thorncrown Chapel with its 425 windows, ranks among the top buildings of the 20th century and stands ready for your visit in Arkansas.

A Movie Changed This Arkansas Boy’s Life Forever

Fay Jones was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1921 during hard times.

After losing both his sisters in childhood, young Fay found joy building fancy treehouses with brick fireplaces and roll-up doors.

His family moved around Arkansas before settling in El Dorado, where he worked in the family restaurant. The boy showed early talent, becoming an Eagle Scout and learning building skills.

His childhood creations gave hints of his future as an architect.

The 17-Year-Old Who Saw His Future on Screen

In 1938, Jones watched a short film about Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Headquarters.

Sitting in that theater during the Great Depression, the 17-year-old felt deeply moved by Wright’s modern building in Racine, Wisconsin. Architecture suddenly clicked for the teenager.

He decided then to mix his love of “drawing and building” into a career. This single moment in a movie theater shaped his entire life path.

Politics Crushed His Military Dreams

Jones wanted to join the U. S. Naval Academy and got ready by studying civil engineering at the University of Arkansas. He joined Kappa Sigma fraternity and did everything needed for a military appointment.

Then bad luck struck – his congressman lost reelection, which meant Jones lost his Naval Academy chance. This political bad break forced him to drop his original career plans and look toward architecture instead.

He Flew Planes in World War II

Jones joined the U. S. Navy when World War II started. He spent fifteen months in the Pacific as a naval pilot, flying torpedo and dive bombers.

Though he never saw combat, he rose to lieutenant during his service. While on leave in San Francisco in 1943, Jones married Mary Elizabeth “Gus” Knox.

His time in the military taught him discipline that later shaped his careful approach to building design.

GI Bill Turned the Veteran Into an Architect

After the war, Jones returned to Little Rock and worked drawing building plans. A coworker urged him to join the new University of Arkansas architecture program in 1946.

Using the GI Bill, he earned his architecture degree in 1950. John G. Williams became an important teacher during these years. Jones finally chased the dream sparked by that 1938 Wright film.

The Student Met His Hero at a Party

Jones went to the 1949 American Institute of Architects meeting in Houston hoping just to see Frank Lloyd Wright. The famous architect came to get the AIA Gold Medal.

Jones’ teacher Williams introduced him to Wright at a party after the meeting. The two talked for 30 minutes about Wright’s building ideas.

Jones couldn’t have known he would one day get the same big award as his hero.

Rice University Prepared Him for Teaching

Jones earned his master’s degree from Rice University in 1951. He then took a teaching job at the University of Oklahoma, where he worked from 1951 to 1953.

During this time, Jones worked closely with famous architect Bruce Goff, learning about modern building styles. These years built the base for his future teaching career that would last decades.

Jones soaked up many ideas while creating his own style.

Wright Invited the Whole Family to Taliesin

Frank Lloyd Wright visited the University of Oklahoma to give a talk during Easter 1953. Wright personally asked Jones and his wife to visit Taliesin West in Arizona.

Later, he asked the entire Jones family to come to Taliesin in Wisconsin.

Jones became an official Taliesin Fellow in 1953 and came back yearly for the next ten years as both friend and student. Wright’s guidance shaped Jones’ building philosophy.

The Ozarks Became His Architectural Canvas

Jones returned to Arkansas in 1953 at Wright’s suggestion to teach at the University of Arkansas. He started his own practice in the Ozark Mountains while teaching.

His school career grew as he became the first chair of the architecture department in 1966 and later the first dean of the new School of Architecture in 1974. The Ozarks gave both ideas and materials for his buildings.

His Buildings Spoke the Language of Light

The architect ignored building trends and created his own natural style. Jones used local Ozark materials and traditional regional shapes in his designs.

He focused on making cozy spaces rather than huge buildings. His clever use of tall glass and attention to light became key parts of his style.

Chapels, homes, and pavilions across Arkansas showed his unique “Ozark style.”

Thorncrown Chapel Made History

Jones designed Thorncrown Chapel in 1980, creating his career-defining masterpiece.

The chapel ranked fourth among the top buildings of the 20th century by the American Institute of Architects and was selected as the best American building constructed since 1980.

Jones received the AIA Gold Medal in 1990, the highest honor in American architecture.

He became the only Wright apprentice to receive this prestigious award, cementing his legacy as a master architect who transcended his mentor’s influence to create something truly original.

Visiting Thorncrown Chapel, Arkansas

Thorncrown Chapel at 12968 Highway 62 West in Eureka Springs showcases E. Fay Jones’ architectural mastery after his apprenticeship with Frank Lloyd Wright.

You can visit for free from March through December, 9 AM to 5 PM (closed January and February). The chapel may close early for weekend weddings, so call (479) 346-0245 to check.

Walk the 250-foot stone path from the parking lot to reach this masterpiece of “Ozark Style” architecture.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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