This Just In...

Continuing his remarkably generous donations of Martin / Wright-related items from his late wife's collection, Mark Armesto has given the MHRC a vintage print of Wright's drawing for San Marcos in the Desert. More exciting still is the inscription on the border:

To Darwin D. Martin
"SAN MARCOS IN THE DESERT" - Souvenir "in exile" F. LL. W.

Yes folks, it's clearly inscribed by Wright to his friend and patron, Darwin D. Martin.

This print passed down from Darwin R. Martin to his adopted daughter, Pattie Armesto, Mark's late wife. In 2008 and 2009, Mark has given the MHRC some wonderful artifacts: a framed Japanese print from the Martin House, a copy of Darwin Martin's booklet "The First to Make a Card Ledger," and a silver cup engraved to Darwin Martin upon his retirement from the Larkin Company in 1925.

San Marcos in the Desert was an ambitious but unexecuted design for a resort near Chandler, Arizona (for Dr. Alexander Chandler). Like the Martins' "Blue Sky" mausoleum, this project was doomed by the stock market crash of 1929. Apparently, Wright sent Martin a print of the presentation drawing for San Marcos, and the "in exile" comment in the inscription must be a stoic nod to the hard time that both men knew were upon them.