Memphis Architectural Collection
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MEMPHIS ARCHITECTURAL COLLECTION Processed By: Regan Adolph & Lanier Flanders 2013 Memphis and Shelby County Room Memphis Public Library and Information Center 3030 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38111 Memphis Architectural Collection Historical Sketch The Memphis Architectural Collection is a diverse compilation of architectural designs that were constructed in Memphis and Shelby County throughout the 20th century. Various classifications of buildings including businesses, residences, hospitals, hotels, theaters, social clubs, and buildings that provide public services are featured. This collection represents the rich heritage of Memphis as it evolves from a trading port on a bluff of the Mississippi into a vibrant metropolitan city of the 21st century. Starting in 1900, Memphis began to flourish as a city. Attractions such as Overton Park and the Memphis Zoo emerged. In 1904, the Parkways were constructed in a quad-like pattern to surround Overton Park. Talented designers and architects found themselves working in Memphis; some of the earliest firms featured in this collection include Hanker & Cairns, Walter W. Ahlscharlger, Jones & Furbringer, and James B. Cook. Ornate, luxurious hotels such as the Peabody Hotel, the Gayoso Hotel, the Chisca Hotel, and the Chickasaw Hotel are all results of this grandiose era. Various businesses, such as Memphis Steam Laundry, Lowenstein’s Department Store, the E.H. Crump building, the Memphis Royal Crown Bottling Co., and the Pantaze Drugstore all reflect the industry, investment, and enterprise of downtown Memphis. This collection contains nearly 60 designs from the Hanker & Cairns architectural firm. After studying in Paris, Bayard Snowden Cairns arrived in Memphis in 1904 at the request of his cousin R. Brinkley Snowden to be the superintendent of the Memphis Trust Company (later known as the Bank of Commerce and Trust Company). He established the firm Hanker & Cairns in 1907. He and his associate William Julius Hanker are credited with the classical designs of the Chisca Hotel, the Nineteenth Century Club, the Chickasaw Hotel, the Marx and Bensdorf building, and various renowned residences. They were also the associate architects for the Peabody Hotel. Their firm continued until 1934. Arguably the most famous Memphis attraction, the Peabody Hotel was reconstructed in 1925. Walter W. Ahlschlarger is praised for its notable designs. The hotel resembles an oversized Spanish hunting lodge, complete with a Travertine fountain and a grand mezzanine. Born in Chicago in 1887, he studied at The Lewis Institute of Technology, in addition to attending The Armour Institute and The Art Institute. Today, the celebrated Peabody Hotel stands regally on Union Avenue, still luring guests with its traditional duck march, Art Deco Skyway, and rooftop pavilion. Another key firm featured in the collection is Jones & Furbringer. Max H. Furbringer served on the City Planning Commission, the City Board of Adjustment, and the Memphis Housing Authority. He was also a highly active member of the American Institute of Architects. 2 His associate Walk C. Jones, Sr. was born in Memphis in 1874. His tour of Europe and the Middle East influenced his architectural preference for the Moorish, classic style. Some of their notable works include the Jewish Hospital and the Oakville Sanatorium Children’s Building. Walk C. Jones, Jr. later joined the firm in 1930. A photographic compilation of their residential designs can be found in Box 62. Overall, this collection strongly reflects the diverse interests of Memphis. The city values artistic expression as is evident with the blueprints of the Majestic Theatres, the Memphis Theater, Crump Stadium, and the Levitt Shell. This white concrete orchestra shell was first constructed in 1936 as a product of the Works Progress Administration. Beginning in 2008, it now offers free outdoor concerts for the general public to enjoy. The collection even includes blueprints from the Historic American Buildings Survey, a New Deal program designed to preserve historically significant buildings and provide employment to architects. The Tennessee State Capital Building, the Hermitage Home, and the Goyer-Lee Home are all documents from this endeavor. In addition to cultural attractions, public service has also been a consistent priority for Memphis. The drawings of the Shelby County Court House, Linden Station, Memphis River Terminal, the Shelby County Insane Asylum, and the Shelby County Penal Farm all attest to the city’s growth and development. The construction of hospitals, such as B’nai B’rith Home and Hospital for the Aged, Methodist Hospital, and Oakville Sanatorium affirm Memphis’ dedication to medical services. Although this collection contains many blueprints, it is important to note not all of these structures remain in physical form. These structural designs, along with plans for prominent Memphis residences and notable publications about architecture, complete the Memphis Architectural Collection. 3 Memphis Architectural Collection Scope and Content Comprised of approximately 7 linear feet, the Memphis Architectural Collection was donated to the Memphis Public Library & Information Center over a number of years by numerous architectural firms and members of the community. There are 62 boxes total; the first 61 boxes contain architectural designs by approximately 30 Memphis architects ranging from 1906 to 1998, and the last box contains various documents and publications about Memphis architecture. The designs include drawings, blueprints, structural and mechanical sketches, topographic surveys, and floor plans. They were created using ink and pencil on linen and paper, and projects range from new structures to additions and renovations. Those interested in examples of Memphis architecture should consult the Awsumb Architectural Collection and the George Mahan, Jr. Collection. The order of this collection is first by type of structure, then by architect, and finally by date if it is known, and the building types are divided into series. Series I is Business, Series II is Hotel, Series III is Hospital, Series IV is Residence, Series V is Public Use, Series VI is Social Club, Series VII is Theater, Series VIII is Miscellaneous, and Series IX is Publications. Publications found in the last box include brochures of the Memphis Housing Authority and the Architect League of Memphis, a 1968 economic profile of Memphis issued by the Chamber of Commerce, periodicals detailing the Whitehaven Utility District, Quantum House, and Architecture + Memphis, a 1943 record of street numbering, the completed works of Jones & Furbringer, and a 1913 portfolio of small home designs. Single photocopies or scans of unpublished writings in these papers may be made for purposes of scholarly research. Memphis and Shelby County Room rights statement While the Memphis Public Library & Information Center may house an item, it does not necessarily hold the copyright on the item, nor may it be able to determine if the item is still protected under current copyright law. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such instances and for obtaining any other permissions and paying associated fees that may be necessary for the intended use. Any image from the library’s collection published in any form must cite as the source: Memphis and Shelby County Room, Memphis Public Library & Information Center. For all requests, please contact the History Department at 901.415.2742 or [email protected]. 4 Memphis Architectural Collection Container List Number Series Box Project Name Architect Date of Items I 1 10 Memphis Steam Laundry E. L. Harrison 1926 I 1 7 Judge L. B. McFarland Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1910 I 2 36 Bank of Commerce & Trust Co. Hanker & Cairns 1912 I 3 14 Mr. A. L. Hach Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1912 I 3 2 Messrs Dubose & Elder Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1916 I 3 10 Mr. Alston Boyd Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1917 I 3 4 Mr. Alston Boyd Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1917 I 3 9 Miss F. B. Riley Dancing Academy Hanker & Cairns 1919 I 4 8 Mr. J. T. Fargason Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1919 I 4 11 R. Brinkley Snowden Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1920 I 4 9 James & Graham Wagon Co. Hanker & Cairns 1920 I 4 6 James & Graham Wagon Co. Hanker & Cairns 1920 I 5 28 McCreery Phalen Co. Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1922 I 5 5 Dave Dermon Stores Hanker & Cairns 1922 I 5 10 Mr. F.F. Hill Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1923 I 5 8 Lowenstein's Department Store Hanker & Cairns 1923 National Bank of Commerce in I 6 17 Paragould, AR Hanker & Cairns 1923 I 6 4 Prendergast Estate Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1925 I 6 12 Mr. Arthur Seessel Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1926 I 6 33 Marx & Bensdorf Bldg. Hanker & Cairns 1927 I 7 5 North of Macon Community Center Hanker & Cairns 1931 I 7 2 Gerber Bldg. Hanker & Cairns I 7 9 Dean Lilly Co. Hanker & Cairns 5 Number Series Box Project Name Architect Date of Items Lowenstein's Department Store, I 7 4 Alterations Hanker & Cairns I 7 18 Pantaze Drugstore Hanker & Heyer 1933 Memphis Royal Crown Bottling Co., I 7 8 Inc. Hanker & Heyer 1938 I 7 5 Maurice Bldg. Hanker & Heyer 1938 I 7 5 Nashville Trust Co. Hanker & Heyer 1944 E. H. Crump & Co. Offices, I 8 3 Alterations & Additions Hanker & Heyer 1947 Union Planters National Bank & I 8 6 Trust Co. Hanker & Heyer 1949 Union Planters National Bank & I 8 21 Trust Co. Hanker & Heyer 1953 I 8 3 Loe Kahn Furniture Co., Alterations Hanker & Heyer Gayoso & Hernando Bldg., I 8 3 Alterations Hanker & Heyer Chickasaw Gardens Communities Harland I 9 1 Corp. Bartholomew & Associates I 9 14 Columbian Mutual Tower I. A. Baum 1927 I 9 16 Pure Oil Co. J. Alstrom 1935 I 10 35 Hessig Ellis Drugstore John Gaisford Jones & I 11 34 North Memphis Savings Bank 1917 Furbringer Jones & I 11 6 George C. Love Bldg. 1923 Furbringer Jones & I 11 10 Annex to Gerber Bldg. Furbringer I 11 3 Universal Motor Co. Mann Gatling 1922 Nowland Van I 12 17 Chicago & Southern Airline, Inc.