ORAL HISTORY of WILBERT R. HASBROUCK Interviewed By
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ORAL HISTORY OF WILBERT R. HASBROUCK Interviewed by Susan Benjamin Compiled under the auspices of the Chicago Architects Oral History Project The Ernest R. Graham Study Center for Architectural Drawings Department of Architecture The Art Institute of Chicago Copyright © 1995 Revised Edition Copyright © 2005 The Art Institute of Chicago This manuscript is hereby made available to the public for research purposes only. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publication, are reserved to the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries of The Art Institute of Chicago. No part of this manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of The Art Institute of Chicago. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface iv Preface to Revised Edition vi Outline of Topics vii Oral History 1 Selected References 180 Curriculum Vitae 181 Index of Names and Buildings 182 iii PREFACE To spend time with Wilbert Hasbrouck is to receive an education in a facet of architecture available nowhere else. As yet, little has been written on the history of the preservation movement in Chicago. So Bill's recollection as one of the few architects active in preservation and restoration in the early years are particularly valuable. Bill knows all the players—the architects, historians, educators, journalists, and developers—who have occupied Chicago's preservation stage, and he enthusiastically and candidly provides us with his observations and opinions on their activities in this interview. Hasbrouck's involvement in Chicago's preservation efforts dates back to the fall of 1959, when he and his wife, Marilyn, went for a walk in Hyde Park and happened upon the notice of a meeting of the Chicago Heritage Committee, which Bill describes as the grandfather of all subsequent preservation organizations in the city. Joining that group, he picketed the demolition of the Garrick Theatre. Subsequently, he played an instrumental role in the formation of the Chicago School of Architecture Foundation (founded to save H.H. Richardson's Glessner House in the mid-1960s), and served on the first advisory committee to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks (in the late 1960s). As Executive Director of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects, into the 1970s, Bill became versed in the dynamics and politics of architecture in Chicago. An interest in historic architecture had been more than an avocation to Bill. For fourteen years, beginning in 1964, he and Marilyn published Prairie School Review, which showcased the work of many of the Midwest's little known, as well as highly significant, architects. As one of Chicago's earliest and most important restoration architects, he has applied his expertise and knowledge of the history of architecture and technology to such well known structure as the Rookery, the Manhattan Building, the Delaware Building, and Solider Field in Chicago; the Darwin Martin House in Buffalo, New York; and the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, Illinois. Between June 1 and July 14, 1994, Bill and I met in his office on South Dearborn Street in Chicago's Printers Row to record his memoirs. Our sessions were taped on six ninety- minute cassettes that have been transcribed, edited, and reviewed by Bill, Marilyn and me iv for accuracy and clarity while maintaining the flow, spirit and tone of our exchange. Most research for my preparation for this oral history is based on my first-hand knowledge of preservation and on my long-time professional association and personal friendship with Bill Hasbrouck. Published sources I found helpful are appended to the text. It is with appreciation that I thank Bill for the pleasure of sharing his memories and for the invaluable documentation he has imparted to those interested in historic preservation. I extend an equal thanks to his wife Marilyn for many warm and lengthy conversation we had, and to Bill's office staff for their time and help. Special thanks go to Betty Blum, of the Department of Architecture at The Art Institute of Chicago, for her encouragement and guidance, and to Joan Cameron, of TapeWriter, for her skill and care in transcribing and shaping the final form of this document. Susan S. Benjamin June 1995 v PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION Since 1995, when the previous preface was written, advances in electronic transmission of data have moved at breakneck speed. With the ubiquity of the Internet, awareness and demand for copies of oral histories in the Chicago Architects Oral History Project collection have vastly increased. These factors, as well as the Ryerson and Burnham Library's commitment to scholarly research, have compelled us to make these documents readily accessible on the World Wide Web. A complete electronic version of each oral history is now available on the Chicago Architects Oral History Project's section of The Art Institute of Chicago website, http://www.artic.edu/aic, and, as before, a bound version is available for study at the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at The Art Institute of Chicago. In preparing an electronic version of this document, we have reformatted it for publication, reviewed and updated with minor copy-editing, and, where applicable, we have expanded the biographical profile and added pertinent bibliographic references. Lastly, the text has been reindexed and the CAOHP Master Index updated accordingly. All of the electronic conversion and reformatting is the handiwork of my valued colleague, Annemarie van Roessel, whose technical skills, intelligence, and discerning judgment have shaped the breadth and depth of the CAOHP's presence on the Internet. This endeavor would be greatly diminished without her seamless leadership in these matters. Publication of this oral history in web-accessible form was made possible by the generous support of The Vernon and Marcia Wagner Access Fund at The Art Institute of Chicago; The James & Catherine Haveman Foundation; The Reva and David Logan Family Fund of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region; and Daniel Logan and The Reva and David Logan Foundation. Finally, to the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at The Art Institute of Chicago and its generous and supportive director, Jack P. Brown, we extend our deepest gratitude for facilitating this endeavor. Betty J. Blum February 2005 vi OUTLINE OF TOPICS Early Years and Attending College 1 Working for the Illinois Central Railroad 4 Interest in Chicago Architecture 6 Chicago Heritage Committee 8 Saving and Adapting Glessner House 18 As Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects, Chicago 23 Striking Out on His Own 34 1900 South Prairie Building, Chicago 36 The Prairie School Review and Reprint Editions 39 Opening the Prairie Avenue Bookshop 57 Restoration of the Widow Clarke House, Chicago 59 Other Projects 63 New Quarters at 711, Chicago 68 Three Restoration Projects: Prus-Nelson House, Chicago 73 Delaware Building, Chicago 74 Manhattan Building, Chicago 80 Hasbrouck's Office 88 Honolulu House, Marshall, Michigan 90 Training for a Career In Restoration 91 Dearborn Street Station, Chicago 96 Historic Structure Reports 101 Prairie School Buildings: Dana/Thomas House, Springfield, Illinois 104 Rookery Building, Chicago 113 Peoples Savings Bank, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 123 Robie House, Chicago, Illinois 126 Soldier Field 129 Adaptive Use and New Work 135 Work in Thailand 136 Historic Preservation Programs 141 vii Testifying For and Against Landmark Status 146 The Lloyd House, Winnetka, Illinois 150 Designing from Scratch 151 Buildings Most in Need of Saving 154 Opinion of the Landmarks Preservation Organizations 156 More About Glessner House, Chicago 158 The Economy and Preservation 159 Selected Successful Projects 164 Opinions and Observations 165 Appraisals 174 The Hasbrouck Archive 175 viii Wilbert R. Hasbrouck Benjamin: Today is June 1, 1994, and I am with Wilbert R. Hasbrouck in his office. It is situated in the heart of the Printers Row Historic District, an appropriate location for an architect involved in preservation from its very inception in Chicago. Downstairs is the Prairie Avenue Bookshop, one of the country's foremost resource for architectural books. It is owned by Bill's wife Marilyn, his lifetime partner in the world of architectural preservation. We're going to explore together Bill's long and fruitful architectural career, talking about a great many of his numerous restoration projects, including one of Chicago's earliest skyscrapers, the Manhattan building, and one of Frank Lloyd Wright's foremost residences, the Dana/Thomas house in Springfield, Illinois. We will delve into the Chicago story of historic preservation, its successes and failures, and try to understand the forces that have historically driven the preservation movement in Chicago. We'll talk about the cast of characters. No one knows them better than Bill. Preservation has been Bill's vocation and avocation. In a city that has often been described as an architectural mecca, Bill Hasbrouck has played a significant role in preservation from the onset of the movement in the 1950s. Through Bill's story will unfold the story of preservation in Chicago. I guess there is no better place to start than the beginning. Where did you grow up and how did your life begin? Hasbrouck: I was born on a farm in western Iowa near a little town called Mapleton on December 17, 1931, the only person I know who was born in his father's house. I lived on that farm throughout my childhood until I went away to college. In fact, my brother still lives there. Growing up in Iowa is kind of a strange background for a preservationist in that architecture is not a big thing in Iowa. But I think traditionalism and understanding our roots and so forth is a big thing in Iowa. Maybe that has something to do with why I got involved in what I did. But in any case, I went to high school in Mapleton, 1 Iowa, graduated in 1949 and went off to Iowa State College.