VOL. XXXIII NO. 1 FEBRUARY 1989 _ liTI(fTAS RRffiiTAS UEDUSlBS - NEWSLETTER THE SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS SAH NOTICES 'Rundbogenstil' in the Mid-Nineteenth the form of a single-page letter setting Century" and "Chicago and the Birth of forth a brief statement of the project, 1989 Annual Meeting-Montreal, Cana­ an American Architecture at the Tum of with attached budget, schedule for com­ da (Apri I 12-16). Elisabeth Blair Mac­ the Century." On Saturday, April 8th, top­ pletion, professional resume, and the Dougall, Harvard University (retired), ics are "Modernism in America before names of the three persons who may be will be general chair of the meeting. the Exhibition of 'Modem Architecture' contacted for references. There are no Phyllis Lambert, Canadian Centre for at the Museum of Modem. Art in 1932" application forms issued by the Fellow­ Architecture, will serve as local chair­ and "The Legacy of the German Emigres ship. Applications should be addressed to man. Headquarters for the meeting will after 1933." The symposium is free and the Chairman, Peterson Fellowship Com­ be the Meridien Hotel. The final printed open to any interested persons. Please mittee, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, program (with pre-registration form and contact the Buell Center for further infor­ East Washington Square, Philadelphia, hotel reservation form) has been sent to mation: Buell Center for the Study of Pennsylvania 19106-3794. the membership. Members are reminded American Architecture, 400 Avery Hall, that this program should be brought with Columbia University, New York, NY them to the meeting in April. Please note 10027, (212) 854-7374. deadlines for the purchase of tickets for EXHIBITIONS tours and other functions, and cut-off dates for reserving rooms at the Meridien The Wellesley College Museum, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02181, will Hotel. Important Notice hold an exhibition in the spring of I 989 1990 Annual Meeting-Boston, Mas­ to All Members entitled: On the Boards: Drawings by sachusetts (March 28-April 1 ). Elisabeth It is time to appoint an Asso­ Nineteenth-Century Boston Architects. Blair MacDougall, Harvard University The show will include some 100 known (retired), will be general chair of the ciate Editor for the Journal of the SAH. The Associate Editor will and unknown sheets by known and meeting. Keith Morgan, Boston Universi­ unknown draftsmen from Charles serve a one-year term before ty, will serve as local chairman. Head­ Bulfinch to Ralph Adams Cram. A com­ quarters for the meeting will be the Park becoming Editor. Anyone inter­ plete range of architectural graphics will Plaza Hotel. A call for papers will be ested in this position should be presented as a "sampler" of the draw­ published in the April Newsletter. immediately write to David ings created by local designers of the last 1989 Foreign Tour, The English Mid­ Bahlman at 1232 Pine Street, century. lands (June 28 to July 19, 1989). Carol Philadelphia, PA 19107, describ­ The exhibition is curated by James F. Herselle Krinsky, New York University, ing qualifications and previous O'Gorman, Grace Slack McNeil will be the leader of this tour. A descrip­ editing experience. Deadline for Professor of American Art at Wellesley; tive brochure on this architectural history submission: March 15, 1989. he has also prepared a complete cata­ study tour will reach the membership this logue to be published under the same title month. by the University of Pennsylvania Press. 1989 Domestic Tour, Los Angeles, Cali­ The exhibition will open with a sym­ fornia (tentative dates are September CORRECTION posium on the afternoon of April 15th, 5-10). Robert Winter, Occidental College, 1989. It will run to early June. For infor­ will be the leader of this tour. Details will Note: The following information in the mation call the Museum at (617) 235- reach the members in March. December Newsletter gave incorrect 0320. dates. The correct dates follow: The A major exhibit of the drawings and SYMPOSIUM Athenaeum of Philadelphia announces papers of Robert Mills, who designed the Charles E. Peterson Research Fellow­ some of Washington's best-known monu­ The Buell Center for the Study of Ameri­ ships for 1989-1990. Grants range in ments and buildings, opened in can Architecture at Columbia University amount from $1,000 to $15,000 for Washington Jan. 19, 1989. "Robert Mills, is hosting a symposium, American advanced research in early American Designs for Democracy," will be on dis­ Architecture and the German Connec­ architecture and building technology play through April 2 at the Octagon tion, in conjunction with Columbia Uni­ prior to 1860 for use during the year June Museum of the American Institute of versity's Deutsches Haus and the 1, 1989, to May 31, 1990. Architects. It will feature more than 85 of Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdi­ -Applications will be accepted the South Carolina native's drawings and enst. The symposium will be held from between January 1, 1989, and March 1, renderings, many of which have never 9:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. on April 7th and 1989. Awards will be announced by April been displayed publicly. The exhibit will 8th. On Friday, April 7th, speakers will 30, 1989. be shown April 23-June 11 at the address the issues of "The Impact of the -Applications should be submitted in Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia. Other locations are to be announced perspectives are welcome, as are Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085 (USA). shortly. John Bryan, art historian at the contributions from any discipline. Papers (215) 527-2564. University of South Carolina in describing works in progress and Columbia, is guest curator for the show, tentative conclusions are invited. QUERIES organized by the American Architectural Speakers receive an honorarium plus Information is being sought for the Foundation. Bryan also has edited a book expenses. Papers will be published. proper restoration of an 1866 chapel in of essays about Mills, the first native­ Written proposals are due March 1, Darien, Connecticut. The chapel is born American to train for a career in 1989; acceptances will be announced believed to be designed by architect Gage architecture. April 1. Contact Co-Chairs Kenneth Inslee of New York City. The majority of Mills, who lived from 1781-1855, was Ames or Katharine Martinez, Winterthur the edifice was constructed from a very a protege of Thomas Jefferson's. He Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735. experimental type of concrete block com­ designed a number of monuments and The sixteenth annual Carolinas posed of natural cement, the forefather of buildings in the Washington area, includ­ Symposium on British Studies will be the more common portland cement. It is ing the Washington National Monument, held at the University of North Carolina believed that the chapel is one of the ear­ the U.S. Patent Office and the Treasury at Charlotte on October 21 and 22, 1989. liest examples of this construction in the Building. He also designed buildings, The Symposium provides an annual country. If anyone has information on bridges and canals in his native South forum for the delivery of scholarly other natural concrete block buildings in Carolina, as well as in Baltimore and presentations and the exchange of ideas their area or has information on Gage Philadelphia. Mills designed the South relating to all aspects of British Studies, Inslee, please contact: Richard Bergmann Caroliniana Library and the Maxcy including history, literature, art and Architects, 63 Park Street, New Canaan, Monument, both located on USC's cam­ architecture, government, dance, and CT 06840, (203) 966-9505. pus. Mills' career spanned a critical peri­ music. While the Symposium is Since 1983, the Historic American od in the building and transformation of regionally based in the Southeast, Buildings Survey/Historic American America and reflects the interaction participants are welcome from all parts of Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) between the arts and technologies of his the country. The program committee Division has published an annual report time. When Mills died in 1855, he suc­ invites proposals for individual papers, that outlines its activities and accom­ cessfully had established his version of full sessions, and panel discussions. A plishments made throughout the year. In the Greek Revival as the style most $250 prize will be awarded for the best January 1989, HABS/HAER will release expressive of the new American political paper from among those read at the a report that will detail all activities and system. "He's one of the unsung heroes Symposium and submitted to the achievements made during 1988. If you of architecture," said Judith Schultz, evaluation committee by the following would like a copy, please write to Jean curator of exhibitions at the Octagon May, with the possibility of publication in Yearby, Publications Specialist, HABS/ Museum. "Many of his buildings became Albion. We also invite submissions for HAER Division (429), National Park prototypes for structures all over the the student paper session from both Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, country, and he also came up with impor­ graduate students and undergraduates, D.C. 20013-7127, or call her at (202) tant innovations for fireproofing and with a prize in each category. Proposals 343-9628. acoustics." For the past four years, the or papers should be sent by April 15, The following information was Mills project team has scoured the coun­ 1989, to Betty Young, East Campus received from Carl W. Condit, "I have try and located 5,000 of the architect's Library, Duke University, Durham, North continued research on the history of the documents and 171 drawings in libraries, Carolina 27708. All who submit New York skyscraper and have brought historical societies and regional and proposals will be notified of the decision the materials up to 1940.