The Cultural Landscape Foundation® Pioneers of American Landscape Design® ___________________________________ HARRIET PATTISON ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT ___________________________________ Interviews Conducted June 17-19, 2015 By Charles A. Birnbaum, FASLA, FAAR Gina M. Angelone, Director © 2016 The Cultural Landscape Foundation, all rights reserved. May not be used or reproduced without permission. The Cultural Landscape Foundation® Pioneers of American Landscape Design® Oral History Series: Harriet Pattison Interview Transcript Table of Contents PRELUDE ........................................................................................................................................................................ 4 BIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Childhood................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Growing Up in Chicago .......................................................................................................................................... 4 City Full of Wonders .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Francis Parker School ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Lincoln Park ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 A Century of Progress International Exposition ............................................................................................... 11 Early Experiences of Landscape ........................................................................................................................... 11 Camden Amphitheater .................................................................................................................................... 14 Art ........................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Art at Francis Parker School ............................................................................................................................. 15 Art in the Family .............................................................................................................................................. 15 World War II ........................................................................................................................................................ 17 Mr. Roosevelt .................................................................................................................................................. 19 Education ................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Wellesley College ................................................................................................................................................. 20 University of Chicago ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Theatre at Yale University ................................................................................................................................... 22 Scene Design at Francis Parker School ............................................................................................................ 22 Acting ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 Paul Newman ................................................................................................................................................... 23 Josef Albers’ Color Course ............................................................................................................................... 24 Meeting Louis Kahn ......................................................................................................................................... 25 Travels in Europe ................................................................................................................................................. 26 Early Interest .................................................................................................................................................... 26 Spain ................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Alhambra ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 Edinburgh......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Italy .................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Philadelphia ......................................................................................................................................................... 32 Edith Braun ...................................................................................................................................................... 32 Working for Dan Kiley .......................................................................................................................................... 33 Life in Vermont ................................................................................................................................................ 34 Kiley’s Office .................................................................................................................................................... 35 The Kennedy Assassination ............................................................................................................................. 37 1 © 2016 The Cultural Landscape Foundation, all rights reserved. May not be used or reproduced without permission. The Cultural Landscape Foundation® Pioneers of American Landscape Design® Oral History Series: Harriet Pattison Interview Transcript University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Fine Arts ................................................................................... 37 Ian McHarg ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 Classmates ....................................................................................................................................................... 38 Chestnut Hill .................................................................................................................................................... 39 Mentors ........................................................................................................................................................... 39 Visiting Professors ........................................................................................................................................... 40 Tony Walmsley ................................................................................................................................................ 41 Practice .................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Working for George Patton ................................................................................................................................. 42 George Patton’s Office..................................................................................................................................... 43 My First Drawing for George Patton ................................................................................................................ 43 George Patton and Dan Kiley ........................................................................................................................... 44 The Kimbell Art Museum ................................................................................................................................. 45 Projects Leading up to the Kimbell Art Museum ............................................................................................. 46 Grading the Site ............................................................................................................................................... 47 Water ............................................................................................................................................................... 48 The Building ..................................................................................................................................................... 49 Yaupon Holly Grove ........................................................................................................................................