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University of Texas, Alexander Architectural Archive

Walter Eugene George, Jr.:

An Inventory of His Drawings, Restoration Projects from Texas and Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia; and New Construction Projects, 1951-1979


Collection Summary

Creator:George, Walter Eugene
Title:Walter Eugene George, Jr. drawings
Dates:1951-1979
Abstract:Five hundred original drawings and prints of drawings, showing some 30 projects, are representative of the career of Walter Eugene George Jr. Materials date from 1951 to 1979 and include examples of both historic restorations and new construction projects.
Identification:EG Accession number(s): 1990001, 1990008, 1990017, 1991004, 1998004, 1998005, 1998006, 1999001, 2002002
Quantity:500 + drawings
Language:Materials are in English.
Repository:Alexander Architectural Archive, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.

Biographical Sketch of Eugene George

Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1922, Eugene George received his Bachelors of Architecture degree from the University of Texas in 1949. During his student period, his academic qualities were acknowledged by membership in Tau Sigma Delta (Mu Chapter, University of Texas, May 1, 1947), Honorary Society for Architecture and the Allied Arts. On graduation, he received the Mont San Michel and Chartres Award from the American Institute of Architects for architectural scholarship. His studies were interrupted during World War II in which he served as a pilot in the Eighth Air Force (England). Captured by the Germans, he spent almost a year in a POW prison camp (Stalag Luft I) in Germany. While in prison, he established and taught an introductory architectural course (see Goldwin Goldsmith: "Prisoner-of-War School Teachers." Am. Inst. Arch. J. 4: 183-184 O'45). He was awarded the WW II Air Medal (with 2 oak leaf clusters), Purple Heart, Normandy Campaign Medal, and three European battle stars. George received a Master of Architecture from Harvard University, where he was a student of Walter Gropius.

During a summer period, George worked for the firm of Giesecke, Kuehne, and Brooks (Austin). Following graduation he worked for Wiltshire and Fisher (Dallas) and Richard Colley (Corpus Christi). He was licensed to practice architecture in Texas (by examination 08-03-1950). Subsequently, he received a Certificate from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards as well as architectural licenses from the states of Kansas, Virginia, and New Mexico. With others he established his own firm (Pendley George and Bowman) in September 1952. Except for a brief tenure with the Austin firm of Page, Southerland, and Page (1970-1971) and serving as Resident Architect for Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia (1971-1973), George has always maintained a private architectural practice.

George is one of the leading architects of the historic preservation movement in Texas. He reactivated the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in Texas during 1961 following a dormant period of more than two decades. In addition to preparing measured drawings for San Antonio's Mission of San Antonio de Valero ("The Alamo"), he was active in the documentation of historic buildings in the Rio Grande borderlands. Additionally, he documented historic buildings for HABS on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts during 1967. For the Texas Historical Commission, he documented Socorro Mission during 1979. His restoration projects include vernacular structures at Round Top, Texas (1969-1970), restoration at the Yorktown Battlefield and the Nelson Block, both in Virginia (1976, for the National Park Service), restoration of the Magoffin adobe in El Paso, Texas (1977), The Randle-Turner House, near Itasca, Texas (1977), The Sixth Floor (museum at the John F. Kennedy assassination site, in Dallas, Texas, 1987), and both the Willis-Moody House and the Quigg-Ballard Cottage, Galveston, Texas (1985-1987). He is well known for his research concerned with the preservation of adobe structures and his studies of the vernacular Hispanic building traditions of the southwestern borderlands.

While maintaining a professional practice, George also established a notable career as an educator. He taught in the architectural program at the University of Texas at Austin from 1957 to 1962, receiving from the Students' Association their Teaching Excellence Award during a convocation held April 2nd, 1960. At Lawrence, Kansas, from 1962 to 1967, he was chairman of the departments of Architecture and Architectural Engineering. In 1967, he was appointed Dean of the College of Architecture at the University of Houston, resigning in 1969. He resumed teaching at the University of Texas at Austin during 1975, including positions both in the Historic Restoration program in the School of Architecture and in the Architectural Engineering program in the Department of Civil Engineering until 1997. In 1997 he inaugurated a new graduate program at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he is the first recipient of the Mary Ann Blocker Castleberry Endowed Professorship on Historic Preservation established by the San Antonio Conservation Society.

George has received numerous awards for his work in historic preservation including a 1978 award from the Austin Heritage Society for the conversion of an historic service station into a corporate office facility. He was awarded the Maharishi Award for Cultural Integrity, Invincibility and World Harmony for research concerning Hispanic cultures in 1979. From the Texas Society of Architects, he received an Honor Award for the restoration of the Randle-Turner House in 1982, as well as the Edward J. Romieniec, FAIA Award in 2001, for outstanding contributions in education. George was elected to the College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects in 2004.

During the 1960s, George served as editor for the Texas Architect magazine. He has lectured in the United States, Mexico, and England on such topics as preservation technology, the architectural history of Texas, architectural education, and the history of construction technology. He has participated in numerous conferences. George has authored articles in such journals as Preservation, Fine Homebuilding, the Journal of the Association for Preservation Technology as well as in numerous conference proceedings. His book, Historic Architecture of Texas: The Falcon Reservoir, includes the architecture of ranch structures and towns submerged beneath the reservoir.

George has served on many committees including national AIA Committee on Historic Buildings, the Texas Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, the Kansas Historical Committee, and the Texas State Board of Review for the National Register of Historic Places. He has additionally served during two sessions as the State Preservation Coordinator for the Governor's office. Walter Eugene George, Jr. has been listed in Who's Who in America since 1967. He is married to Mary Carolyn Hollers, an art and architectural historian.

- Eugene George, May 1998

Scope and Content of the collection

This collection of original architectural drawings and prints, encompassing approximately 500 drawings for some 30 projects, is representative of the career of Walter Eugene George Jr. It includes materials for both historic restorations and new construction projects. The bulk of the materials date from the mid-1950s through the 1970s.

The collection contains measured drawings of historic buildings in Texas restored under the supervision of George, including the Jordan-Bowles Homestead, near Grand Prairie (1975); the Friedrich Schob House in Victoria County (no date); and the Schumann House in Henkel Square, Round Top (nd). There are also copies of measured drawings for historic Texas buildings from the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), including the Janda Farm in Fayette County and the Claiborne Kyle Log House in Hays County.

The collection includes examples of George's original designs for new construction, such as the residences for Patrick Gibbons in San Antonio (nd), Kent Kennan in Austin (1955), and William Carter in Austin (1961). Of particular note are the drawings for an office building for Nieman, Hanks & Puryear in Austin, an award winning rehabilitation project from 1978.

The collection also includes material for historic buildings outside of the boundaries of Texas, including prints of measured drawings for various buildings at Colonial Williamsburg, executed while George was the resident architect from 1971 to 1973, and prints of measured drawings for Colonial National Historical Park in Yorktown, Pennsylvania from 1974 to 1975. There are also copies of measured drawings from the Historic American Buildings Survey, including the Robie House in Chicago and the Second Congregational Meeting House in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

George has also generously donated portions of his personal library to the Architecture and Planning Library. This collection is not fully processed. For more information, please consult Archives' staff.

 

Organization of the drawings
Arranged alphabetically by client and then by name of project.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access is by appointment only to any serious scholar. Rolled materials must be flattened before viewing. A three-day advance notice is required to flatten rolled materials. Portions of this collection are not processed and may not be accessible.

Restrictions on Use

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the owner of the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Alexander Architectural Archive's Use Policy.

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the University of Texas Online Catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings
Persons:
George, Eugene
George, Walter Eugene
Organizations:
Colonial Williamsburg, Inc.
Colonial National Historic Park.
Subjects:
Historic buildings--Texas--Conservation and restoration.
Architecture--Conservation and restoration
Architecture, Domestic--Texas
Historic buildings--Virginia--Conservation and restoration.
Document types:
Architectural drawings.
Measured drawings.
Working drawings.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Walter Eugene George, Jr. Drawings, Alexander Architectural Archive, University of Texas Libraries, the University of Texas at Austin

Processing Information

Drawings processed by: Lila Knight, Beth Dodd

Processing is not completed. Please see Archive's staff for more information.

Other Finding Aids

Unpublished inventory in the Archive.

Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

 

Series A: Drawings

Series Abstract
Entries are indexed in alphabetical order by Client's last name. If the client is not identifiable, the field will remain blank. Entries without client names are sorted by Project Name and listed before those that provide client's names. Project names are supplied by the cataloger, as title blocks on the drawings prove to be inconsistent and many drawings are not labeled. Dates are offered if they can be derived from the drawings or gathered from other authoritative sources. The term "drawing" includes both original works (such as pencil on trace paper, or ink on tracing cloth) as well as copies (such as sepia prints, blue line prints, etc.). This collection is not completely processed. For more information, please consult Archives' staff.
Project name: Austin Savings and Loan. Branch proposal.
Date on drawings: 1970
Primary archt/firm: Page Southerland Page
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 67
Project name: Christian Faith and Life Community. Chapel.
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, Jr., Architect
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Ballard House.
Date on drawings: 1974
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Ballard House. Adaptive restoration.
Date on drawings: 1974
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Ballard House. Archeological excavations plan.
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Fire station and ranger office.
Date on drawings: 1974
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Historic preservation team.
Date on drawings: 1974
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Nelson House. Archeological excavations plan.
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Site plans.
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Smith House. Archeological excavations plan.
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Frame vacation house. Preliminary study.
Date on drawings: 1965 July
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, Architect
Project name: Gethsemene Lutheran Church.
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Groombridge Place. Garden plan.
Date on drawings: 1902 May
Primary archt/firm: Inico Triggs
City: Kent
Country: U.S.
Project name: Master Plan?
Date on drawings: 194?
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: McAlester Regional Health Center. Hospital Unit.
Date on drawings: nd
Primary archt/firm: Page Southerland Page Architects Engineers Consultants
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Mid second siege line. Archeological excavation plan.
Date on drawings: 1975
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Mid second siege line. French-American redoubt.
Date on drawings: 1975
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo). Entrance elevation detail.
Date on drawings: 1961
City: San Antonio
County: Bexar
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 1347
Project name: Mount Olive Lutheran Church.
Date on drawings: 1952 Dec
Primary archt/firm: Sam Bates and Eugene George
Street address: Everhart Road
City: Corpus Christi
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: National Orange Show. Site plan.
Date on drawings: nd
City: San Bernardino
State/Province: Calif.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Nelson house. Restoration phase II.
Date on drawings: 1974
Primary archt/firm: National Parks Service. Historic Preservation Team, Denver
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Unidentified house.
Date on drawings: 1965 July
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
Street address: Lot 10, Blk 7. Subdivision of tract "A", Schwartz Acres
Project name: Unidentified miscellaneous details.
Date on drawings: 1974
Country: U.S.
Project name: Unidentified plan and elevations.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 68/17
Project name: Uvalde memorial hospital.
Date on drawings: 1970
Primary archt/firm: Page Southerland Page
City: Uvalde
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: York hall. Garden steps detail.
Date on drawings: nd
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: York Hall. General plan of arrangement.
Primary archt/firm: Charles E. Gillette, Landscape Architect, Richmond, Va.
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: York. Plats for town in 1691 and 1788.
Date on drawings: nd
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown. Battlefield.
Date on drawings: 1974
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown. Battlefield. Development plan.
Date on drawings: 1968
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown. Battlefield. Rehabilitation.
Date on drawings: 1974
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown. Battlefield. Topography.
Date on drawings: 1939
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown Master Plan. Central development.
Date on drawings: 1957
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown. Site plans.
Date on drawings: 1975
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Yorktown. Site plans. Archeological and historic research.
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 103
Project name: South Austin Fire Station.
Date on drawings: 1977
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George AIA Architect
Collaborators: Coolidge & Associates Ltd Structural Mechanical & Electrical Engineers
Client Austin, City of
Street address: 5811 Nuckols Crossing Road
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 12
Project name: Black residence and shop. Alterations.
Date on drawings: 1953 April
Primary archt/firm: Pendley, George and Bowman, Architects
Client: Black, Virginia
Street address: 400 East 11th Street
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Mr. and Mrs. L.R. Calhoun residence.
Date on drawings: 1956
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, Jr. AIA Architect
Client: Calhoun, L.R.
City: Wimberley
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 78
Project name: Carter residence.
Date on drawings: 1961
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, Jr., Architect
Client: Carter, William J.
Street address: 2719 Wooldridge Drive
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 100
Project name: Carter residence. Addition.
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, AIA
Client: Carter, William J.
Street address: 2719 Wooldridge Drive
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Jordan-Bowles homestead.
Date on drawings: 1975
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, AIA, Architect
Client: Carter, William J.
City: Grand Prairie
County: Dallas
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 20
Project name: Dr. Thomas M. Cranfill residence.
Date on drawings: 1954
Primary archt/firm: Harwell Hamilton Harris Architect
Collaborators: Pendley George & Bowman Assoc. Architects & Engineers
Client: Cranfill, Dr. Thomas M.
Street address: 1901 Cliff Street
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 96
Project name: Turner House. Restoration.
Date on drawings: nd
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George AIA Architect
Client: Crouch, W. T.
City: Itasca
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Texas School Book Depository. Sixth floor. Composite reflected ceiling plan.
Client: Dallas County Historical Foundation
City: Dallas
County: Dallas
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 39
Project name: Residence.
Primary archt/firm: Pendley, George and Bowman, Architects
Client:?, Dr. and Mrs.
Street address: Pemberton Place
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 5203
Project name: Eisner residence.
Date on drawings: 1953 Jan
Primary archt/firm: Pendley, George and Bowman, Architects
Client: Eisner, Benjamin
Street address: Cochran Chapel Road
City: Dallas
County: Dallas
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 57
Project name: Mr. and Mrs. Eugene George, Jr. residence.
Date on drawings: nd
Primary archt/firm: Pendley and George Architects
Client: George, Eugene
Street address: 3929 Balcones Drive
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Gibbons residence.
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, Architect
Client: Gibbons, Patrick T.
Street address: 9 Penny Lane, Alamo Heights
City: San Antonio
County: Bexar
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: Survey
Project name: Judge Sneed House.
Date on drawings: 1961
Primary archt/firm: Charles St. George Pope
Collaborators: W. Eugene George
Client: Historic American Buildings Survey
Street address: off Bluff Springs Rd.
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: Tex #
Project name: Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo.
Collaborators: Zeb Rike, Del.
Client: Historic American Buildings Survey
City: San Antonio
County: Bexar
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: Survey
Project name: Nestor Saens Store.
Date on drawings: 1961
Primary archt/firm: Jose G. Jimenez, Del.
Collaborators: James W. Emmerich
Client: Historic American Buildings Survey
Street address: Hildago Street and Juarez Alley
City: Roma
County: Starr
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: Survey
Project name: Ramirez House.
Date on drawings: 1961
Primary archt/firm: Charles St. George Pope
Collaborators: W. Eugene George Jr., A.I.A.
Client: Historic American Buildings Survey
City: Ramirreno
County: Zapata
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: Survey
Project name: Randle-Turner House.
Date on drawings: 1961
Primary archt/firm: Charles St. George Pope
Collaborators: W. Eugene George Jr., A.I.A.
Client: Historic American Buildings Survey
Street address: Off F.M. 934
City: Itasca
County: Hill
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 63
Project name: Mr. and Mrs. Jens Jacobsen residence.
Primary archt/firm: Pendley and George Architects
Client: Jacobsen, Jens and Henrietta
City: West Lake Hills
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Kaufmann residence (Falling Water).
Date on drawings: 1936
Primary archt/firm: Frank Lloyd Wright
Client: Kaufmann, E. J.
City: Bear Run
State/Province: Pa.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 1347
Project name: Kennan residence.
Date on drawings: 1955 May
Primary archt/firm: Pendley, George and Bowman, Architects
Client: Kennan, Kent
Street address: West Lake Hills
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 5101
Project name: William R. McKee residence.
Date on drawings: 1951
Primary archt/firm: Gene George Architect
Client: McKee, William R.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Office building for Nieman, Hanks and Puryear.
Primary archt/firm: Eugene George, Architect
Client: Nieman, Hanks and Puryear
Street address: 910 Lavaca
City: Austin
County: Travis
State/Province: Tex.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Colonial National Historic Park. Ballard House and Pottery Kiln. Archeological survey.
Date on drawings: 1975
Client: Southside Historical Sites Foundation, Williamsburg
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Grand French Battery. Battery 5.
Date on drawings: 1974
Primary archt/firm: Charles E. Gillette, Landscape Architect, Richmond, Va.
Client: Southside Historical Sites Foundation, Williamsburg
City: Yorktown
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project name: Stable area plan (related to Smith and Ballard houses, Yorktown, Va.).
Date on drawings: 1975
Primary archt/firm: Charles E. Gillette, Landscape Architect, Richmond, Va.
Client: Southside Historical Sites Foundation, Williamsburg
State/Province: Va.
Country: U.S.
Project number: 1347
Project name: Ware residence.
Date on drawings: 1951 March
Primary archt/firm: Wiltshire and Fisher, Architects
Collaborators: Eugene George
Client: Ware, Marshall D.
Street address: North Winneka Street