College Dormitories and the Roaring Twenties

The architecture firm Johnson, Miller, Miller & Yeager built this women's dormitory in 1924 for what was then known as the Indiana State Normal School in Terre Haute, Indiana. The photograph pictured above was spotted in one of the firm's photo books donated by architect Ewing Miller II, the son and nephew of the two Millers listed in the firm's name. What made this photograph stand out from the others are the people seen in front of the building. While most architecture photography of the era is devoid of people in the scene, this image depicts a large grouping of students in front of their dorm, book ended by cars of the era.

The photographs and manuscript materials were donated last year as an addition to the already existing Miller Family Architectural Records collection, which has been digitized and is available in the University Libraries' Digital Media Repository. Below is the elevation drawing for the same dormitory. You can see more of the drawings of the building, and many others the firm designed, online.

Images: Women's Dormitory photograph and architectural drawing, Indiana State Normal School, Terre Haute, Indiana, 1924. Miller Family Architectural Drawings, Drawings + Documents Archive, Ball State University.

Happy Architectural Holidays from Juliet Peddle

 

Architect Juliet Peddle (1899-1979) from Terre Haute, Indiana, created this charming block print of a house covered in snow that was likely destined for a Christmas card design. She was the first female architect registered in the state of Indiana. The Drawings + Documents Archive recently received this particular print in a donated collection of 60 sketches, prints, and architectural drawings by the architect. The collection spans from her early European sketches in 1928 to a residence built in 1967.

 

Peddle graduated from the University of Michigan in 1920 with a degree in architecture before going to work at the Chicago architectural firm Perkins, Fellows, and Hamilton. She had followed in the footsteps of her friend and former classmate at the University of Michigan, Bertha Yerex Whitman, who was the first female graduate in architecture from the school. They worked together at the firm and also founded, along with seven other women architect, the Women's Architectural Club of Chicago. The group exhibited their work at the first Women's World Fair in Chicago in 1927. Later they held exhibitions in the library and social hall of Perkins, Fellows, and Hamilton, and at other firms. Peddle served as the editor for the club's publication, The Architrave.

She returned home to Terre Haute in 1939 to open her own office, which she operated for over 30 years. She was known for her modern designs as well as her appreciation of historic architecture. A talented artist, she often drew local historic buildings and houses. Many of them appear to be houses destined to grace the fronts of holiday cards, such as this one.

You'll see  more of these drawings in the next few posts, as we celebrate architects and the holidays with our annual series of holiday cards by architects.

Image: Merry Christmas cottage in snow, undated. Juliet Peddle Architectural Drawings, Drawings + Documents  Archive, Ball State University