Rich’s Dept. Store by Stevens & Wilkinson
Structure: Rich’s Department StoreLocation: Knoxville, TennesseeArchitect: Stevens & Wilkinson (Barber & McMurry, associates)Date: 1955Story: We do an awful lot of house stories here on the blog, this is true. But today, we’re doing a Knoxville city landmark: the department store called Rich’s. Rich’s was a chain of department stores that was
Space House by Curtis W. King
Structure: Space HouseLocation: Chattanooga, TennesseeArchitect: Curtis W. KingDate: 1972Story: When you visit this blog, you’ve got one type of mid-century modern architecture on your mind. It’s got straight lines, lots of glass, a flat roof, that sort of thing. California architect Richard Neutra sits atop his rather modern VDL Research House
Irwinton by James T. Mitchell
Structure: Richard Irwin House (called "Irwinton")Location: Ten Mile, TennesseeArchitect: James T. MitchellDate: 1953Story: The year is 1945, the place is Houston, Texas. Alya Dean Smith (a native of Ten Mile, Tennessee) was visiting her brother, a lawyer named Cyril J. Smith. While they visited, Alya was introduced to a successful
Rodgers Building by Shelton & Stachel
Structure: Howard Rodgers BuildingLocation: Knoxville, TennesseeArchitect: Shelton & StachelDate: 1947Tidbit: In 1947, a Knoxville, Tennessee contractor named Howard Rodgers commissioned the local architectural firm Shelton & Stachel to design a headquarters for his operations. A sale flyer featuring the architects' stamp in the bottom left The result was this building, designed
Davis House by Bruce McCarty
Structure: Charles Davis HouseLocation: Knoxville, TennesseeArchitect: Bruce McCartyDate: 1960Tidbit: Charles B. Davis was a co-founder of a Knoxville advertising firm called Lavidge & Davis. There's also a potential that he worked at the ad agency Davis Newman Payne. Newspaper portrait of Charles B. Davis At some point, he contracted architect Bruce
House by (and for) Thomas Faires
Structure: Thomas F. Faires ResidenceLocation: Memphis, TennesseeArchitect: Thomas F. FairesDate: 1960Tidbit: The houses architects design for themselves are always interesting to observe. Today, we’re looking at the house of a prominent Memphis architect named Thomas F. Faires. The literature is pretty sparse on Faires. What we do know, is this: Faires
Garlinghouse Plan #8160
Structure: Garlinghouse Plan #8160Location: Knoxville, TennesseeDate: 1957Tidbit: In the mid-century era, a house didn't have to be custom to be architect designed. You see, architects would often design and submit their house plans to house plan books / catalogues. Sometimes, the plan book companies would send employees out across the
Levi’s Manufacturing Facility by Howard Friedman
Structure: Levi Strauss & Company, Manufacturing and Administration FacilityLocation: Powell, TennesseeArchitect: Howard A. FriedmanDate: 1977Story: Levi’s was looking for architectural modernity. The famous clothier had made a name for itself designing jeans, now it wanted to take its design and build facilities which reflected the impact they were making in
House by (and for) Walk C. Jones III
Structure: Walk C. Jones III ResidenceLocation: Memphis, TennesseeArchitect: Walk C. Jones IIIDate: 1969Tidbit: Can architectural ability be passed down from father to son? In the case of the Jones family, it appears that it can. Walk Claridge Jones Sr (born 1875) was a noted architect in Memphis who started his
Knickerbocker House by Edgar Shelton
Structure: Dr. Kenneth Knickerbocker HouseLocation: Knoxville, TennesseeArchitect: Edgar SheltonDate: 1955Tidbit: In 1946, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville hired an English professor named Dr. Kenneth Knickerbocker. Whilst Dr. Knickerbocker was traipsing about the campus (dressed in a tweed jacket and horn-rimmed spectacles, I’d imagine), Dr. Knickerbocker met an associate professor of