Info On Architects

[rps324]

Has anybody heard of, or have any info on the following architects? They came out of a '56 Parade of Homes brochure. It listed William Floyd, which we all know, but any additional info on these architects would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

E. Kelly Gaffney

Joseph B. Reynolds

Ursula Oberdieck

A. Carroll Brodnax

Mel O'Brien

Crochet & Carroll

Dunaway & Jones

P. Herbert Caldwell Jr.

W.A. Miller

H.R. Winslett

Frank C. Dill

Jack W. Knostman

Woodrow Alexander

Mrs. A.B. Church

John Folsom

L.B. Wooters

James V. Womack & Howell E. Mount

Duane J. Myers & William Leguizamon

[jmancuso]

do a google search on them.

[SpaceAge]

Did you obtain an original copy of the 1956 Parade of Homes book? If so you are very fortunate.

I have looked up all the architects you listed at TBAE. The most promising leads for you may be W. W. Crochet and James V. Womack who are currently registered. You can get their contact info at TBAE (Texas Board of Architectural Examiners) or the Houston telephone directory.

There is an W. K. Miller, as opposed to the W. A. Miller you listed, that was in practice in 1956 and he still is in practice and located near you on Edgebrook.

The next place to look is the AIA Houston Architectural Guide by Stephen Fox.......

[SpaceAge]

The AIA Houston Architectural Guide, 1999 edition, has the following information on the architects listed above:

E. Kelly Gaffney - worked on Knapp Chevrolet Co. showroom at 815 Houston Avenue in 1941 with R. Newell Waters, pg 184

(from TBAE-certified 1938-1999)

A.Carrol Brodnax - worked on Harris County Admin. Bldg. near 301 Main Street, 1978, with John Phenix; Astroworld Motor Hotel, 1969, with Phenix, pgs37, 118 (also house in Memorial Plaza with Charles A. Sawyer)

(nothing on TBAE for Brodnax so he may have left Texas or died long ago, his partner, John Phenix was cert. in 1963-2002)

Does AIA keep info like this? Someone should so it would be easier to study architecture.

One would think architects would have more pride in their work than to let it all slip into obscurity.

[dbigtex56]

Does AIA keep info like this?

[winglow]

West of town on a lake, we own a Frank C Dill home – see details at http://convertassets.com/sun.aspx and and mid-century We are in the process of restoring this Dill Home and a Tanglewood Ranch too. Why? Thank you!

[marmer]

Has anybody heard of, or have any info on the following architects? They came out of a '56 Parade of Homes brochure. It listed William Floyd, which we all know, but any additional info on these architects would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

E. Kelly Gaffney

Joseph B. Reynolds

Ursula Oberdieck

A. Carroll Brodnax

Mel O'Brien

Crochet & Carroll

Dunaway & Jones

P. Herbert Caldwell Jr.

W.A. Miller

H.R. Winslett

Frank C. Dill

Jack W. Knostman

Woodrow Alexander

Mrs. A.B. Church

John Folsom

L.B. Wooters

James V. Womack & Howell E. Mount

Duane J. Myers & William Leguizamon

 

I know this is a very old thread and research has advanced rather far since this was posted, but I've found a few things in Brazoria County that are interesting.  

 

Joseph Reynolds designed a fair number of relatively traditional tract houses in Lake Jackson and Freeport.   

 

A. Carroll Brodnax (with Brodnax, Phenix, and Associates) designed the First Freeport National Bank building in downtown Freeport, now Freeport City Hall. It looks like a stripped down interpretation of Yamasaki's Northwestern National Life Building in Minneapolis.  Brodnax also developed several small subdivisions or better, enclaves, in Pearland, lived in Pearland for a while, and designed the Pearland State Bank Building.  I'm pretty sure he owned, and probably designed, the striking butterfly-roof mod on Orange Street in Pearland.

 

There's one very Miesian courtyard house on Oak Drive in Lake Jackson by Jay G. Carroll of Crochet and Carroll.

 

Just a little ways down from that house is an owner-designed 70's contemporary with input from L.B. Wootters.

 

I just heard that Francis Giese lives in Brazoria and I may try to contact him soon.  

 

There's also an Ed Langwith house, a surviving CRS elementary school by Tiny Lawrence, a couple of surviving Emory White schools, some folded-plate classroom additions by Robert Talley, and a whole bunch of schools by Koetter, Tharp, and Cowell and churches and houses by Harvin C. Moore.  I know of two for sure and I strongly suspect at least one more "plan-catalog" houses.

 

 

 

[Specwriter]

The Texas Room of the Houston Public Library and libraries at Rice and the University of Houston may also be good places to search for information.

[thks29]

On 11/28/2004 at 8:38 PM, rps324 said:

Has anybody heard of, or have any info on the following architects? They came out of a '56 Parade of Homes brochure. It listed William Floyd, which we all know, but any additional info on these architects would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

E. Kelly Gaffney

Joseph B. Reynolds

Ursula Oberdieck

A. Carroll Brodnax

Mel O'Brien

Crochet & Carroll

Dunaway & Jones

P. Herbert Caldwell Jr.

W.A. Miller

H.R. Winslett

Frank C. Dill

Jack W. Knostman

Woodrow Alexander

Mrs. A.B. Church

John Folsom

L.B. Wooters

James V. Womack & Howell E. Mount

Duane J. Myers & William Leguizamon

 

[thks29]

On 12/9/2004 at 2:58 AM, SpaceAge said:

The AIA Houston Architectural Guide, 1999 edition, has the following information on the architects listed above:

E. Kelly Gaffney - worked on Knapp Chevrolet Co. showroom at 815 Houston Avenue in 1941 with R. Newell Waters, pg 184

(from TBAE-certified 1938-1999)

A.Carrol Brodnax - worked on Harris County Admin. Bldg. near 301 Main Street, 1978, with John Phenix; Astroworld Motor Hotel, 1969, with Phenix, pgs37, 118 (also house in Memorial Plaza with Charles A. Sawyer)

(nothing on TBAE for Brodnax so he may have left Texas or died long ago, his partner, John Phenix was cert. in 1963-2002)

Does AIA keep info like this? Someone should so it would be easier to study architecture.

One would think architects would have more pride in their work than to let it all slip into obscurity.

A Carroll Brodnax died in 1980 of cancer of the larynx and throat

[thks29]

A Carroll Brodnax died in 1980 of cancer of throat and larynx in Houston, Harris County, Texas.  Lived in Lakeside Estates in home not designed by him.

 

[thks29]

14 minutes ago, thks29 said:

 

 

[VPack]

I realize this is very old, but...

Ursula Oberdieck was my mother’s best friend.  She was quite a character.  She was born to a prominent family in Germany, and lived there through WWII (she told us how her family lost everything, and very nearly starved if not for food packages from her brother, Rudy).  She then later came to America.  Her older brother, Rudy, had actually met Hitler in Germany, and wisely decided to leave the country, moving to Guatemala and purchasing a coffee plantation before the war broke out. As far as I know, Ursula never acquired a driver’s license despite the fact that she drove everywhere here in Texas for decades, lol.  My mother and I lived with her for a time after my parents divorced in the home she designed in Oak Forest.  She taught me to love hot tea with milk, but was not so successful in her attempts to get me to try blood sausage.  She never married. I was in my very early teens when we knew her, so I’m afraid I wasn’t paying much attention to her career, although I clearly remember her drafting table.  My mother was in real estate, and that is how they met. When Ursula began having headaches and double vision, she was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.  At that time, she went to Guatemala to be with her brother Rudy. My mother was able to travel down there to see her before her death in 1975.  I believe that she died in Guatemala, not California. My mother has since passed, or I could have asked her more details.  Ursula was a very kind, funny, and talented woman. When my mother died, I came across some photos of Ursula, Rudy, and my mother when she and my mother went to visit him in Guatemala.  I’ll have to see if I can find them.  My mother also would have married Rudy had I not still been in school here in Texas.

[Ana Luisa]

V Pack, I am fascinated by your story and would love to hear more. I am an Oberdieck and Rudy was my grandfather. He died soon after I was born and I do not have many stories of his life. I do have a collection of Ursula`s drawings and sketches, but sadly, her stories passed away with her. My father was an artist for a time, but not an architect. I would be so interested in hearing and learning more from you. Is there a way for me to contact you off the site? Thank you so much for sharing.