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Renowned architect Julia Morgan designed hundreds of buildings, including this Vallejo home. (Jason Bourne photo)
Renowned architect Julia Morgan avoided public appearances while designing hundreds of buildings in the early to mid-1900s. But researchers say that given Morgan’s many achievements in the face of various obstacles – one of which is the stunning Hearst Castle – she deserves the attention.
Supporters of the diligent architect include Victoria Kastner, author of “Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Groundbreaking Architect.” Kastner will speak about Morgan at a March 17 event hosted by the Mare Island Historical Park Foundation and Alibi Books. Ticket information is at the end of this column.
Castner’s lecture, the long-time historian of Hearst Castle, will be held at St. Peter’s Church on Mare Island, across the Napa River from Vallejo, where one of the finest examples of Morgan’s design skills was built. The Wilson House on the top of the mountain, built in 1909, is still well preserved. stand.
Kastner’s 2021 book draws on the recollections of Morgan’s family and colleagues, as well as Morgan’s diaries. Morgan overcame misogyny and male-dominated social norms to become the first woman to be licensed as an architect in California in 1904.
Morgan became the first woman to receive a diploma in architecture from Paris’ prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts, completing the highly competitive course in three years, half the time it took many male students, before earning her license.
At a time when few women were pursuing professional careers, Morgan continued her training at the suggestion of her mentor, architect Bernard Maybeck, after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1894 with a degree in civil engineering.
She died in San Francisco in 1957 at the age of 85, years later becoming the first woman to receive the American Institute of Architects’ highest honor, the Gold Medal.
In addition to her work on Hearst Castle, publisher William Randolph Hearst’s “La Cuesta Encantada” in San Simeon, Morgan also designed Mills College Bell Tower and Chime Chapel in Oakland, Women’s City in Berkeley clubs and theaters, and the Herald-Los Angeles Examiner Building.
She also oversaw the redevelopment of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, designed the Phoebe Hearst Memorial Coliseum at UC Berkeley and the Asilomar Center in Pacific Grove, and designed more than 30 YMCA buildings on the West Coast meeting building.
YWCA buildings include a building built in Vallejo in 1921 that later became the Vallejo Women’s Club. Morgan was also commissioned to design a storefront and upgrade part of a bank building in downtown Vallejo. All three buildings have been demolished.
The bank president was George W. Wilson, who also had Morgan design his elegant home at 728 Congress Street, overlooking Vallejo. The house, now the cherished home of partners Michael Loughrey and Heather Leary-Arango, was designed with influences from Swiss chalet-style architecture, which Morgan would develop throughout his career One of many styles to incorporate into a variety of projects.
“During the first half of the 20th century, she designed approximately 700 buildings in the American West,” Kastner writes. “Their uses (schools, churches, office buildings, clubhouses, hospitals, shops, modest family homes and grand ornate estates) and architectural styles vary widely.”
Kastner said Morgan lacked interest in publicity because she believed “architecture is a formal art, not a verbal art,” adding that she believed “architecture should speak for itself.”
Kastner praised Morgan for having a strong character and perseverance that “helped her overcome endless odds — unrepentant misogynists; family difficulties; personal health issues; demanding clients; and more than we could ever imagine.” Logistical and construction challenges.”
Some solutions were simple: Morgan wore men’s pants under her skirt so she could climb a construction site scaffolding if necessary. Other situations are complicated: Her elderly mother, Eliza, needs more care but wants to remain in her longtime home in Oakland. Morgan designed a house next to her sister’s home in Berkeley that included nurses’ quarters and a bedroom identical to Eliza’s old bedroom. She apparently didn’t realize she had moved.
Morgan never married, sparking speculation that she might be a lesbian. But Kastner said Morgan “had no romantic relationship of any kind.” Quoting her nephew, Morgan North, she said, “I don’t think she was ever close to marriage… I don’t think the subject ever entered her mind, really.”
“She lived a passionate life, although she was devoted to creativity rather than romantic love,” Kastner writes. “She believes in herself and her ability to solve problems, and that’s the secret to her greatness.”
“She took great joy in her work and, by extension, in her life. She never stopped creating, even in her frail health. She was one of the best architects of the 20th century, but she never stopped creating. No loss of humility or desire to advance.”
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A book signing will follow Victoria Kastner’s presentation. Books will be sold at the event or can be purchased at Alibi Bookstore, 624 Marin St., downtown Vallejo. Here is the online link for event tickets: www.mihpf.org/store/julia-morgan-a-trailblazing-architect
— Vallejo and other Solano County communities are a treasure trove of early California history. My “Solano Chronicles” column highlights various aspects of this history. If you have a local story or photos to share, please connect with me on Facebook.
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