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A Guide to the Turpin Chambers Bannister Papers

Finding aid created by Dept. Staff

University of Florida Smathers Libraries - Special and Area Studies Collections
December 2008


Descriptive Summary

Provenance: Bannister, Turpin C. (Turpin Chambers), 1904-1982.
Title: Turpin Chambers Bannister Papers
Dates: 1938-1982
Abstract: Correspondence, course materials, administrative records, professional association records, research notes, and other papers related to Dr. Turpin Bannister's career as an architect, educator, and academic administrator.
Extent: 13.25 linear feet. (29 boxes)
Identification: Manuscript Collection 4


Biographical/Historical Note

Turpin Chambers Bannister was the Dean of the University of Florida's College of Architecture and Fine Arts from 1957 through 1965. He was born in Lima, Ohio and received his bachelor's degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1925 and a masters from Columbia in 1928. From 1932 to 1944 he taught at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, first as a design instructor and later as an architectural historian. During this time period he was hired by the Federal Writers Project of the WPA to assist in the preparation of the Federal Guide Series book on New York State. From December 1938 to August 1939, and in February 1940, he was employed as an editor and writer. The guide's introductory essay on architecture was written by Bannister.

While at Rensselaer he served as the first president of the Society of Architectural Historians and was also editor of its journal. He completed his studies at Harvard's School of Architecture where he received his Ph.D. in 1944. That year he left Rensselaer and became dean of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute's School of Architecture and Arts in Auburn. In 1948, he moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana and was Professor of Architecture for ten years, seven of which he served as head of the Department of Architecture. In 1958 he came to the University of Florida and served as dean until 1965, when he suffered a stroke. He died March 15, 1982, in Williston, Florida.

Dean Bannister also served on the advisory boards of the National Park Service and the Historic America Buildings Survey, and was a member of the Medieval Academy, New York Historical Association, Thornton Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, Sigma Chi, and Phi Mu Alpha.


Scope and Content

The collection is arranged in three series. Series A, Subject files, contains the general subject and correspondence files of Dr. Bannister. The files were begun in the years Dean Bannister was a doctoral student at Harvard and instructor at Rensselaer, continue with his stay at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, and end with his tenure at the University of Florida. Also in this series are his records as the first president of the Society of Architectural Historians and the editor of its journal in the early 1940s. Types of records include correspondence, lecture notes, and course syllabi. The correspondence includes discussions with other architectural historians and there are several files related to historical preservation projects. A list of the contents is attached.

Series B, Iron and Architecture, Records, consists of the research notes, rough drafts and correspondence related to Dean Bannister's doctoral dissertation. Bannister's doctoral research was partially funded by grants from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Series C, the New York State Files, consists of general subject files and geographic files related to Dr. Bannister's work as an editor and writer for the Federal Guide Series New York State Guide. Of particular interest are the photographs and documentation, arranged by county, of tours taken by Bannister when researching his introductory essay.


Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Turpin Chambers Bannister Papers, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Acquisition Information

The personal files of Dean Bannister were given to the University of Florida shortly after his illness in 1965. In 1984, additional items, including correspondence by his wife from 1965 through 1982, were added to the collection. At that time they were transferred to the University Archives from the Architecture and Fine Arts Library.


Contents List

Series 4a: Subject Files


Box 1

AIA Library Lists
Archeology
Architect at Midcentury (advance copy, data and photographs)
Architectural Development in the Northeastern States
Architectural Conference
Architectural Education
Architectural Forms
Architectural Office
Architecture
Architecture as Symbol, Environment, and Delight
Architecture in the Americas
Architecture of War

Box 2

Articles and Book Reviews
Am. Soc of Arch. Historians: Journal: Records
Bogardus article, John Forbes
Campus Plans of American Colleges and Universities by Arnett
Colony to Nation
Committee on Preservation
Correspondence 1935-1959
Correspondence 1956-1963

Box 3

Correspondence 1963-1965
Correspondence, current 1960-1963
Correspondence, current 1964-1967
Correspondence with Charlotte Bannister after Dean Bannister's illness, 1966-1982
Dictionary of Am. Biography (bios written by TB)
Designs of Florida Retirement Villages by Wm. Arnett
Development of Preservation
Drawings

Box 4

Edison Home (Glenmont) and Laboratory West Orange, New Jersey
Elliptical Architecture
The Future of the Architect
Annual Enrollment Study
Articles and clippings
General
Members of the College of Fellows
Statistics: U.S. Architecture Students
History Project
Historic Preservation
Historic Settings for Worship

Box 5

Introduction to the Problem of Form in Architecture
Is Modern Arch. Really Modern?
Lectures
Microfilm Project--Architectural books
Miscellaneous
National Trust
Need for Architects in the South
Notes: Ancient Egypt: Empire II 19th Dyn.
Notes: Greece: Transition and Periclean (Parthenon)

Box 6

Notes: Greek: Archaic
Notes: Mycenean: Neolithic Europe: Hittites and Kassites
Notes: Medieval
Notes: Conant. Carolingian and Romanesque
Notes: Renaissance and Baroque
Notes: Renaissance and Baroque
Notes: Modern
Notes: England 1790-1820
Notes: France Empire 1790-1820
Notes: Italy; Germany; Russia 1790-1820
Notes: United States
Notes: Delaware
Notes: Jefferson
Notes: North Carolina
Notes: Pennsylvania 1820-1860
Notes: 6 Philadelphia
Notes: South Atlantic-Gen United States 1790-1800

Box 7

Notes: U.S. Capitol -- East Front
Notes: U.S. General
Notes: Octagonal Buildings
Notes: The Organization of the Architect's Office
Notes: Papers Read
Notes: Wmsbg.
Notes: Miscellaneous
The Profession of Architecture 1850-1950
Preservation Index

Box 8

Report of the Commission for the Survey of Education and Registration
Charts -- data
The Profession of Architecture 1850-1950
The Report of the Commission for the Survey of Education and Registration
Size and Location of Schools

Box 9

Roussilon Vaults Article
Roussilon Vaults
Safety in Architecture
SAH Society of Arch. Historicans
Savannah -- Paper
Savannah Plan
Some Sources of Modern Architecture

Box 10

Speeches
Speeches: University Committee on the Fine Arts, UF (1965)
St. Peter's Early Development
St. Peter's: Notes
St. Peter's: Pictorial Sources
The State amd Problems of Architecture and Fine Arts, UF (1960)
Syllabus, Ancient
Ancient and Medieval
Sullabus of History of Architecture
Syllabus By Others
Conant, Modern Architecture, Harvard (1937)
Lehmann-Hartleben, Aegean Art
Lehmann-Hartleben, Greek Classical Art
Lehmann-Hartleben, Hellenistic
Lehmann-Hartleben, Roman Imperial
Hammett, Ancient to the Medieval

Box 11

Hammett, Medieval Period Including Italian
Newcomb, History of Architecture
Panofsky, Italian Baroque
Reifstahl, Byzantine Bibliography
Tselos, Modern Architecture
Unknown, Architectural History
Syllabus: Landscape Arch; Perspective
Landscape Architecture
Perspective
Architectural Perspective
Syllabus: Medieval
History of Medieval Architecture in Europe and the Near East
Medieval Syllabus

Box 12

Medieval Arch.
Syllabus: Modern Architecture
An Introduction to Architecture
Modern Architecture
History of Modern Architecture
Syllabus Notes
Ancient
Medieval
Modern
Radio
Trass
Williamsburg
Syllabus: Renaissance and Baroque
History of arch. II
Renaissance Architecture
Miscellaneous materials

Box 13

Unsorted correspondence

Box 14

Miscellaneous correspondence and photos

Box 15

Miscellaneous printed material, project and other notes



Series 4b: Iron and Architecture Files, 1939-1945


Box 1

Bibliographies
Corrections
Correspondence--Grant E. Research
Current
First Iron-Framed Buildings
New Folder Notes from The Builder
Notes from the Builder
Notes to be distributed to later periods

Box 2

Outline
Introduction
Chap 2-Antiquity
Chap 3-The Middle Ages
Chap 4 1420-1650
Chap 5 1600-1700
General: Background
General: Masonry
Antiquity
Iron-Ancient
Middle Ages
Medieval-Miscellaneous
Iron-Medieval
China Iron
India Iron 1420-1650
India Iron 1600-1660
India Iron 1660-1700
Iron Arch 1600-1740

Box 3

Masonry 1600-1740
Professional 1600-1740
Iron-XVII
Iron-XVIII-Coalbrookdale
Iron-XVIII
Iron-XIX
Iron-America
Iron-France
Iron-General
Iron-Sweden
Mining
Coal 1700-1740
Iron Arch-Miscellaneous 1750-1790
Iron-England 1750-1790
Iron-France 1750-1790
Masonry 1750-1790
Professional 1750-1790
Alcobaca
Iron-England 1790-1815
Iron-France 1790-1815
Masonry 1790-1815
Professional 1790-1815
U.S. 1790-1815
18th Century-French Vault Experiments

Box 4

Early Iron Bridges
Fairbairn
First Fireproof Mills
Soufflot-Patte-Rondelet
St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg 1588-1747
Iron-Russia
Iron-Ships and Machinery Munitions
Iron-England 1815-1830
Iron-France 1815-1830
Iron-U.S. 1815-1830
Iron-Miscellaneous 1815-1830
Masonry 1815-1830
Professional 1815-1830
Iron-England 1830-1845
Iron-France 1830-1845

Box 5

Iron-Miscellaneous 1830-1845
Iron-U.S. 1830-1845
Masonry 1830-1845
Professional-England 1830-1845
Professional-Miscellaneous 1830-1845
British Patents
French Patents
U.S. Patents
Iron-England 1845-1860
Iron-France 1845-1860
Iron-Miscellaneous 1845-1860
Iron-U.S. 1845-1860
Masonry 1845-1860
Professional 1845-1860
American Iron BLDGS-Outside NY
Dagder and Arch. Ironworks
Bogardus
Chicago Iron Fronts
Crystal Palace
Greenwood and Cincinnati
Jenney
Penn Mutual and Philadelphia
Saint Isaac

Box 6

Hist-3: The Structural Transformation I-Materials
Hist-3: The Structural Transformation I-Steel Frame
Hist-3: The Structural Transformation I-Struct. Theory
Hist-3: The Structural Transformation I- Fire Resist
Hist-3: The Structural Transformation I- Height
Skyscraper construction-Embryonic skyscrapers
Skyscraper construction-Refining the skyscrapers
Skyscraper construction-New York 1870-1880
Skyscraper construction-Chicago 1880-1890
Skyscraper construction-New York 1893-1910
Skyscraper construction-New York 1916-1938
U.S. Capitol
Capitol Dome
Green Houses
Lighthouses
Photographs--Misc.



Series 4c: New York State Files, 1938-1940


Box 1

General files
Architecture files
Architecture files-Architects-Clippings
Architecture files-Erie Canal and engineering projects
Architecture files-Functional development-Clippings
Architecture files-Structional development
Architecture files-periods
Architecture files-periods-Dutch-Clippings
Architecture files-periods-English colonial
Architecture files-periods-Exotic revivals-Egyptian, Sarcentic, etc.
Architecture files-periods-Federal
Architecture files-periods-French neo-classic
Architecture files-periods-Greek revival
Architecture files-periods-Gothic revival-Clippings
Architecture files-periods-Mid-nineteenth century
Architecture files-periods-Second empire, clippings
Architecture files-periods-Arts and crafts: Shakers, Roycrafters, Eastlake
Bibliography and reading notes-Clippings
Buildings, notes
Check of work finished
Classification
Correspondence 1938-1940
Essay
Essay correspondence
Essay notes
Essay drafts, revisions, reviews
Future projects

Box 2

Itineraries 1938-1939
New York iron buildings-Clippings
New York State architecture, general
Noted American architects project Correspondence 1938-1939
Tour guide drafts
Tour notes
Work Project Publications
Geographical files
Geographical files-Albany County photographs
Geographical files-Albany city-clippings
Geographical files-Albany city-photographs

Box 3

Geographical files-Broom County photographs
Geographical files-Cayuga County-photographs
Geographical files-Chautaugua County
Geographical files-Chemung County, photographs
Geographical files-Clinton County photographs
Geographical files-Columbia County
Geographical files-Columbia County-Claverack photographs
Geographical files-Columbia County-Hudson-clippings
Geographical files-Columbia County-Hudson-photographs
Geographical files-Columbia County-Kinderhook-photographs
Geographical files-Columbia County-North of Kinderhook-photographs
Geographical files-Columbia County-South of Hudson-photographs
Geographical files-Columbia County-Livingston House-photographs
Geographical files-Courtland County, photographs
Geographical files-Delaware County, photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Fishkill-clippings
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Fishkill-photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Hyde Park-clippings
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Hyde Park-photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Poughkeepsie-clippings
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Poughkeepsie-photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Red Hook-photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Rhinebeck-photographs
Geographical files-Dutchess County-Wappinger Falls

Box 4

Geographical files-Erie County-photographs
Geographical files-Erie County-Buffalo-photographs
Geographical files-Essex County-clippings
Geographical files-Essex County-photographs
Geographical files-Fulton County-photographs
Geographical files-Genessee County-photographs
Geographical files-Greene County-photographs
Geographical files-Herkimer County-photographs
Geographical files-Herkimer County-Little Falls-photographs
Geographical files-Jefferson County-photographs
Geographical files-Lewis County
Geographical files-Livingston County
Geographical files-Long Island-clippings
Geographical files-Long Island-photographs
Geographical files-Madison County-photographs
Geographical files-Monroe County-photographs
Geographical files-Monroe County-Rochester-photographs
Geographical files-Montgomery County-photographs
Geographical files-Montgomery County-Amsterdam-photographs

Box 5

Geographical files-Montgomery County-Fonda-photographs
Geographical files-Montgomery County-Ft. Johnson-photographs
Geographical files-Montgomery County-Stone Arabia-photographs
Geographical files-New York County-clippings
Geographical files-New York County-photographs
Geographical files-Niagara County-photographs
Geographical files-Oneida County-photographs
Geographical files-Oneida County-Utica-photographs
Geographical files-Oneida County-Utica-New York State Lunatic Asylum
Geographical files-Onodaga County-photographs
Geographical files-Onodaga County-Syracuse-photographs
Geographical files-Ontario County-clippings
Geographical files-Ontario County-photographs
Geographical files-Ontario County-Geneva-clippings
Geographical files-Orange County-photographs

Box 6

Geographical files-Orange County-West Point-photographs
Geographical files-Orleans County
Geographical files-Oswego County-Oswego-photographs
Geographical files-Ostego County-photographs
Geographical files-Putnam County-clippings
Geographical files-Putnam County-photographs
Geographical files-Rensselear County-photographs
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Rensselear-photographs
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Bath-Beverwyck, Rensselear and Forbes houses
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-photographs
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Architects and buildings-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Churches-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Commercial: Stores, bank offices and theaters-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Government buildings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Houses-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Industries-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Institutions, schools, homes, etc.-clippings
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Monuments
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Rensselear Polytechnic Institute
Geographical files-Rensselear County-Troy-Transportation: railroads, street cars, bridges, canal

Box 7

Geographical files-Rockland County-photographs
Geographical files-Rockland County II
Geographical files-St. Lawrence County, photographs
Geographical files-Saratoga County-photographs
Geographical files-Saratoga County-Saratoga Springs-clippings
Geographical files-Saratoga County-Saratoga Springs-photographs (see also box 9)
Geographical files-Schenectady County-photographs
Geographical files-Schenectady County-Duanesburg
Geographical files-Schenectady County-Federal Writers Project, filed notes (houses)
Geographical files-Schenectady County-Schnectady-photographs
Geographical files-Schenectady County-Scotia-photographs
Geographical files-Schenectady County-Union County-photographs
Geographical files-Schoharie County-clippings
Geographical files-Schoharie County-photographs

Box 8

Geographical files-Seneca County-photographs
Geographical files-Steuben County-photographs
Geographical files-Tompkins County-photographs
Geographical files-Tompkins County-Ithaca
Geographical files-Ulster County-photographs
Geographical files-Ulster County-Hurley, photographs
Geographical files-Ulster County-Kingston-photographs
Geographical files-Ulster County-New Paltz-photographs
Geographical files-Warren County-photographs
Geographical files-Washington County-photographs
Geographical files-Wayne County-photographs
Geographical files-West County-White Plains
Geographical files-Westchester County-clippings
Geographical files-Westchester County-Irvington
Geographical files-Westchester County-Tarrytown-clippings
Geographical files-Westchester County-Tarrytown-photographs
Geographical files-Westchester County-Yonkers-clippings
Geographical files-Westchester County-Yonkers-photographs

Box 9

Geographical files-Photographs
Geographical files-Identified
Geographical files-Unidentified
Geographical files-Prints for New York Architectual Picture Book
Geographical files-Postcards, Saratoga Springs, Catskill, Haines Falls, and elsewhere
Geographical files-Photographs, NY State

Box 10

Geographical files-Photographs, NY State Files (1938-1940)




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