Guide to the Edwin Gilbert Thurlow Papers, circa 1930-1974

Collection Number MC 97

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Collection Information
Abstract:

The Edwin Gilbert Thurlow papers contain personal and professional correspondence and other material written and received during Thurlow’s term as Professor of Landscape Architecture at North Carolina State University, 1947-1974, as well as approximately 1,600 photographs and photographic postcards, circa the 1930s and 1940s. Letters make up the bulk of the written collection, with notable correspondence between Thurlow and Richard C. Bell, Carey Hoyt Bostian, Roberto Burle Marx, Lewis Clarke, Harold Dunbar Cooley, Garrett Eckbo, Frederick Edmundson, Sam J. Ervin, George Watts Hill, B. Everett Jordan, George Matsumoto, Rodrigo Velarde Ortiz, Hubert B. Owens, Bremer W. Pond, Robert Royston, Terry Sanford, Robert Walter Scott, Stanley White and many North Carolina garden clubs. Other written material includes Thurlow’s 1968 article "History of Landscape Architecture at NCSU." The photograph and postcard collection focuses on architecture and landscape architecture in Europe and Asia, as well as in the northeastern United States, primarily Boston, Massachusetts.

Canadian native Edwin Gilbert Thurlow (1909-1997) received a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University) in 1932, and received Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard University in 1936. He joined the North Carolina State College faculty in 1947 as Professor of Landscape Architecture in the School of Design, and taught there until his retirement in 1974. He also served as Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture in the School of Design from 1947 to 1951.

Contact Information:
Special Collections Research Center
NCSU Libraries
Campus Box 7111
Raleigh, North Carolina
27695-7111 USA
Phone: (919) 515-2273
Fax: (919) 513-1787
URL: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/specialcollections/
Web Contact Form
Processed by
Anna R. Craft, 2006 August
Encoded by
Anna R. Craft, 2006 August

Descriptive Summary

Repository

North Carolina State University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center

Creator

Thurlow, E. G. (Edwin Gilbert), 1909-1997

Title

Edwin Gilbert Thurlow Papers, circa 1930-1974

Call Number

MC 97

Extent

1.5 linear feet, 4 boxes

Location

For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff.

Language of Material

English

Information for Users

Restrictions to Access

This collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.
Acquisitions Information

Gift of Edwin Gilbert Thurlow, 1974 July 5 (accession no. 1974-0008), and transfer from Design Library, 2004 July 27.
Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Edwin Gilbert Thurlow Papers, MC 97, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Copyright Notice

The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Proccessing Information

Processed by Anna R. Craft, 2006 August

Encoded by Anna R. Craft, 2006 August

Biographical Note


Canadian native Edwin Gilbert Thurlow (1909-1997) attended Purdue University from 1928 to 1929, received a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (later North Carolina State University) in 1932, and received Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard University in 1936. He traveled through Europe in 1937 as a Charles Eliot Traveling Fellow in Landscape Architecture (a Harvard program). He attended Princeton’s Naval Officer’s Training School in 1943. He joined the North Carolina State College faculty in 1947 as Professor of Landscape Architecture in the School of Design, and taught there until his retirement in 1974. He also served as Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture in the School of Design from 1947 to 1951. Thurlow served as a consultant in landscape architecture in private practice; was a member of numerous professional societies, professional committees, and academic committees; and authored several articles and papers on landscape architecture.

Scope and Content Note


The Edwin Gilbert Thurlow papers contain personal and professional correspondence and other material written and received during Thurlow’s term as Professor of Landscape Architecture at North Carolina State University, 1947-1974, as well as approximately 1,600 photographs and photographic postcards, circa 1930s and 1940s. Letters make up the bulk of the written collection, with notable correspondence between Thurlow and Richard C. Bell, Carey Hoyt Bostian, Roberto Burle Marx, Lewis Clarke, Harold Dunbar Cooley, Garrett Eckbo, Frederick Edmundson, Sam J. Ervin, George Watts Hill, B. Everett Jordan, George Matsumoto, Rodrigo Velarde Ortiz, Hubert B. Owens, Bremer W. Pond, Robert Royston, Terry Sanford, Robert Walter Scott, Stanley White and many North Carolina garden clubs. Other written material includes Thurlow’s 1968 article "History of Landscape Architecture at NCSU." The photograph and postcard collection focuses on architecture and landscape architecture in Europe and Asia, as well as the northeastern United States, primarily Boston, Massachusetts.

Organization of the Collection


This collection is arranged in two series: Correspondence and Photographs.

Online Catalog Terms


The following terms have been used to index the guide to the collection in the NCSU Library's online catalog.

Individuals

  • Thurlow, E. G. (Edwin Gilbert), 1909-1997
  • Bell, Richard C.
  • Bostian, Carey Hoyt, 1907-
  • Burle Marx, Roberto, 1909-
  • Clarke, Lewis
  • Cooley, Harold Dunbar, 1897-
  • Eckbo, Garrett
  • Edmundson, Frederick
  • Ervin, Sam J. (Sam James), 1896-1985
  • Hill, George Watts, 1901-1993
  • Jordan, B. Everett (Benjamin Everett)
  • Matsumoto, George, 1922-
  • Ortiz, Rodrigo Velarde
  • Owens, Hubert B.
  • Pond, Bremer W. (Bremer Whidden) 1884-
  • Royston, Robert
  • Sanford, Terry, 1917-
  • Scott, Robert Walter, 1929-
  • White, Stanley

Corporate Entities

  • North Carolina State University. Dept. of Landscape Architecture--Faculty
  • North Carolina State University. Dept. of Landscape Architecture--History

Topics

  • Landscape architecture
  • Gardening--Societies, etc.

Geographic Names

  • Massachusetts--Photographs
  • Boston (Mass.)--Photographs
  • Europe--Photographs
  • Asia--Photographs

Genre

  • Photographs

Occupations

  • College teachers--North Carolina--History
  • Landscape architects--North Carolina--History

Detailed Description of the Collection


  • MC 97 Series 1:Correspondence, 1946-1974


    0.5 linear feet, 1 archival box

    The Edwin Gilbert Thurlow correspondence series contains personal and professional correspondence and other material written and received during Thurlow's term as Professor of Landscape Architecture at North Carolina State University, 1947-1974. Letters make up the bulk of the collection, with notable correspondence between Thurlow and Richard C. Bell, Carey Hoyt Bostian, Roberto Burle Marx, Lewis Clarke, Harold Dunbar Cooley, Garrett Eckbo, Frederick Edmundson, Sam J. Ervin, George Watts Hill, B. Everett Jordan, George Matsumoto, Rodrigo Velarde Ortiz, Hubert B. Owens, Bremer W. Pond, Robert Royston, Terry Sanford, Robert Walter Scott, and Stanley White.

    These papers document Thurlow's correspondence with students, garden clubs, lawmakers, and colleagues in Landscape Architecture at N.C. State and other institutions. Other written material includes Thurlow's 1968 article "History of Landscape Architecture at NCSU."

    • A, 1948-1957 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 1]
    • B, 1948-1972 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 2]
    • Bell, Richard C., 1950-1966 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 3]
    • Bostian, Carey H., 1948-1958 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 4]
    • C, 1948-1960 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 5]
    • D, 1946-1964 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 6]
    • E, 1947-1966 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 7]
    • F-G, 1953-1973 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 8]
    • Garden Club Correspondence, 1948-1958 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 9]
    • H, 1948-1959 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 10]
    • House & Garden Article, 1952 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 11]
    • J-K, 1949-1967 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 12]
    • Landscape Architecture, History of, 1968 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 13]
    • L, 1950-1966 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 14]
    • M, 1954-1963 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 15]
    • Marx, Roberto Burle, 1961-1966 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 16]
    • N, 1951-1954 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 17]
    • O, 1950-1968 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 18]
    • P, 1950-1966 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 19]
    • R-T, 1948-1970 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 20]
    • White, Stanley, 1952-1961 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 21]
    • Y, 1950-1972 [MC 97 Box 1, Folder 22]

    [Return to Descriptive Summary]


  • MC 97 Series 2:Photographs, 1930s-1940s


    1 linear foot, 3 card boxes

    The Edwin Gilbert Thurlow photograph series contains approximately 1,600 photos and photographic postcards, circa 1930s and 1940s. The photo and postcard collection focuses on architecture and landscape architecture in Europe, Asia, and the northeastern United States. All are in the order in which they were received, which does not always appear to correspond to the divider headings. Some dividers had no photos associated with them and were removed. These were "Harvard University" in Card Box 2 and "Philadelphia Estates," "U.S., N.Y., Westchester," "Smith," and "Germany" from Card Box 4.

    Photographs make up approximately 95% of the series, and all are black and white. Postcards are predominantly black and white and unwritten, with a few exceptions. Photos are nearly all 3 ¼" x 5 ½"; some postcards are slightly larger.

    • Gateways, U.S. Boston North Shore, U.S. Berkshires, Mabel Choate, Harris Fahnstock, W.B. Osgood Field, Giraud Foster, Wiliam Hall Walker, Carlos de Heredia, Grenville A. Winthrop, Henry White, Mission House, U.S. Hartford, U.S. Long Island, and Newport., 1930s-1940s [MC 97 Card Box 2]
    • England, France, Orient, and Misc., 1930s-1940s [MC 97 Card Box 3]
    • Italy; U.S. Philadelphia; Budapest, Vienna, Goteborg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam; and Modern, 1930s-1940s [MC 97 Card Box 4]

    [Return to Descriptive Summary]