|
Archival Collections Portal > Avery Drawings & Archives Collections > Finding Aid: James Marston Fitch papers
James Marston Fitch papers,
1933-2000
Preferred Citation
James Marston Fitch papers. Located in the Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
COinS Metadata
available (e.g., for Zotero).
Summary Information
At a Glance
| Avery ID: | D&A Fitch ReCAP View CLIO record |
|---|
| Creator(s): | Fitch, James Marston. |
|---|
| Title: | James Marston Fitch papers,
1933-2000
|
|---|
| Physical description: | 7 linear feet; (4 archives boxes)
|
|---|
| Language(s): |
Materials are in English and Italian.
|
|---|
| Access: |
This collection is stored in the Columbia University Libraries’ off-site storage facility and will be recalled upon request for use by
appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
For further information and to make an appointment, please call (212) 854-4110 or email avery-drawings@libraries.cul.columbia.edu
More information » |
|---|
| Types of Materials in the Collection: | Holograph papers,
typescript papers,
printed papers,
and
black and white photographic prints.
|
|---|
Arrangement
Arrangement
Materials are arranged in nine series: Awards and Honors; Biographical Papers; Committees, Conferences, and Associations; Correspondence and Travel; Correspondence and Writing; General Correspondence; Military Service; Published Works; and Reference Materials. Folders in the General Correspondence series are arranged and titled chronologically. Folders in all other series are arranged alphabetically and retain Fitch's titles and organization.
Return to top Description
Scope and Content
This small collection contains primarily correspondence, itineraries, and papers related to Fitch's publications, travel, and the administration of Columbia University's Historic Preservation program. There are copies and drafts of several articles and reports generated for various organizations authored by Fitch and others (all reports are noted in italics in the spreadsheet). Also included is the unfinished manuscript of Fitch's final book project on American architecture. Of particular note among the reference materials are fifty-two photographs of Richard Neutra's VDL Research House in Los Angeles, some taken by architectural photographer Julius Shulman.
Return to top Using the Collection
Access Restrictions
 This collection is stored in the Columbia University Libraries’ off-site storage facility and will be recalled upon request for use by
appointment in the Department of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
For further information and to make an appointment, please call (212) 854-4110 or email avery-drawings@libraries.cul.columbia.edu
Restrictions on Use
Columbia University is providing access to the materials in the Library's collections solely for noncommercial educational and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of Columbia University is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. In addition to permission from Columbia University, permission of the copyright owner (if not Columbia University) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distributions, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. Columbia University makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.
For additional guidance on restrictions and permissions see Columbia University Libraries Publication and Digital Reproduction Policy and Procedures
Preferred Citation
James Marston Fitch papers. Located in the Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
For Further InformationFor more information about using the collections and conducting research in the Department of Drawings & Archives, please see our FAQ. Return to top About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Finding aid written by Allison Lyons, Mellon Graduate Student Intern, Dept. of Drawings & Archives,
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Allison Lyons, Mellon Graduate Student Intern, under the guidance of Annemarie van Roessel, Archivist, Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, in 2009.
EAD instance generated from Excel spreadsheet and MS Word document, November 18, 2009.
Finding aid written in English.
CLIO ID: 7447654 View CLIO record Return to top Index Terms
The names and terms listed below are represented in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a consortial/union catalog offered by OCLC that allows users to search the holdings of multiple archives and libraries. All links open new windows.
Subjects (Personal Names)
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
Subjects (Corporate Names)
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
Subjects (Geographic Locations)
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
Topics
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
| Columbia University.--Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.--Historic Preservation Program. | Portal | CLIO | ArchiveGRID |
| Historic buildings--Conservation and restoration--Study and teaching--United States. | Portal | CLIO | ArchiveGRID |
Types of Materials
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
Additional Creators (Personal Names)
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
Additional Creators (Corporate Names)
| Heading | CUL Archives:
Portal | CUL Collections:
CLIO | Nat'l / Int'l Archives:
ArchiveGRID |
|---|
Return to top History / Biographical Note
History
James Marston Fitch developed the academic field of historic preservation through his prolific career as a writer, architectural scholar,
activist, and educator. Fitch was born in Washington, D.C., in 1909. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and attended the University of
Alabama and Tulane in New Orleans. During the Depression he worked as a researcher at the Tennessee Planning Commission and as a
low-cost housing analyst at the Federal Housing Authority. In 1936 he moved to New York City and began his career as an editor at
Architectural Record
, where he worked until joining the Air Force as a meteorologist in 1941. Following World
War II, Fitch became an early proponent of the importance of the environment in architectural design while continuing his career in publishing
at
Architectural Forum
(1945-1949) and
House Beautiful
(1949-1953). At
House Beautiful
he oversaw the Climate Control Research Project, which investigated
environmental criteria for residential architecture.
From 1954 to 1977, Fitch served as a professor of architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture and Planning at Columbia University.
At Columbia, Fitch founded the graduate program in restoration and preservation, which later became the masters program for historic
preservation. He maintained close correspondence with many graduates of the program who went on to direct programs throughout the
world to promote the preservation and study of historic architecture.
Upon his retirement from Columbia, Fitch became the director of preservation at the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle in New York
City, contributing to the restoration of Ellis Island, Grand Central Station, and South Street Seaport. He was also appointed the preservator of
Central Park and established methods for the park to accommodate modern uses. As an activist, he was the colleague and friend of Jane
Jacobs and Margot Gayle in their efforts to identify and preserve historic districts throughout New York.
Fitch was a founding member and active participant in several national and international preservation organizations, including the
Association for Preservation Technology (APT) and Victorian Society in America. He was a fellow of United State Committee of the
International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and organized many symposia on architecture for various organizations. He
established the James Marston Fitch Charitable Foundation to promote historic preservation. Among his published works are a biography of
Walter Gropius (1960),
American Building: The forces that shape it
(1948),
Architecture and the
Esthetics of Plenty
(1961),
American Building: The environmental forces that shaped it
(1972), and
Historic Preservation: Curatorial Management of the Built World
(1982). Among his numerous awards are five
honorary degrees, including one from the Tulane School of Architecture in 1997. Fitch died in New York City in 2000.
Return to top
|
|
|
 "Citation")
 "Bookmark / Permalink")
![[x]](javascript:toggle('bookmark','<img id=Icitation border=0 src=http://findingaids.cul.columbia.edu/images/bookmark-cul.gif>','<img id=Ibookmark border=0 src=http://findingaids.cul.columbia.edu/images/bookmark-cul.gif>','http://findingaids.cul.columbia.edu')){kind=link}