Joseph L. Skoog architectural drawings of the Sigma Kappa Mu Chapter House

Joseph L. Skoog architectural drawings of the Sigma Kappa Mu Chapter House, circa 1929-1962

Overview of the Collection

Architect: Skoog, Joseph L
Title: Joseph L. Skoog architectural drawings of the Sigma Kappa Mu Chapter House
Dates: circa 1929-1962 (inclusive)
19291962
Quantity: 45 architectural drawings (3 projects)
Collection Number: PH0589
Summary: Architectural drawings by Joseph L. Skoog of the Sigma Kappa Mu Chapter House in Seattle
Repository: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public.
Languages: English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Joseph L. Skoog, AIA, was a Seattle architect who worked as the principal designer of the 5th Avenue Theatre, the Skinner Building, and the Lake Quinault Lodge. He was a pilot in the U. S. Signal Corps and attended the University of Washington, where he studied architecture under Carl Gould, and later married a Sigma Kappa Mu alumna. Skoog worked under Robert C. Reamer at the Metropolitan Building Company in Seattle during the 1920s and for Edwin Ivey in the late 1920s. When the impact of the Great Depression on architectural commissions forced Skoog out of his home, he and his family moved into the Sigma Kappa sorority house. Skoog eventually became head carpenter for the University of Washington Women's Dormitory before resuming his architectural practice as Joseph L. Skoog, Architect, in 1932, and became briefly affiliated with Alfred Simonson, 1950-1951. Skoog retired from architectural practice during the 1960s.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

The Mu Chapter of the Sigma Kappa sorority house was constructed in 1930 at the intersection of 22nd Avenue Northeast and East 45th Street in Seattle, Washington. The French Tudor-inspired building consists of two brick buildings connected by enclosed walkways that create a central courtyard. The original building, on the west side, was constructed in 1930 and features a rounded turret at the center of the building that houses a circular staircase. The Mu Chapter purchased adjacent property in 1957 and, using the same architect, began plans for the Jessie Pepper Padelford addition. This addition of a second building and walkway links, constructed in 1962 for $160,000, was designed in similar character. The addition features a rectangular corridor layout for additional bedrooms and study rooms with stairways at each end. The building's chimney was damaged and repaired following the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

The Mu Chapter of the Sigma Kappa sorority was founded at the University of Washington in 1910. Chapter residents lived in small furnished homes near the University of Washington's campus, moving frequently, until the funds had been raised to purchase the property at 4510 22nd Avenue Northeast where the sorority house now sits. Plans for the chapter house were presented to the chapter and alumni in January 1929; construction began in April 1930; and the Mu Chapter moved into the house in September of 1930.

The Sigma Kappa Mu Chapter House received City of Seattle Landmark status and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Architectural drawings by Joseph L. Skoog include the original 1930 design, a proposed renovation in 1955, and the 1961 addition for the Sigma Kappa Sorority house at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donor: Puget Sound Association of Sigma Kappa Sorority, July 26, 2004.

Processing Note

Processed by Kelly Daviduke, 2014.

Accessioned as PH2004-073.

Bibliography

City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board.Sigma Kappa Mu Chapter House Designation Report [LPB 63/06]. Seattle:City of SeattlePrepared by The Johnson Partnership, 2006.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s)		Description	Dates
mapcase	item
M436	1	House for the Sigma Kappa Sorority 12 drawings : 11 graphite on tracing paper, 1 diazotype (blue) reproduction on bond 3 sketches : 3 graphite and colored pencil on trace Numbered set of twelve architectural drawings include plans, elevations, and detail drawings. Plans include a basement plan showing laundry and chapter room; first floor plan with door schedule showing the ground floor living areas; second floor plan showing bedrooms, study, and bath; and third floor plan showing a sleeping porch with capacity for sixteen and additional study rooms. Exterior elevations of the front, rear, and sides show the brick and stone exterior with brick pattern and half-timbered apperance on the upper floors of the building. Interior elevations of living room, hallway, dining room, stairway, and cabinetry. Detail drawings of dormer windows, brick pattern, and copper flashing. Full scale details of window millwork. Three sketches show preliminary plans.	circa 1929
M436	2	Proposed remodel of Sigma Kappa Sorority House 1 drawing : 1 graphite on vellum Preliminary third floor plan shows a proposed remodel to change the sleeping porch and study rooms along the hallway into bedrooms for an additional twelve girls with expanded bathrooms.	April 22, 1955
M436	3	An Addition to Sigma Kappa Sorority 29 drawings : 3 graphite on linen, 19 graphite on vellum, 4 graphite and colored pencil on vellum, 2 diazotype (blue) reproduction on paper, 1 diazotype (blue) reproduction with colored pencil on paper Inscribed in title block: Building for Puget Sound Assoc. of Sigma Kappa, Inc. Numbered set of drawings, A-1 to A-13, M-1 to M-4, and E-1 to E-3. Drawings include a full construction set showing the addition of a second building attached to the existing building via courtyard, and parking area to the Sigma Kappa sorority house. Title sheet provides a schedule of materials and aerial perspective of the site. Plot plan, site profile. Plan shows renovation of the main floor of the existing building to change the dining room to a parlor and conference room. Foundation plan and structural details of the new building. Ground floor plan, main floor plan, 2nd and 3rd floor plans show additional living and study areas arranged along a corridor in the new building. Exterior elevations from all directions of the new building. Transverse section drawing. Fireplace design. Stairway plan, elevation, and details. Cabinetry elevations and details. Mechanical and electrical plans. Additional preliminary drawings show the kitchen cabinetry, parking area, basement plan, and driveway alterations.	September 11, 1961

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