Architectural Drawings and Photographs of the Philip G. Johnson Estate and Rosary Heights, approximately 1930-1965

Overview of the Collection

Title
Architectural Drawings and Photographs of the Philip G. Johnson Estate and Rosary Heights
Dates
approximately 1930-1965 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.63 cubic feet (10 oversize folders, 1 tube box and 2 vertical files)
109 architectural drawings
8 negatives : 8x10
Collection Number
PH2009-021
Summary
Architectural drawings and photographs of the Woodway, Washington estate of former Boeing president Philip G. Johnson, which later became the Rosary Heights Dominican Retreat Center
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

Architectural drawings are available by appointment only. Please contact repository to schedule an appointment.

Many drawings are in poor condition, with large tears and crumbling edges. Handle these extremely fragile drawings with care.

Request at UW

Additional Reference Guides

Languages
English

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

The late-Tudor style mansion on a 14-acre property on Woodway Park Road was built in 1930 for Philip G. Johnson, then president of the Boeing Airplane Company. Johnson died in 1944 at 49 years old; in 1956 the estate was purchased from Johnson's widow by an order of Dominican nuns and was eventually named Rosary Heights. The house served as a convent and motherhouse for the nuns for 50 years and more recently as a retreat center.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Architectural drawings and photographs of the Woodway, Washington estate of former Boeing president Philip G. Johnson, which later became the Dominican Retreat Center Rosary Heights. The majority of the collection documents the original design and planning of the residence and grounds of the Philip G. Johnson estate in Woodway Park. Artistic renderings, architectural drawings and blueprints of the residence interior and exterior, plans for the interior furnishing, landscaping plans are included. Additional sets of drawings document alterations and additions to mechanical systems in 1956, the year the Dominican sisters moved into the building, and subsequent renovations in 1965 to the Mother House and Novitiate of what had become the Rosary Heights Dominican Retreat Center. The collection also includes eight undated photographic negatives showing various views of the house.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Descriptions of individual drawings were provided by the donors and often directly copied into this inventory. Quotation marks indicate descriptions that come from text on the drawing itself.

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

Arrangement

The drawings are arranged into series and subseries by content and provenance according to the descriptive list received from the donors.

Series:
  • Original architectural drawings and blueprints
    Subseries:
    • Renderings of home and grounds
    • Estate drawings - general
    • Exterior drawings
    • Interior layout drawings
    • Interior furnishing drawings
    • Landscape drawings
  • Drawings for renovations
  • Photographic negatives

Preservation Note

Many drawings are in poor condition, with large tears and crumbling edges. Handle these extremely fragile drawings with care.

Acquisition Information

Source: Adrian Dominican Sisters, February 2009.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Original architectural drawings and blueprintsReturn to Top

93 sheets

These are the drawings and blueprints for the original Johnson estate (excluding mechanical & electrical).

Container(s) Description Dates
folder:oversize
1
Renderings of home and grounds
4 drawings
1930?
“A Country Home in Woodway Park...” Full size hand drawn and colored, on parchment mounted on board.
“A Country Home in Woodway Park...” Reduced, black and white reprint, mounted securely on board
Untitled. Graphite, crayon, and paint. Drawn directly on board
“Development of Tract 15 Woodway. Sherwood D. Ford, architect.” (“Preliminary Layout Johnson Estate”) Color on cloth.
2
Estate drawings - general
31 sheets
Set of drawings by David J. Myers that were rolled together as a set and dated.
1930 January 24
Untitled. Land grade map. Missing title section.
Untitled. Missing title section. Exterior facades
“1/2 Scale Detail of East Entrance.” Sheet 5.
“Living Gable & West Ent.” Sheet 6.
“Exterior Garden Room.” Sheet 7.
“Tower Plan & Elevation.” Sheet 8
“Tower Section & Elevation.” Sheet 9
“Dining Room Bay.” Sheet 10
“Details of Service Wing.” Sheet 11.
“Window Schedule.” Sheet 12.
“Full-size Jamb & Mullion.” Sheet 13.
“Full-size Head & Sill.” Sheet 14.
“Plan & Elevation of Corridor A & B.” Sheet 15
“Stair Hall.” Sheet 16.
“Plan & Elevation of Living Room.” Sheet 17
“Details of Garden Room & Boudoir.” Job 509. Sheet 18.
“Details of Library and Morning Room.” Sheet 19.
“Details of Dining Room” Job 509. Sheet 20.
“Elevation of Women’s Room” Sheet 21.
“Second Floor Hall & Service Stairs" Sheet 22.
“Master’s Bedroom.” Sheet 23.
“Master’s Bathroom & Dressing Room.” Sheet 24.
“Boudoir Dressing Room & Maid’s Bath Room.” Sheet 25.
“Esther’s Bathroom & Bathroom No. 3.” Sheet 26
“Details of Guest Bathroom.” Sheet 27
“Details of Kitchen & Butler’s Pantry.” Sheet 28.
“Cook’s Pantry.” Sheet 29.
“Door Schedule.” Sheet 30
"Schedule of Finishes.” Sheet 31.
“Plans and Elevations of Garage.” Sheet 32.
“Garage Details.” Sheet 33.
3
Exterior drawings
19 sheets
Untitled set
17 sheets
Roof and basement plans - blueprint - with notations
Roof and basement plans – creme paper
Interior layout drawings
22 sheets
folder:oversize
4
Elevation of Master bedroom
4
Living room elevations
4
Hall elevations
4
Plans of library and morning room
4
"Alterations to Master’s Bedroom.” “David J. Myers, architect.”
Oct. 6, 1936
4
Corridor elevations. “David J. Myers, architect.”
undated
4
Garden room plan and elevations
4
“Master’s bathroom and dressing room, etc.”
4
“Esther’s bathroom (No.2) and Bathroom No.3”
5
"Basement Floor Plan” “David J. Myers, architect.”
October 17, 1929
5
“First Floor Plan.” “David J. Myers, architect.”
October 11, 1929
5
“Second Floor Plan.” “David J. Myers, architect.”
Date: September 21, 1929, corrected October 10, 1929
October 10, 1929
5
“Paneling in Master’s Dressing Room” “David J. Myers, architect.”
undated
5
“Proposed alteration of bathroom” “David J. Myers, architect.”
October 9, 1936
5
Dining room plan and elevations.
Folder
6
Light outlets
7 small sheets
Interior furnishings drawings
8 sheets
folder:oversize
7
“Furniture Plan in Esther’s Room #2”
7
“Furniture Plan. Bedroom #4.” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.”
7
“Furniture Plan. Bedroom #5.” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.”
7
“Boudoir Furniture Plan.” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.”
8
“Dining Room Furniture Plan” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.”
8
“Library Furniture Plan.” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.”
8
“Furniture Plan. Master’s Bedroom.” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.”
9
“Living Room Furniture.” “Lenygon & Morant Inc. Decorators. 1082 Madison Ave. New York, City.” [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Interior Décor. Blueprints. 1936. Alterations.]
Landscape drawings
9 sheets
folder:oversize
9
J5 No394b Executed by Fred Cole, Seattle. [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Garden + Grounds].
9
J5 No394b Executed by Fred Cole, Seattle. Red pencil markings. [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Garden + Grounds].
9
J5 No. 3943 Executed by Fred Cole, Seattle. [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Driveway].
9
Untitled [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Picnic Grounds].
9
Unnumbered and untitled, with plant prices marked in red pencil [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Front Driveway and Grounds].
10
Unnumbered [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Grounds and Garden]. This drawing marks trails, faucets, drains, fire valve, etc.
10
J8 No3999 Executed by Fred Cole, Seattle. [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Formal Garden].
10
No. 3933 Executed by Fred Cole, Seattle. [On reverse side of roll: Johnson Grounds Layout].
10
Small photocopy of No. 3933.

Drawings for renovationsReturn to Top

16 sheets
Container(s) Description Dates
tube
Tube box
“Rosary Heights Mother House & Novitiate.” Maloney, Herrington, Freesz and Lund.
4 sheets
March 31, 1965
“Rosary Heights Mother House & Novitiate.” Maloney, Herrington, Freesz and Lund. (2 sets of 3 sheets each)
6 sheets
April 14, 1965
folder:oversize
11
“Alterations & Additions to Mech. Systems.” Prepared by “Norman L. Omodt. Mech. Engr. Commerce Bldg. Everett, Wash.” [On reverse side of roll: Schematic draft. Johnson Garage and Cottage. Septic tanks, etc. Floor Plan.] (sheet M-1 of 2.)
2 sheets
Dates: 14 May 1956, Revised 17 May 1956
May 17, 1956
11
“Alterations & Additions to Mech. Systems.” Prepared by “Norman L. Omodt. Mech. Engr. Commerce Bldg. Everett, Wash.” (sheets M-1 of 2 and M-2 of 2.)
2 sheets
May 14, 1956
11
“Alterations & Additions to Mech. Systems.” Prepared by “Norman L. Omodt. Mech. Engr. Commerce Bldg. Everett, Wash.” (sheet M-2 of 2.)
May 14, 1956
11
Untitled. Includes “Remodeling of Horse Barn to Caretaker’s Cottage,” and “ 1st Floor of Garage,” etc. “Newland Costr. Co. by G.N.” [Reverse of roll states: Newland Const. Co. Alterations 1956. Mech. Systems, Plumbing, etc. 5/14/56.]
May 14, 1956

Photographic negativesReturn to Top

Container(s): Folder 12

8 negatives
Container(s) Description
20501 – West front
20499 – Entrance
20498 – East façade
20504 – Garage
20503 – West detail
Untitled
Untitled (2)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)

Personal Names

  • Johnson, Philip G. (Philip Gustav), 1894-1944

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Meyer, David J (architect)