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Oscar Stonorov papers, 1912-1978 (bulk 1929-1970)

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Stonorov, Oscar, 1905-1970
Title
Oscar Stonorov papers
Dates
1912-1978 (bulk 1929-1970) (inclusive)
Quantity
28.88 cubic ft. (64 boxes)
Collection Number
04375
Summary
Contains materials documenting Stonorov's career as an architect and city planner.
Repository
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu
Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
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Historical Note

Oscar [Oskar] Stonorov (1905-1970), an architect and sculptor, emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1929 and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the early 1930s. He was interested throughout his career in public housing and affordable housing for the working classes. His architectural associates included Alfred Kastner, Louis I. Kahn, George Howe, and Frank Haws. In addition to numerous projects in Philadelphia and the northeastern U.S., Stonorov was the designer of the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit which toured the U.S. and major European cities in 1951-1952. He was the principal designer of the United Auto Workers headquarters building in Detroit, Michigan and the UAW's Black Lake Conference Center in Onaway, Michigan. Stonorov and his long-time friend, UAW President Walter Reuther died in a plane crash in 1970 while inspecting the Black Lake construction site.

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Content Description

The Oscar Stonorov papers document Stonorov’s career as architect and city planner. Much of the material pertains to architectural and artistic projects including Stonorov’s home (Avon Lea), the Carl Mackley Housing Project, Philadelphia city planning projects, exhibits such as “Frank Lloyd Wright“ and “Better Philadelphia,” and sculptures. Materials include drawings, notes, photographs, reports, and correspondence. The correspondence series chiefly concerns various construction and urban planning projects, but there is personal correspondence as well. There is an alphabetical index for the general correspondence.

The collection also contains speeches, papers, and articles written by Stonorov expressing his views on design and urban planning. In addition there is material from conferences, round tables, interviews, and forums with which Stonorov was involved. Also included are subject and research files and newspaper clippings on Stonorov’s work and colleagues, and biographical material such as resumes, articles about Stonorov, and photographs of him.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Copyright Information

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Use

Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in Collections

The American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.

Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.

Preferred Citation

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

Alternative Forms Available

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of select material from this collection are available at http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:8180/luna/servlet/uwydbuwy~79~79.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series. Most series are arranged alphabetically except for the correspondence, for which there is an alphabetical index.

Related Materials

There are no known other archival collections created by Oscar Stonorov at the date of processing.

Acquisition Information

This material was received from Elizabeth Stonorov, Katrina Stonorov Daly, Frederick Gutheim, Nancy Grace, Susan Cole, Daniel R. Nichols, and Eugene G. Grace from 1971-2023.

Processing Note

The collection was processed by Laura Jackson in February 2010 and updated by Jamie J. Greene in November 2024.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Container List

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Aging -- United States.
  • Architects -- United States| -- Exhibitions.
  • Architectural practice -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
  • Architecture -- Designs and plans.
  • Architecture -- Exhibitions.
  • Architecture -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
  • Architecture -- United States.
  • City planning -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
  • City planning -- United States.
  • Hosiery workers.
  • Public housing -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
  • Public housing -- United States.
  • Sculpture, American.

Personal Names

  • Grace, Nancy.
  • Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959 -- Exhibitions.

Corporate Names

  • Black Lake Conference Center (Onaway, Mich.)
  • International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America|-- buildings.

Geographical Names

  • Juniata (Perry County, Pa. : Township)
  • Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Buildings, structures, etc.

Other Creators

  • Personal Names

    • Kahn, Louis I., 1901-1974.
    • Kastner, Alfred.
    • Kaufmann, Arthur C.
    • Olivetti, Adriano.
    • Ragghianti, Carlo Ludovico.
    • Robinson, Hilyard R.
    • Gutheim, Frederick Albert, 1908-
    • Haws, J. Frank.
    • Reuther, Walter, 1907-1970.
    • Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959.

Processed by Laura Jackson
2010

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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