A Guide to the Singleton P. Moorehead Papers, 1923-1972 MS 1989.23

A Guide to the Singleton P. Moorehead Papers, 1923-1972

A Collection in
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Accession number MS 1989.23


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Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, Virginia 23187
USA
Phone: (757) 565-8520
Fax: (757) 565-8528
Email: speccoll@cwf.org
URL: http://www.history.org

© 2017 By The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Special Collections Staff

Repository
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Accession number
MS 1989.23
Title
Singleton P. Moorehead Papers, 1923-1972
Physical Characteristics
7 cubic ft.
Creator
Moorehead, Singleton P. (Singleton Peabody) (1900-1964)
Language
English
Abstract
This collection was gathered during the career of Colonial Williamsburg architect, Singleton P. Moorehead (1900-1964), starting from his days as a student at Harvard. It contains architectural drawings, notebooks, notes, sketches, and other illustrations in ten boxes.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Librarian, and the holder of the copyright, if not the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library at Colonial Williamsburg.

Preferred Citation

Singleton P. Moorehead Papers, 1923-1972, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation , Accession # MS 1989.23, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Biographical Information

Singleton P. Moorehead (1900-1964) was a prominent Architect involved in the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. He graduated from Harvard School of Architecture and was a member of the Boston firm Perry, Shaw, and Hepburn when they were involved in the early stages of the restoration project. He was hired directly and worked on the restoration in the town for 35 years, partnering with archeologists to conduct research on historical architecture all around Virginia. He authored multiple reports on the various historic buildings in Williamsburg. In 1944 he became the Head of Architecture and moved to a consulting position in 1948. In 1963 he retired citing poor heath and died a year later.

Scope and Content

This collection was gathered during the career of Colonial Williamsburg architect, Singleton P. Moorehead (1900-1964). Included are finished drawings, sketches, reproductions, artwork, postcards, correspondence, printed material and oversized architectural drawings. Much of the material relates to Williamsburg or Virginia buildings. The bulk of the collection is reference and research material from the reconstruction of Colonial Williamsburg. Also included are materials from when Singleton P. Moorehead (1900-1964) was a student at Harvard, and his time spent studying in Europe, including reproductions of European art and personal original art. There is one item in the collection from after Moorehead's death, a letter sent to a family member located in box six. The majority of the collection is not dated.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in ten boxes, the first five of which are oversized materials. Boxes 1 and 2 are research and reference drawings organized by location name. Box 3 contains his notebooks. Boxes 4 and 5 primarily contain materials from when Moorehead was a student. Box 6 contains correspondence and other miscellaneous reference material. Boxes 7-10 contain reference index cards.

Index Terms


Significant Places Associated With the Collection

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Contents List

Box: 1
Box 1
70 Folders (426 items)

A collection of reference sketches and elevations signed by Singlton P. Moorehead of various historic buildings around Virginia created in his research of Colonial Virginian architecture. Some of the elevations include whole buildings or a layout of buildings, while others are of fine details. A large number of the items are Photostat black print copies from his sketchbook of architectural details. There is also a number of Cyanotype blueprints of the reference elevations, as well as regular copies of those elevations. Not all of the reference drawings are created by Moorehead, occasionally he notes that he copyed the image from a photograph or book, and some elevations are copied with consent from detailed drawings by W. M. Macomper. Contains field drawings, elavations of architectural details, and photo-reproductions of many elevations and sketches. As well as 9 loose photostats of decrotive interior details.

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Box: 2
Box 2
67 Folders (234 items)

Arranged into two parts, 55 folders in first part and 12 in second. Sketches, notes, and photostats dealing with architectural details around Williamsburg and outside of it respectively. A mix of reference and research material arranged by location. Most of the Photostat black prints are taken from S. Mooreheads Sketchbook of Architectural Details located in Box 3.

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Box : 3
Box 3
27 Notebooks

Contains Moorehead's notebook from his student trips to Europe through his professional career working on the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. Most notebooks contain reference notes and sketches that pretain to his architectural career while working on the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg, most undated. Includes the Sketchbook of architectural details which serves as the source to many photostats from boxes 1 and 2. While many of the notebooks are numbered, they do not appear to have been numbered by the creater and they are not arranged in numerical order. Not all notebooks are full and many have leaves removed. The notebooks are not arranged in any clear order, and stored flat in an oversized box.

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Box: 4
Box 4
18 Folders (312 items)

Contains a mixture of his work for Colonial Williamsburg and student work, as well as a number of reproductions of european art likely from his trip to europe as a grad student.

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Box: 5
Box 5
282 items

Contains two portfolios of art reproductions from his trip to europe, the second is of monted clipped reference illustrations of interiors and crests. One published art book with 26 reproductions and a sample of a Mary Cassett Art book to be published in 1942. As well as 1 folder containing 3 copies of the Boston Evening Transcript real estate section from 1927 February 19 plus the first six pages of an additional copy. The Front page story is of a building project with the Harvard Building Trust and the firm Kilham, Hopkins, and Greeley which Moorehead worked for briefly.

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Box : 6
Box 6
14 folders (694 items)

A mixture of reference material; photographs and negatives (Black and White 35mm), index cards, articles, catalogs, and coorespondance. All material seems to relate to Moorehead's work at Colonial Williamsburg.

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Box: 7
Box 7
two wooden index card boxes (1268 items)

The cards are a mix of handwritten and typed reference notes set up in alphabetically order as quick reference for a variety of subjects relating to the restoration of historic Williamsburg. They include citations, quotations, drawings, and some direct information about the titled subject.

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Box: 8
Box 8
one cardboard index card box (989 items)

The cards are a mix of handwritten and typed reference notes set up in alphabetically order as quick reference for a variety of subjects relating to the restoration of historic Williamsburg. They include citations, quotations, drawings, photographs, and some direct information about the titled subject.

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Box: 9
Box 9
two woden index card boxes (1018 items)

The cards are a mix of handwritten and typed reference notes set up in alphabetically order as quick reference for a variety of subjects relating to Williamsburg during the 18th century. They include citations, quotations, drawings, photographs, and some direct information about the titled subject.

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Box: 10
Box 10
two wooden index card boxes (1175 items)

The cards are a mix of handwritten and typed reference notes set up in alphabetically order as quick reference for a variety of subjects relating to the restoration of historic Williamsburg. They include citations, quotations, drawings, photographs, and some direct information about the titled subject.

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