Résumé

Draftsman, Trowbridge and Livingston, Architects, New York, NY, c. 1915-1917.

Coate spent 17 months as part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in WW I; Coate, Sr. came to California in 1919 just after his time in the military;

Partner, Johnson, Kaufmann and Coate, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1921-1925; already established as a an architect in Pasadena since 1911, Reginald D. Johnson (1882-1952) sponsored Coate, Sr., for his certificate to practice architecture in California.

Principal, Roland E. Coate, Sr., Architect, Pasadena, CA, 1925-1942. In 1937, Coate maintained his office at 816 West 5th Street in Downtown Los Angeles.

Coate, Sr., worked with the engineering firm of Bechtel, McCone and Parson in Alabama from 1942-1944. Coate resumed his practice in Los Angeles after World War II, working until about 1956.

Professional Activites

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern CA Chapter.

Professional Awards

Coate was very successful competing for residential design awards sponsored by the architectural press in the early 1930s.

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1937.

Archives

Archival documents by Roland Coate, Sr., are housed at the Architecture and Design Collection of the University Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).

College

Coursework, Earlham College, Richmond, IN, c. 1910-1912.

A.B., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 1912-1914.

College Honors

Received a Tau Beta Phi (an engineering honors society) scholarship from Cornell University to study in Europe.

Relocation

Roland Coate, Sr., was born in Richmond, IN on 12/05/1890.

In 1930, he and his family resided at 389 California Terrace in Pasadena, CA, a residence that had an estimated value of $21,000. The architect, Robert D. Farquhar (1872-1967) lived next door at 381 California Terrace. The US Census recorded that Coate maintained one servant in 1930, Willma L. Miller (born c. 1900 in KS). The Coate Family lived in Pasadena through 1937, at least. (The Los Angeles City Directory, 1937, p. 436, indicated that Coate continued to live in Pasadena.)

The Coates moved to 1255 Oak Grove Avenue in San Marino, CA. This house had an estimated value of $30,000, much higher than the national average, but consistent with others nearby in the San Marino neighborhood. They maintained a housekeeper, Emma Cherry (born c. 1889 in NB), in 1940. In 1943, the Pasadena City Directory (p. 137) listed Roland Coate as a "Draftsman," living at 1255 Shenandoah Road in San Marino. (The 1947 City Directory stated that his residence was at 1258 Shenandoah. [p. 169].) Coate, Sr., died in San Diego County, CA, at the age of 67.

Parents

Coate's mother's maiden name was Williams.

Spouse

He married Gladys Robinson Coate (born 07/28/1898 in TX-died 01/25/1992 in Los Angeles, CA). The 1940 US Census indicated that Gladys Coate had completed three years of college.

Children

He and Gladys had two children living at home in 1930: daughter Susanne (born c. 1928 in CA) and son William (born c. 1921 in CA). In 1940, Susanne and another son, Roland E. Coate, Jr., (born c. 1931 in CA), lived at home. His son, Roland E. Coate, Jr., also became an architect.

• Richmond, IN (Architect's Birth)
  Richmond, IN

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