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Male, US, born 1885-10-15, died 1971-01-02

Associated with the firms network

Chambers and Hibbard, Architects; Chambers, H.C., Architect; Hunt and Chambers, Architects; Hunt and Grey, Architects; Hunt, Chambers and Shepard, Architects; Hunt, Myron, Architect


Professional History

Résumé

Draftsman, [Myron] Hunt and [Elmer] Grey, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1907-1908.

Head Draftsman, Myron Hunt Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1909-1920. His World War I draft registration card of 09/11/1918 listed his profession as "Architectural Engineer" for Myron Hunt. The firm had an office in Room #1017 of the Hibernian Building in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles; Roll: 1530902; Draft Board: 14, accessed 07/25/2019.)

Field Officer, Emergency Fleet Corps, (in charge of exemptions), 1918.

Partner, Hunt and Chambers, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1920-1947;

Partner, Chambers and [Lester] Hibbard, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1948-1968.

Principal, Harold C. Chambers, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, 1968-1971. Chambers worked until the last one or two years of his life.

Professional Activities

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

President, AIA, Southern California Chapter, Los Angeles, CA, 1930-1931.

In 1955, Chambers was Registered Architect in CA.

Professional Awards

Recipient, (Hunt and Chambers), AIA, Southern California Chapter, Honor Award for Pasadena Public Library, Pasadena, CA, 1927.

Recipient, (Hunt and Chambers), AIA, Southern California Chapter, Honor Award for Flintridge Biltmore Hotel, Pasadena, CA, 1927.

Recipient, (Hunt and Chambers), AIA, Southern California Chapter, Honor Award for Thomas Jackson Library, 1939.

Fellow, American Institute of Architects, 1943.

Archives

Archival documents on Hunt and Chambers are housed at the Architecture and Design Collection of the University Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB);

Education

College

The 1940 US Census recorded that Harold C. Chambers had completed three years of college. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00393; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 60-80, accessed 07/25/2019.)

Personal

Relocation

Born in Hampton, NE, Chambers lived with his family in Harrison, IN, in 1900. At the time the Chambers Family had a servant, Ella Darling (born c. 01/1884 in IN). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Harrison, Blackford, Indiana; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 0019; FHL microfilm: 1240360, accessed 07/25/2019.)

He and his wife had their home at 1918 Grace Avenue in Los Angeles in 1918. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles; Roll: 1530902; Draft Board: 14, accessed 07/25/2019.) They remained at 1918 Grave Avenue in 1920, and had a boarder, Jerusha Wilson (born c. 1863 in KS). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 63, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_106; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 163, accessed 07/25/2019.)

The Chambers Family had a house at 1910 Myra Avenue in Los Angeles in 1930 . They rented the dwelling, at a rate of $50 per month.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Page: 23B; Enumeration District: 0017; FHL microfilm: 2339867, accessed 07/25/2019.)

In 1931, he and Nora resided at 606 North Elm Street in Beverly Hills, CA. (See Beverly Hills, California, City Directory, 1931, p. 63.) A year later, they had moved to 455 Woodbury Street in Glendale, CA. (See Glendale, California, City Directory, 1932, p. 172.)

They had a residence at 1946 Hobart Street in Los Angeles, CA, in 1940. A maid, Marie Daley, (born c. 1906 in CA), lived with them. Chambers and his wife owned this house, that had an approximate value of $12,500. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00393; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 60-80, accessed 07/25/2019.)

Chambers and his wife moved to Pasadena by 1961. They had a domicile at 1212 South El Molino Avenue. (See Pasadena, California, City Directory, 1961, p. 107.)

In 1966, he and Nora dwelled at 1424 Linda Vista Avenue in the North Arroyo neighborhood of Pasadena, CA. (See Pasadena, City Directory, 1966, p. 102.)His last residence was located in the 91103 zip code of Pasadena, perhaps the house at 1424 Linda Vista. (See Social Security Death Index, Source Citation Number: 554-50-4655; Issue State: California; Issue Date: 1954, accessed 07/25/2019.) The architect died in Los Angeles County, CA, at the age of 85.

Parents

His father, Frank Chambers (born 04/1854 in England) worked as a druggist in 1900. His mother, Mary, (born c. 04/1862 in IN). had had three children, and managed the household. Frank Chambers immigrated to the US in 1869, according to the 1900 US Census.

His two siblings included sister, Francis B. Chambers, (born c. 06/1888 in NE), and brother, Walter L., (born 01/1892 in NE).

Spouse

Harold C. Chambers married Nora Etner Groftholdt(born 08/16/1894 in Riverside, CA) on 01/17/917 in Riverside, CA. Her parents were Mats Peterson Groftholdt (06/1867 in Germany) and Sofia Peterson (born c. 11/1867 in Denmark). As per the 1900 US Census, Mats came to the US in 1886. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Riverside Precinct 1, Riverside, California; Page: 4; Enumeration District: 0204; FHL microfilm: 1240096, accessed 07/25/2019.)

Nora sailed aboard the renowned Cunard liner, R.M.S. Mauretania, (the world's largest ship from 1906 until 1911), from Southampton to New York between 08/09/1924 and 0814/1924.

Children

He had a son, Harold C. Chambers, Jr., (born c. 1918 in CA).

Biographical Notes

At age 32, his World War I draft registration paperwork listed Chambers as having medium height and build, with blue eyes and light hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Los Angeles; Roll: 1530902; Draft Board: 14, accessed 07/25/2019.)

The architect registered as a Republican in the elections of 1940 and 1942. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 07/25/2019.)

He reported in 1956 that his foreign travel had consisted of trips to Mexico and Canada.

SSN: 554-50-4655.



Associated Locations

  • Hampton, NE (Architect's Birth)
    Hampton, NE

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PCAD id: 638


NameDateCityState
Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S), Shriners Hospital, Rampart Village, Los Angeles, CA1952Los AngelesCA
Baker Shoe Store, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA 1929Los AngelesCA
Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Corporation, Flintridge Biltmore Hotel, La Cañada Flintridge, CA1926La Cañada FlintridgeCA
Chambers, Harold C., House, Los Angeles, CA
City of Pasadena, Public Library, Main Library #3, Civic Center, Pasadena, CA1925-1927PasadenaCA
County National Bank Building, Santa Barbara, CA1924-1927Santa BarbaraCA
George Junior Republic, Fowler, Margaret B., Auditorium, Chino Hills, CA1938-1939Chino HillsCA
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach, CA1952Newport BeachCA
Huntington, Henry E., Library, San Marino, CA1919San MarinoCA
Kellogg, W.K., Ranch House, Pomona, CAPomonaCA
Magnin, I., Department Store, Beverly Hills, CA1939Beverly HillsCA
Magnin, I., Department Store, Los Angeles, CALos AngelesCA
Olmsted, Frederick Law, Jr., House, Ocean Bluffs, Palos Verdes Estates, CA1925-1927Palos Verdes EstatesCA
Palos Verdes Public Library, Malaga Cove Branch, Palos Verdes Estates, CA1926-1930Palos Verdes EstatesCA
Protestant Welfare Association, Boy's School, Girard, CA1927
Redlands Community Hospital, Redlands, CARedlandsCA
San Marcos Building, Downtown, Santa Barbara, CA1913Santa BarbaraCA
San Marcos Hotel, Chandler, AZ1912-1913ChandlerAZ
Santa Barbara County National Bank, Santa Barbara, CA1927Santa BarbaraCA
Surf and Sand Club, Hermosa Beach, CA 1923-1925Hermosa BeachCA
Weith, W.S., House, Beverly Hills, CA1927Beverly HillsCA
Wilkes' Vine Street Theatre, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA1926-1927Los AngelesCA
"Vermont Marble Ad The Modernistic Movement Plate 4", American Architect, 139: 2591, 131, 01/1931. "Chambers, H(arold) C(oulson)", American Architects Directory 1956, 1st edition: 89, 1955. Wheeler, Joseph L., Githens, Alfred Morton, American Public Library Building, 82, 1941. Wheeler, Joseph L., Githens, Alfred Morton, American Public Library Building, 69, 1941. "Weith House, Beverly Hills article", Architect & Engineer, 85, 87, 5/1927. "Kellogg, W.K., Ranch House, Pomona", Architectural Digest, 7: 1, 4-15, 1928. "Palos Verdes Public Library, Palos Verdes Estates, California, Myron C. Hunt and H.C. Chambers, Architects", Architectural Forum, LVI: 6, 597-598, 1932-06. "Flintridge Hotel 1928", Arrowhead, 18, 9/1928. "Flintridge Biltmore Hotel 1929", California Arts and Architecture, 36, 8/1929. Barker Brothers, Furnishing for Public Service, 50-51, c1929. "La Vina Sanatorium, Altadena, Calif.", Journal of the American Institiute of Architects, VIII: 4, 163, 10/1947. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, "I. Magnin Department Store", Los Angeles An Architectural Guide, 128, 1994. Gebhard, David, Winter, Robert, "Palos Verdes Public Library, 1926-30", Los Angeles An Architectural Guide, 54, 1994. "Hostelry leased at Flintridge", Los Angeles Times, I: 6, 6/9/1928. "Success by Fall Seen for Hospital Fund Drive", Los Angeles Times, J13, 08/05/1956. Starr, Kevin, "Materializing History", Material Dreams: Southern California through the 1920s, 191-200, 1990. "Plans for the Frederick Law Olmsted residence, Palos Verdes", Pacific Coast Architect, 9, 17, 1927-04. "Flintridge Hotel notice 1927", Saturday Night, Front cover, 2, 12/31/1927. "Additions to the San Marcos Hotel, Chandler, AZ", Southwest Builder & Contractor, 49, col 1, 1/25/1924. "County National Bank Building, Santa Barbara", Southwest Builder & Contractor, 46, 3/28/1924. "Firm of Hunt and Chambers win AIA award for design of Pasadena Public Library", Southwest Builder and Contractor, 30, 32, 3/21/1930. "Firm of Hunt and Chambers win AIA award for design of Flintridge Biltmore Hotel", Southwest Builder and Contractor, 32, 3/21/1930. "Residence of F.L. Olmsted in Palos Verdes, California", Wasmuths Monatshefte für Baukunst, 12: 8, 369-371, 1928.