Résumé

Trogdon enlisted in the US military on 01/30/1943, while he worked for F.G. Pettengill in Seattle, WA. In 1940, Pettengill owned the Ideal Pharmacy at 1401 East Madison Street in Seattle.

Intern, Carl Koch and Associates, Architects, Boston, MA, c. 1951.

Intern, The Architects' Collaborative (TAC), Cambridge, MA, c. 1952. TAC, known for its unually collaborative working methods, existed between 1945 and 1995. It was founded by eight seven young architects, including two women, and the elder statesman, Bauhaus and Harvard academician, Walter Gropius, (1883-1969). The younger founders included: Sarah P. Harkness (1914-2013), Jean B. Fletcher (1915-1965), John C. Harkness (1916-2016), Robert S. McMillan (1916-2001), Louis A. McMillen (1916-1998), Norman C. Fletcher (1917-2007), and Benjamin C. Thompson (1918-2002).

Draftsman, Jones and Bindon, Architects, Seattle, WA, c, 1953.

Draftsman, Naramore, Bain, Brady and Johanson (NBBJ), Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1954.

Architect, Brooks and Walker, Architects, Spokane, WA, 1955.

Partner, Walker, McGough and Trogdon, Architects, Spokane, WA, 1955-1960.

Partner, Trogdon Smith Architects, AIA, Architects, Spokane, WA, 1961- .

Partner, Trogdon Smith Grossman (TSG), AIA, Architects, Spokane, WA, -1983. TSG merged with another Spokane firm, Tan Brookie Kundig, to become the Northwest Architectural Company (NAC) in 1983.

In the 1970s-1990s, Trogdon appears to have been a developer buying and selling real estate in the Spokane area. One firm that he was associated with was TSG Properties, owned in 1979 along with Robert J. and Shirley Grossman, Benson A. and Joann Nielsen, and B. Russell and Janis K. Smith. (See TSG Properties, Spokane County Auditor, Recorded Land Records, 1960-Present, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 04/16/2019.)

Of his career, his obituary said: "He shared leadership responsibilities with others for the 1974 Spokane World's Fair masterplan and now Riverfront Park, the masterplan design of the current Spokane International Airport, design of 13 primary schools for the Spokane School District, campus buildings for WSU, as well as many churches, banks, commercial developments and of course private residences in and around the Inland Empire." (See Spokane Spokesman-Review.com, “William H. ‘Bill’ Trogdon 1925-2020,” published 11/11/2020, accessed 11/11/2020.)

Teaching

Instructor, University of Idaho, College of Art and Architecture, Moscow, ID, 1983.

Porfessional Activities

Trogdon took an oath of WA State office to serve on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation on 06/11/1967. (See William H. Trogdon, Oaths of Office, 1854-2018, Office of the Secretary of State, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 04/16/2019.)

He served on the WA State American Revolution Bicentennial Commission beginning on 07/07/1972. (See William H. Trogdon, Oaths of Office, 1854-2018, Office of the Secretary of State, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 04/16/2019.)

Member, WA State Board of Registration for Architects, San Juan County, 10/01/1991-10/29/1994 and 10/15/1997-04/10/2000. (See William H. Trogdon, Oaths of Office, 1854-2018, Office of the Secretary of State, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 04/16/2019.)

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects, (FAIA).

High School / College

Graduate, Seattle Public Schools, Broadway High School, Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA, 1942. While at Broadway, he became an Eagle Scout.

B.Arch., University of Washington, Seattle (UW), Seattle, WA, 1948. Trogdon was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity while at UW. While at the UW, Trogdon was a member of the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was also in the US Naval R.O.T.C. program. (See Spokane Spokesman-Review.com, “William H. ‘Bill’ Trogdon 1925-2020,” published 11/11/2020, accessed 11/11/2020.)

M.Arch., Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA, 1951-1952.

College Awards

Recipient, Traveling Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. It is not clear which Harvard Traveling Fellowship Trogdon was awarded. In 2020, there were five different funds on which to draw, although these all may not have been available in 1952.

Relocation

Trogdon was born in Aberdeen, WA, a rugged, lumber town in 1925.

The Trogdons lived in Seattle by 1928, when they had a residence in Upper Queen Anne at 203 West Comstock Street. This was in the Comstock Apartments. They operated a grocery store at 615 Pike Street at the time. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1928, p. 1670.)

The 1930 US census reported that Trogdon lived with his family in a rented residence at 701 East Union Street in Seattle, WA. The family paid $50 per month for the dwelling. At the time, Trogdon's maternal grandmother Margaret Billica (born c. 1865 in NY) lived with the family. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0132; FHL microfilm: 2342233, accessed 04/16/2019.)

He and his family lived in an apartment house at 142115th Avenue according to the US Census of 1940. The census indicated that they had resided here in 1935 as well. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04379; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 40-171B, accessed 11/11/2020.)

Trogdon attended the University of Washington during the mid-1940s.

He resided in Cambridge, MA, while attending Harvard University, c. 1950-1952.

In 1955, He and his wife lived in Spokane, WA, in a residence at West 2217 4th Avenue. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1955, p. 868.) During the next two years, they dwelled at South 4207 Perry Street in Spokane, WA. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1956, p. 864 and Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1957, p. 583) William and Dorothy Trogdon lived at East 404 22nd Avenue in Spokane by 1960. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1960, p. 843.)

He and his wife had an address at 1918 South Syringa Road, Spokane, WA, 99203-3464.

He resided at 9600 21st Ave NW in Seattle, in 1989. In 1993, Trogdon had an address of 670 156th Ave NE, in Bellevue, WA. During this time frame (c. 1898-1993), they also had an apartment in Bellingham, WA, at 816 24th Street, Apartment #22. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: U.S. Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 11/11/2020.)

In later years, Trogdon and his wife resided in Olga, WA, a community on Orcas Island, San Juan County, WA. He lived here by at least 1991. Trogdon passed away at his Orcas Island residence on 11/04/2020.

Parents

His father, Reuben Fletcher Trogdon (born 02/18/1884 in Leaksville, NC-d. 10/17/1942 in Seattle, WA) held a number of jobs during his life. His World War I draft registration card listed that he worked as a traveling salesman for the General Cigar Company, M.A. Gunst Branch, in Seattle. In 1930-1931, Reuben operated a grocery store at 615 East Pike Street, and a decade later, in 1940, he had a job as a bookkeeper. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1931, p. 1686 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Registration State: Washington; Registration County: King, Source Information: U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 11/11/2020.)

His mother, Grace C. Billica (born 07/23/1895 in NY-d. 01/05/1986 in Seattle, WA) worked as a stenographer at a steel mill. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0132; FHL microfilm: 2342233, accessed 04/16/2019.) She was employed in a clericaal capacity by the electric company in Seattle, and daughter Margaret F. Trogdon (born c. 1920 in WA) also worked for a wholesale grocery. Even 15-year-old William had a job, delivering newspapers.

According to this 1940 census, Ruben's education stopped in the eighth grade and Grace's ended a year later. Margaret was a high school graduate by that year. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04379; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 40-171B, accessed 11/11/2020.)

Margaret married William H. Didenhown on 03/22/1956. (See William H Didenhown--Margaret Trogdon Marriage, King County Marriage Records, 1855-Present, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 04/16/2019.)

Spouse

While living in Cambridge, MA, Trogdon met Dorothy C. Weber, whom he wed on 06/23/1952 in Waterville, ME. Her family resided at 42 Burleigh Street in Waterville, ME, in 1952.

Children

He and Dorothy Weber had a son, William H. Trogdon, Jr., (born c. 1965). He married Stacy Lynn Downs on 07/22/1989 in Whatcom County, WA. (See William Jr Henry Trogdon - Stacy Lynn Downs Marriage, Whatcom County Auditor, Marriage Records, 1891-1995, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 04/16/2019.)

Biographical Notes

In 1942, Trogdon stood 6-foot, 2-inches tall, and weighed 170 pounds. He had a ruddy complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 180, accessed 04/16/2019.)

He and his wife traveled aboard the Cunard liner R.M.S. Mauretania from New York, NY, on 10/17/1952, bound for the English port of Southampton. They were going to spend 10 months traveling in Europe on a Harvard traveling scholarship. (See Ancestry.com, The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels and Airplanes Departing from New York, New York, 07/01/1948-12/31/1956; NAI Number: 3335533; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: A4169; NARA Roll Number: 190, accessed 11/11/2020.)

They returned from Le Havre, France, on 01/09/1953, arriving in the Port of New York on 01/19/1953. They traveled aboard the Cunard liner R.M.S. Samaria, built in 1920, that was scrapped three years later. They gave the address of his wife's parents in Waterville, ME, as a permanent residence at this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Year: 1953; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 4; Page Number: 210, accessed 11/11/2020.)

• Aberdeen, WA (Architect's Birth)
  Aberdeen, WA 98520

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