Résumé

Draftsman, David J. Myers, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1936. This was Durham's first position in an architectural office after graduating from the University of Washington (UW).

Draftsman, Bertram Dudley Stuart, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1936-1937.

Architect/Cost Engineer, Federal Housing Administration (FHA), 1938-1941. On 10/16/1940, the FHA had its Seattle office in the Dexter Horton Building in Downtown Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 48, accessed 10/17/2024.)

Partner, Stuart and Durham, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1941-1951.

Principal, Robert L. Durham and Associates, Architects, Seattle, 1951-1954.

Partner, Durham, Anderson and Freed, Architects, Seattle, 1954-1978. The firm had its office at 1100 Denny Way in 1955. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1955, p. 390.)

Professional Activities

Durham completed a 15-week course, Camouflage School, Camouflage Division, Office of Civilian Defense, University of Washington, 10-12/1942.

Secretary, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington State Chapter, Seattle, 1942.

Member, AIA, Washington State Chapter, Board of Directors, Seattle, 1947-1950.

President, AIA, Washington Chapter, Seattle, 1954-1955; when surveyed in 1962, Durham indicated that he was a Registered Architect in the States of ID, MT, OR and WA.

Durham gave a lecture illustrated with slides of Europe before a meeting of the Engineers Club in the Arctic Building on Thursday, 12/13/1956. (See "Architect on Program," Seattle Times, 12/10/1956, p. 17.)

Chair, AIA, National Honor Awards Program, 1963. (See "Winning Architects Named," Seattle Daily Times, 03/03/1963, Real Estate Section, p. 31.)

President, American Institute of Architects (AIA), national organization, 1967-1968. Clair Enlow, writing with Thomas Veith in Architecture: Building a Profession, said of Durham: "One local architect who made a specialty of church architecture was Robert L. Durham. Durham also played an active role in the chapter and the regional AIA. As the first member of the Seattle chapter to serve as a national president of the American Institute of Architects, he helped to shift the balance of organizational power to the west and reflected Seattle's place on the map of American architecture." (See Clair Enlow with Thomas Veith, Architecture: Building a Profession, [Seattle: American Institute of Architects, 1996], p. 58-59.)

Member, City of Seattle, Building Code Advisory Committee, Seattle, WA, 1950-1965.

Member, City of Seattle, Municipal Arts Commission, Seattle, WA, 1955-1965.

Chairman, Seattle World's Fair Cultural Arts Committee, 1959-1961.

Board Member/Vice-President, Guild for Religious Architecture, (founded in 1965).

Member, Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Construction and Civic Development Committee, Seattle, WA.

Member, Seattle Downtown Coordinating Committee, Seattle, WA.

Member, City of Seattle, Mayor's In-City Living Task Force, Seattle, WA.

Member, City of Seattle, Planning Commission, Seattle, WA.

Member, Seattle Public Schools, Year-Round School Committee, Seattle, WA.

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), for design and service to the profession, 1959;

Recipient, AIA Seattle Medalist, Seattle, WA, 1985. This was the lifetime achievement award bestowed by the American Institute of Architects, Seattle Chapter.

Archives

Durham donated his papers to the University of Washington Libraries in two batches, one group for materials 1930-1980, on 10/21/1983, and another set covering the years 1935-1986, on 11/23/1992. The title of the collection is the Robert L. Durham Papers.

College

B.Arch., Cum Laude, University of Washington (UW), Seattle, WA, 1936.

College Awards

Member, Tau Sigma Delta, University of Washington (UW), 1934; Recipient, Second Medal, University of Washington (UW), 1936.

Relocation

Born in Seattle, WA, on 04/28/1912, Robert Lewis Durham grew up in Tacoma, WA, the eldest of five children had by William and Abbie Durham. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Births, 1891-1919; Film Info: Various county birth registers. Microfilm, accessed 10/17/2024.)

In 1920, he and his family resided on Little Chumstick Road in Tumwater, where his parents operated a farm. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Tumwater, Chelan, Washington; Roll: T625_1921; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 17, accessed 10/17/2024.)

A decade later, in 1930, Robert, his parents and siblings dwelled at 2220 East Harrison Street in Tacoma, WA. William Durham had become an architect by this time, working for the local public schools. They owned this house that had, according to the 1930 US Census, an estimated worth of $5,000, more than most in the immediate vicinity. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Tacoma, Pierce, Washington; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0145; FHL microfilm: 2342245, accessed 10/17/2024.)

In 1936, Durham worked as a draftsman, and lived on Latona Street in Seattle. One year later, he and Marjorie lived at 324 East 54th Street in Seattle. (SeeSeattle, Washington, City Directory, 1937, p. 466.) They had relocated to 1914 East 80th Street in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood by 1939. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1939, p. 418.)

Durham reported an address of 9310 California Avenue, Seattle, WA, in 1940 and 1942. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04383; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 40-332, accessed 10/17/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 48, accessed 10/17/2024.) The 1940 census reported that the house had a value of about $7,000, again slightly more than most surrounding residences. He and his wife Marjorie continued to live here in 1955. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1955, p. 390.)

The architect died at age 86 in King County, WA, and was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Seattle.

Parents

His father was William Worth Durham (1883-1969) who, according to the 1920 and 1930 US Censuses, worked first as a farmer in Tumwater, WA, and later as a public school architect. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Tumwater, Chelan, Washington; Roll: T625_1921; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 17, accessed 10/17/2024 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Tacoma, Pierce, Washington; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0145; FHL microfilm: 2342245, accessed 10/17/2024.)

His mother was Abbie Mae McNett (born 03/31/1887 in SD-d. 02/04/1969 in Tacoma, WA). Abbie's father was Henry Sanford McNett (born 10/19/1851 in LaSalle County, IL-d. 05/30/1933 in WA), her mother Emma Julia Ward (born 09/30/1856 in IN-d. 08/13/1955 in Tacoma, WA).

The 1940 US Census indicated that Robert had completed four years of college, and that Marjorie had completed high school. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04383; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 40-332, accessed 10/17/2024.)

Robert's siblings included: Milton Durham; Ernest Durham; Abbie Jean Durham; and Ralph H. Durham.

Spouse

Durham wed Marjorie Ruth Moser (born 07/08/1911 in Tenino, WA-d. 12/21/2008 in Seattle, WA) on 09/19/1936 in Salem, OR. Marjorie worked as a teacher when she married Robert. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Center For Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon, Usa; Oregon State Marriages, 1911-1945, accessed 06/08/2022.)

Children

In 1950, Robert and Marjorie had the following children living with them: David Robert Durham (born 11/1938 in Seattle, WA); Gail Maureen Durham (born 10/15/1941 in Seattle, WA); Catherine Louise Durham (born 12/19/1943 in Seattle, WA); and Jennifer Ann Durham (born 09/06/1946 in Seattle, WA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Washington, DC; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Year: 1950; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 3079; Page: 19; Enumeration District: 40-923, accessed 10/17/2024.)

Jennifer married James Allen Jerde on 03/29/1966 in Whitman County, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Washington State Archives; Olympia, Washington; Washington Marriage Records, 1854-2013, accessed 06/08/2022.)

Biographical Notes

His World War II draft registration card of 10/16/1940, indicated that Robert Durham was Caucasian with a light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stood 5-feet, 11-and-1/2-inches tall and weighed 165 pounds. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 48, accessed 10/17/2024.)

Member, Young Men's Christian Association, Seattle, WA. SSN: 534-10-8154.