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Male, US, born 1870-01-10, died 1953-09-04
Associated with the firms network
Naramore, Grainger and Thomas, Architects; Somervell and Thomas, Associated Architects; Thomas and Grainger, Architects; Thomas, Grainger and Thomas, Architects; Thomas, Harlan, Architect; Thomas, Russell and Rice, Architects
Résumé
Partner, Thomas, Russell, and Rice, Architects, Denver, CO, and Seattle, WA, 1900-1910.
Mayor (3 terms), Montclair, CO, 1897-1903.
Principal, Harlan C. Thomas, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1911-1923. Thomas associated with W. Marbury Somervell, Architect, Seattle, WA, on several projects 1912-1915.
Partner, Thomas and [Clyde] Grainger, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1924-1926. Harlan C. Thomas scaled back his workload c. 1930, and in 1931, he took a 4-month trip abroad.
Associate, Naramore, Grainger and Thomas, Associated Architects, Seattle, WA, 1935-1937, the firm assembled to work on the Bagley Hall Chemistry and Pharmacy Building at the University of Washington.
Designer, and Senior Partner, Thomas, Grainger and [Donald P.] Thomas, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1927-1949. Thomas retired from active practice in 1949.
Teaching
Professor of Architecture / Director of the School of Architecture, University of Washington, Seattle, 1926-1940. Thomas's faculty of the UW Architecture School in 1936 consisted of: Prof. Arthur P. Herrman, Prof. Lance Gowen, Prof. Lionel H. Pries, Henry J. Olschewsky, Charles Alden, Prof. S.I. Sergev, Prof. Raymond L. Hill, Prof. Dudley Pratt, and Merlin J. Hauan.
Professional Service
Patron, Seattle Architectural Club, Seattle, WA, 1910.
Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington State Chapter, 1910-1911.
Member, Architectural League of the Pacific Coast, 1913. Thomas was one of the attendees at the league's annual conference in Portland, OR, on 06/09/1913. (See "League to Lead in City Planning," Oregon Daily Journal, 06/10/1913, p. 11.)
In 04/1922, Thomas lectured on Japanese prints at the American Institute of Architects, Washington State Chapters' Small Home Exhibit. An article in the Seattle Union Record noted: "“Art students have arranged for a lecture on Japanese prints by Harlan Thomas, who has traveled widely in Japan, and owns the most complete collection in the city, for April 27.” (See “Seattle Architects Will Show Small House Plans,” Seattle Union Record, 04/03/1922, p. 3.)
President, AIA, Washington State Chapter, 1924-1926.
Director, State Camouflage School, Washington State Defense Council, 1942-1943; he developed the curriculum of a fifteen-week course for the Office of Civilian Defense, School of Camouflage, beginning 10/16/1942.
Professional Awards
Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1928.
Archives
Thomas's professional papers were destroyed. Photographs of Thomas's work have been preserved at the University of Washington Libraries' Special Collections Division, Harlan Thomas Architectural Work Photograph Collection, Collection #394.
College
College preparatory school, Colorado State College, Fort Collins, CO., 1885.
B.S., Colorado State College, Fort Collins, CO, 1886, 1891-06/1894. Thomas studied mathematics and mechanical engineering at Colorado State.
Coursework, American Atelier, Paris, France, 1895-1896. (The master of his studio was "Marcel Peruse de Montelo." The spelling of this name is in error.) Thomas and his wife stayed in Europe for 16 months.
Relocation
Born in IA, Thomas lived for much of his youth in Fort Collins, CO. His father's death forced him to leave Colorado State College in 1886, to obtain carpentry work in Denver, CO, where he remained for about five years. He returned to Colorado State College in 1891 and graduated in 06/1894. Thomas moved to Paris in 1895-1896 to attend the American Atelier, an architecture school not connected to the premier Ecole des Beaux-Arts. In 1896, he returned to Denver and resumed a nascent architectural practice.
In 1900, Thomas lived with his family at 80 Saratoga Street in Montclair, CO; at this time, the family included a Swedish-born servant, Mary S. Carlson (born 05/1858).
He traveled with his family around the world from 03/1903-06/1904, returning to Denver.
Thomas moved with his family to Seattle, WA, in 1906, where he built a new residence at 802 West Lee Street; the Thomases lived in 1910 in a dwelling at 1401 14th Avenue West, Seattle; again, at this time, a 20-year-old, Scandinavian-born servant, Maria Rundel, lived with the family; he lived in a rented house at 607 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA, in 1930; he died in Seattle, WA, at the age of 83.
Parents
Both of Harlan Thomas's parents came from IN. His father, Irving Newton Thomas, was a Union Army veteran, who moved the family from Des Moines, IA, to Fort Collins, CA, during Harlan's boyhood.
He had a brother, Willis R. Thomas, who also lived in Seattle, WA, in 1923.
Spouse
Thomas married to Edith D. Partridge, c. 1895; she was born 11/1872 in CT; her parents came from MA.
Children
Thomas's eldest child was Dorothy W. Thomas, (born 08/1896 in CO). Harlan Thomas's son was Donald P. Thomas (b. 01/10/1898), who later became a prominent Seattle architect.
Biographical Notes
Thomas spent 16 months abroad in 1895-1896, studying at a Parisian architectural atelier and drawing monuments throughout Europe. It was also known that Thomas had traveled in Japan by 1922, as well. (See “Seattle Architects Will Show Small House Plans,” Seattle Union Record, 04/03/1922, p. 3.)
Member, Board of Control, Colorado College, Fort Collins, CO, c. 1897-1903.
Thomas spent 15 months abroad in 1903-1904 to sketch and paint architecture around the world.
Thomas traveled for 7 months abroad in 1923. In 1923, at age 53, Harlan Thomas stood six feet tall, with hazel eyes, brown hair, "medium" nose, "medium" mouth, fair Causasian complexion and "full" face. He had a scar on his right thumb, according to his US passport application of 1923.
According to Thomas's great-grandson, architect Jeff Williams of Ketchum, ID, Harlan Thomas's real name was "Irving Harlan Thomas."
PCAD id: 2256
