Louis S. Newton Papers
Scope and Contents Note
The collection covers the years 1921 to 1953, and includes a few photographs of earlier restoration projects. Although the collection is not complete, it is extensive--a solid representation of Newton's work during the years he lived in Burlington.
The collection contains architectural drawings of over 300 different projects, and some correspondence, financial records, and photographs. There is also a list of Newton's personal library of architectural books, (located in Special Collections: small bound manuscripts), and his index of commissions for the years 1921 to 1952. There are, in addition, a few drawings by other architects. Most of these belong to Newton and are of buildings which he worked, though the more recent First Methodist Church drawings, (some as recent as 1979), were put in the collection in the interest of keeping the Church plans in one spot.
Newton was renowned for renovating buildings, and most of the projects in the collection are alterations rather than new buildings. The majority are in Burlington and surrounding towns. The projects are more or less spread evenly throughout the years 1921 to 1952, with a slightly greater concentration in the 1930's.
The collection is arranged according to Newton's file numbers, which are usually in chronological order. The guide includes the inventory, which lists the projects in the order in which they are arranged, and provides the name of the client, the address, the type of building, the type of job and the date. There is also an index by town, and, in Burlington, by street. (Newton's index of commissions, which is alphabetical by client, may be a useful reference tool if the location of a building is not known.) An appendix lists the other architects in the collection. For detailed information about Newton's drawings, there is an "Architectural Drawing Inventory" notebook, (located in Special Collections). This provides the number of pages, their condition, the type of plans, whether or not specifications are included, and various other details.
Gift of Burton A. Field, Charlotte, Vt.:1966
and his widow, Mrs. Field: 1983
Dates
- 1921-1953
Creator
- Newton, Louis S. (Person)
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Louis S. Newton was born in 1871 on a farm in Hartford, Vt. He attended St. Johnsbury Academy and went on to study architecture in Boston. He launched his architectural practice in New Lebanon, N.N., but soon moved his office to his hometown. He lived and worked in Hartford from the late 1890's until 1921 when, at the age of 50, he moved to Burlington. For the next 32 years, he had an office and resided at the Huntington Hotel on St. Paul Street. He attended the First Congregational Church in town.
Newton's career lasted over half a century---from the 1890's until 1952, the year before he died. Throughout this time, he designed and altered residences, summer cottages, and commercial and public buildings. From the beginning to the end, the Colonial Revival style was the greatest influence in his work. The Classic influence is evident in the Maranette (College Street) and the Ridgewood (Main Street) apartment buildings, which he designed. In a flurry of activity in the 1930's, a time which may have been his most productive, he designed a number of Colonial Revival residences. These houses can be found on Locust Street, Colonial Square, DeForest Road, Ferguson Avenue, and in other areas which were, at the time, new and expanding. Although Newton designed many new buildings, alterations were his speciality and comprised the main body of his work. The alteration he is best known for, the Streamline Moderne facade of Abraham's, is a departure from his usual, more traditional, approach.
Extent
20 Linear Feet (3 boxes, 8 map case drawers)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Louis Newton was an architect in Hartford and Burlingtion, Vermont from the 1890's until 1952, the year before he died. Throughout this time, he designed and altered residences, summer cottages, and commercial and public buildings. The collection covers the years 1921 to 1953, and includes a few photographs of earlier restoration projects.
Location
Library Research Annex.
- Title
- Guide to the Louis S. Newton Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Christie Carter
- Date
- 1987 August
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)
uvmsc@uvm.edu
