Edward G. & John S. Bolles Records
Scope and Contents
The Records are arranged into two series: Office records and project records. There are very few office records. The bulk of the collection consists of project drawings and photographs.
Dates
- 1913-1976
- Majority of material found within 1953-1976
Creator
- Bolles, John S., 1905-1983 (Architect, Person)
Access Statement
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in the collection should be discussed with the Curator.
Biographical Note
San Francisco architect Edward Grosvenor Bolles was born in 1871 near Rosemond, Illinois to Ebenezer Bolles and Amelia Paine. He married Harriet Ida Savage in Morgan Co. Illinois in 1895 and established his firm, Bolles Associates, in 1905. He worked primarily on residences and small public facilities. Edward Bolles died in 1939 at the age of 68. His son, John S. Bolles and grandson, Peter P. Bolles would both become practicing architects in the bay area.
His son, John Savage Bolles (1905-1983) was born in Berkeley and raised in Oklahoma. John obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1926 and graduated from Harvard with a Masters degree in Architecture in 1932. He worked as a structural engineer in Oklahoma and as an archeologist for the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago on the excavations at Persepolis, and also for Washington’s Carnegie Institute on a comprehensive study of an important Mayan site in the Yucatan. In March 1935 John married Mary Piper, a Radcliffe and moved to San Francisco in 1936 with John joining his father’s architectural practice to work on federal projects and public housing. Together they designed the Temple of Religion and the Christian Science Monitor building for the Golden Gate International Exposition held on Treasure Island in 1939.
He partnered with Joseph Francis Ward to form Ward & Bolles (1944-1954) then established John S. Bolles Associates in the 1954 (1954-1975). The firm designed industrial, educational, retail, public housing, commercial office, hotel and recreational projects. John's son Peter joined the firm in 1971 renaming it Bolles Associates in 1975. They continued to do architectural, planning and interiors work. Notable projects include: IBM Site Plan and Building Complex (San Jose); 990 Pacific Senior Housing (San Francisco); McGraw-Hill Office and Distribution Center (Novato); Candlestick Park Stadium (San Francisco); and the Gallo Wine Headquarters Building (Modesto). John Bolles is perhaps best known for his design of the now demolished Candlestick Park in San Francisco.
Sources:
• Lowell, Waverly ed. Architectural Records in the San Francisco Bay Area: A Guide to Research. New York, Garland Press, 1988.
• Parry, David. Architects Profiles [http://www.classicsfproperties.com/ accessed 10/17/2012]
• Membership file for John Bolles. Records of the AIA/Northern California, Environmental Design Archives, U.C. Berkeley
• Family History records
Extent
10 Linear Feet: (20 tubes, 3 cartons, 4 document boxes, 2 cu. ft. of photo boards)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Edward G. & John S. Bolles Records are arranged into two series: Office records and project records. The bulk of the collection consists of project drawings and photographs.
System of Arrangement
Photographs and Drawings are arranged alphabetically by project.
Custodial History
Records were received from the family in 2012.
Funding
Arrangement and description of this collection was funded by a grant from the Joan Draper Endowment, Depart of Architecture, College of Environmental Design, U.C. Berkeley.
Creator
- Bolles, John S., 1905-1983 (Architect, Person)
- Title
- Edward G. & John S. Bolles Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Andrew Sanchez
- Date
- July 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Arrangement and description of this collection was funded by a grant from the Joan Draper Endowment, Depart of Architecture, College of Environmental Design, U.C. Berkeley.
Repository Details
Part of the University of California, Berkeley. College of Environmental Design. Environmental Design Archives Repository