John Gaw Meem Photograph Collection of Meem Buildings
Scope and Content
The John Gaw Meem photo collection contains photographs of buildings designed and built by John Gaw Meem, architect. The collection consists of photos of buildings, architectural elements, and details of buildings in the small towns, cities, and pueblos of New Mexico. Photographers represented include Ansel Adams, Laura Gilpin, Tyler Dingee, and Ernest Knee. There is a small number of original negatives, some unprinted. Ask the Pictorial Collections Archivist to see the database of unprinted negatives. Two albums contain renderings by John Gaw Meem of various buildings - see contents list for the job numbers found in each album. The John Gaw Meem Non-Job Specific photograph (000-675 NJS) collection contains photos collected by Meem of structures and architechural details not of his design.
Dates
- Creation: 1925-1963
Language of Materials
English
Copy Restrictions
Duplication of print and photographic material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for copyright compliance. For more information see the Photographs and Images Research Guide and contact the Pictorial Archivist.
®<emph render="italic">JOHN GAW MEEM</emph>
The United States Patent and Trademark office registered JOHN GAW MEEM as a trademark for any commercial use of the name related to John Gaw Meem's "archtiectural plans and drawings of architectural works and architectural details." Trademark number 2,225,118.
Biography
John Gaw Meem, 1894-1983, is one of New Mexico's most renowned architects. Perhaps more than any other individual, John Gaw Meem is responsible for the conservation, development and propagation of the Southwestern regional architectural style. He was born in Pelota, Brazil of American parents. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1915 with a Bachelor of Science. In 1920, he contracted tuberculosis and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in order to recover. While bedridden at Sunmount Sanatorium, he developed an interest in architecture. When he was sufficiently recovered, he went to Denver where he worked in the office of Fisher & Fisher and studied at the Beaux Arts Institute of Design Atelier. In 1924 he opened an office in Santa Fe and practiced architecture continuously until his retirement in 1960.
Meem was a leading advocate of Spanish-Pueblo style architecture and designed new buildings in a soft adobe style that reflected New Mexico's rich cultural heritage. He was involved in historic preservation throughout his life, collecting a significant number of Historic American Building Society photographs, now housed in the pictorial collection at Zimmerman Library. John Gaw Meem was the leading architect for the University of New Mexico from 1933 to 1959, designing some 40 buildings on the campus that lend to its Southwestern atmosphere.
In 1975, Meem donated his collection of plans, drawings, models, photographs, and office papers to the University of New Mexico library. These formed the basis of the John Gaw Meem Archives of Southwestern Architecture, which houses collections of records from a number of New Mexico architects and their firms.
Meem died in Santa Fe on August 4, 1983.
Extent
27 boxes (1828 photographic prints, 2 photograph albums, negatives), 1 unprocessed box
Abstract
This collection contains photographs of buildings designed and built by architect, John Gaw Meem.
Arrangement
Photographs are filed by job number.
Physical Location
B2. Shelved in High Security by Pictorial Number.
General
Contact Information
- University of New Mexico
- MSC05 3020, 1, University of New Mexico
- Center for Southwest Research
- Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
- Phone: 505-277-0060
- Fax:
- Email: cswrref@unm.edu
- URL: http://elibrary.unm.edu/cswr
General
Processing Information
An item level database of photos in this collection is available in-house. Contact CSWR reference staff for access information.
Subject
- Gilpin, Laura, 1891-1979 (Person)
- Adams, Ansel, 1902-1984 (Person)
Genre / Form
Geographic
- Abiquiu (N.M.) -- 1935.
- Albuquerque (N.M.) -- 1930-1960.
- Belen (N.M.) -- 1948.
- Carlsbad (N.M.) -- 1952-1963.
- Clovis (N.M.) -- 1932-1955 .
- Colorado Springs (Colo.) -- 1929-1940.
- Defiance (Ariz.) -- 1953.
- Gallup (N.M.) -- 1955.
- Las Vegas (N.M.) -- 1928-1955.
- McCartys (N.M.) -- 1933.
- Nambe (N.M.) -- 1932.
- Otowi (N.M.) -- 1932.
- Pecos (N.M.) -- 1932.
- Rociada (N.M.) -- 1959.
- Roswell (N.M.) -- 1925-1963.
- Santa Cruz (N.M.) -- 1952.
- Santa Fe (N.M.) -- 1925-1959.
- Taos (N.M.) -- 1932.
- Tesuque (N.M.) -- 1928.
Topical
- Title
- Finding Aid of the John Gaw Meem Photograph Collection of Meem Buildings, 1925-1963
- Status
- Approved
- Author
- Processed by CSWR Staff
- Date
- ©2005
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
cswrref@unm.edu