Mary Colter- Architect of the Southwest [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Arnold Berke (Author), A. Vertikoff (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002

Mary Colter may well be the best-known unknown architect in the world: her buildings at the Grand Canyon National Park--which include the Lookout Tower, Hopi House, Bright Angel Lodge, and many others--are admired by almost five million visitors a year. In addition to creating the "National Park Service Rustic" style, as it came to be known, Colter, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright, is also remembered as designer of three classic hotels: El Navajo (Gallup, NM), La Posada (Winslow, AZ), and Painted Desert Inn (Painted Desert, AZ), where Colter called on Hopi, Zuni, Navajo, and Mexican motifs.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Fame is coming belatedly to American architect and designer Mary Colter (1869-1958), and this illustrated volume is the most detailed study of her career to date. If her name is not well known, her work certainly is. Colter was an employee of the Harvey Company from 1910 to 1948, and her main task was the design and decoration of Harvey hotels and restaurants along the Santa Fe Railway. A versatile designer who integrated authentic regional elements into strong themes, Colter was responsible for famous hotels such as El Navajo in Gallup, NM; La Posada in Winslow, AZ; and Painted Desert Inn in Painted Desert, AZ. Her rustic-styled buildings at the Grand Canyon, including the Hopi House, Bright Angel Lodge, and others, influenced National Park Service development, and the style became known as National Park Service Rustic. This sympathetic and well-documented book by Berke, an editor at Preservation magazine who also writes on historic architecture, includes new photographs. The final chapter describes the fates of many Colter buildings, including the restoration of some survivors. Recommended for regional public and academic libraries. David R. Conn, Surrey P.L., BC
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Mary Colter was a renaissance woman whose hand is evident in northern Arizona, notably at the Grand Canyon and in Winslow. Because of her sensitivity to place, northern Arizona enjoys a culturally relevant landscape that is as timeless as it is elegant. The photos are outstanding. -- Arizona Republic, May 25, 2008

"This long-overdue tribute is rich in desert scenery as well as quotations from friends and co-workers, who remember Colter as a feisty pioneer with, as one friend said, a tender heart and a caustic tongue." --The New York Times --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Archit.Press; 1 edition (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156898295X
• ISBN-13: 978-1568982953
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,163,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed, sympathetic book!, December 23, 2002

By 

Robert W. Audretsch "bob1941" (Flagsatff, AZ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mary Colter: Architect of the Southwest (Paperback)

Mary Colter was a woman ahead of her time --- an architect and interior designer when few women attempted it. She interwove rustic techniques, local materials and American Indian themes into buildings and designs well before that was accepted by others in her professions. Her rustic buildings at Grand Canyon National Park still survive to the delight of many visitors. Colter was at times a prefectionist, hard to get along with, a workaholic and extremely demanding of herself and her co-workers. Yet the author shows us her life and work with sympathy as well as depth. This book is well illustrated with color and black and white photos. Well researched. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It answered all my questions!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Suitable Tibute., May 29, 2009

By 

Terry (Nottingham, Notts United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mary Colter: Architect of the Southwest (Paperback)

Having recently visited the Grand Canyon and been in the Hopi House and the Tower at Desert View I have become an admirer of the work of Mary Colter. This book is a suitable tribute to her and contains many fascinating pictures. Her work to preserve Native Indian customs, designs and artefracts is amazing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mary Colter, Pioneer Architect, April 30, 2010

By 

Sally LHuillier "book & movie collector" (Brownville, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mary Colter: Architect of the Southwest (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book very much, as I love the Southwest. Mary Colter was a gifted architect, who designed many beautiful places, with some of them being at the Grand Canyon. She was also the chief architect and decorator for the Fred Harvey Company from 1902 to 1948. She created buildings that blended into natural landscapes. There are many beautiful pictures in this book, along with the stories. Mary was a true pioneer. What a remarkable woman.