Lee Arden Thomas
Encyclopedia
Lee Arden Thomas was an architect in Bend
and Portland
, Oregon
, United States. He graduated in 1907 from Oregon Agricultural College (predecessor to Oregon State University). He completed many projects in Bend, often partenering with local architect Hugh Thompson
. His work in that area includes the planning for Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium
(1917–1918), Redmond Union High School, and Washington School (now known as the Benton Center).
Thomas was an architect in Bend during the "teens" and has been described as "perhaps the most notable" of Deschutes County architects of the first half of the 20th Century along with Hugh Thompson (architect)
. His work in the area includes the Lew Franks Building, St. Francis Catholic Church, St. Charles Hospital, First Methodist Church (Bend), Bend Amateur Athletic Club and the new Central School (Bend). Thomas and Thompson "became a powerful architectural force" as partners and designed the O.C. Henkle Building (where Claypool Furniture was later located) Kenwood School, the Central Oregon Bank (later home to Wells Fargo Bank) and the Vandevert & Whitington Garage (better known as Eddie’s Garage).
In Portland, Thomas helped design the Weatherly Building
with Sutton & Whitney and partnered with Albert Mercier on the adjacent Oriental Theatre
(1927), as well as several other theaters. He also designed the Memorial Union
(MU) at Oregon State University.
Thomas was also a member of the Oregon Board of Architect Examiners and the group's treasurer.
Lee Thomas designed Redmond Union High School, "the largest and most impressive structure in all of Redmond". The $100,000 building was construtcted by "famed Central Oregon contactors, Olson & Erickson" using about 400,000 bricks from the Bend brick yard and "served a district of over 500 square miles." A gymnasium was added by Freeman & Hayslip of Portland in 1944 "under the supervision of A.W. Manchester of Julius Johnson Construction, the gym was completed in January of 1945."
The O.C. Henkle Building remains in use and plans are underway for its renovations.
Thomas designed the Memorial Union
(MU) on Oregon State University
's (OSU) campus, said to be "one of the finest examples of Neoclassical architecture
in Oregon." It was one of the few OSU buildings of that era not attributed to John Bennes, and has been "known to generations of Oregon Staters as simply the "MU".
It "was built in 1927-28 as a monument to those who have given their lives in defense of the nation, as well as a center for student life on campus." The building was funded entirely with private donations and gifts at a cost of around $750,000, and a $3 per term assessment Oregon State students implemented beginning in January 1922. It was dedicated on June 1, 1929. The east and west wings (bookstore and commons) are later additions that were added in 1960 and extensively renovated in the 1990s. The MU was owned by the Memorial Union Corporation until 1965 when it transferred the facility to the State Board of Higher Education.
-style building in Corvallis, Oregon
. It has plaster pilaster
s framing the main entryway as well as a Tuscan
portico
with cast stone columns including capitals and apophyge
. The columns support an architrave
, frieze
and corona.
The building is one of the most elaborate buildings in the area from the 1920s and is "one of the oldest extant Corvallis school buildings". It is a two-story brick building with wood framing, a high masonry foundation, and a full basement. "Only Corvallis' former Methodist Church South and the former Congregational Church '(currently, a National Register property)' are comparable in terms of style." Additions were made in 1952 by the architectural firm of Gathercoal and Jeppsen and in 1954 by "Jeppsen, architect". L. N. Traver was the contractor, D. W. Powell and Oregon Architectural College's "Professor Peck" did the surrounding landscape design
. The school closed in 1975 and the building was purchased by Linn-Benton Community College
for use as an extension center.
; McDonald Theatre
in Eugene, Oregon
; Portland, Oregon
's Blue Mouse Theatre
and Bagdad Theatre; They also designed the Oriental Theatre (Portland)
for George Weatherly next to the ice cream businessman's Weatherly Building
.
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
and Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States. He graduated in 1907 from Oregon Agricultural College (predecessor to Oregon State University). He completed many projects in Bend, often partenering with local architect Hugh Thompson
Hugh Thompson (architect)
Hugh M. Thompson was an American architect. He was active in Bend, Oregon during the early 20th Century. Thompson designed the Capitol Theater , New Redmond Hotel, Bend High School, Redmond Union High School, the Butch Stover House Hugh M. Thompson was an American architect. He was active in Bend,...
. His work in that area includes the planning for Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium
Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium
The Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium is a historic building in Bend, Oregon, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The building was designed by Lee Arden Thomas and built by Guy H...
(1917–1918), Redmond Union High School, and Washington School (now known as the Benton Center).
Thomas was an architect in Bend during the "teens" and has been described as "perhaps the most notable" of Deschutes County architects of the first half of the 20th Century along with Hugh Thompson (architect)
Hugh Thompson (architect)
Hugh M. Thompson was an American architect. He was active in Bend, Oregon during the early 20th Century. Thompson designed the Capitol Theater , New Redmond Hotel, Bend High School, Redmond Union High School, the Butch Stover House Hugh M. Thompson was an American architect. He was active in Bend,...
. His work in the area includes the Lew Franks Building, St. Francis Catholic Church, St. Charles Hospital, First Methodist Church (Bend), Bend Amateur Athletic Club and the new Central School (Bend). Thomas and Thompson "became a powerful architectural force" as partners and designed the O.C. Henkle Building (where Claypool Furniture was later located) Kenwood School, the Central Oregon Bank (later home to Wells Fargo Bank) and the Vandevert & Whitington Garage (better known as Eddie’s Garage).
In Portland, Thomas helped design the Weatherly Building
Weatherly Building
The Weatherly Building in Portland, Oregon is a 12-story commercial office building. It was built in 1926 by ice cream businessman George Warren Weatherly...
with Sutton & Whitney and partnered with Albert Mercier on the adjacent Oriental Theatre
Oriental Theatre (Portland)
The Oriental Theatre was a movie theater located at 828 SE Grand Street in the East Portland commercial district of Portland, Oregon. Built in 1927 the Oriental was a 2,038 seat movie palace designed by Lee Arden Thomas and Albert Mercier. The building's exterior was in the Italian Renaissance style...
(1927), as well as several other theaters. He also designed the Memorial Union
Memorial Union (Oregon State University)
The Memorial Union is the student activity center at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. It contains a ballroom, cafeteria, the university bookstore, and study areas...
(MU) at Oregon State University.
Thomas was also a member of the Oregon Board of Architect Examiners and the group's treasurer.
In Bend, Oregon
In Bend, Oregon, Thomas worked with local architect Hugh Thompson. Thomas designed the Bend Amateur Athletic Club (1918) and Old Bend High School (1925). Both use lava rock as foundation material laid out as uncut rubble.Lee Thomas designed Redmond Union High School, "the largest and most impressive structure in all of Redmond". The $100,000 building was construtcted by "famed Central Oregon contactors, Olson & Erickson" using about 400,000 bricks from the Bend brick yard and "served a district of over 500 square miles." A gymnasium was added by Freeman & Hayslip of Portland in 1944 "under the supervision of A.W. Manchester of Julius Johnson Construction, the gym was completed in January of 1945."
The O.C. Henkle Building remains in use and plans are underway for its renovations.
Memorial Union
Memorial Union (Oregon State University)
The Memorial Union is the student activity center at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. It contains a ballroom, cafeteria, the university bookstore, and study areas...
(MU) on Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
's (OSU) campus, said to be "one of the finest examples of Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
in Oregon." It was one of the few OSU buildings of that era not attributed to John Bennes, and has been "known to generations of Oregon Staters as simply the "MU".
It "was built in 1927-28 as a monument to those who have given their lives in defense of the nation, as well as a center for student life on campus." The building was funded entirely with private donations and gifts at a cost of around $750,000, and a $3 per term assessment Oregon State students implemented beginning in January 1922. It was dedicated on June 1, 1929. The east and west wings (bookstore and commons) are later additions that were added in 1960 and extensively renovated in the 1990s. The MU was owned by the Memorial Union Corporation until 1965 when it transferred the facility to the State Board of Higher Education.
Washington School (Benton Center)
Thomas designed the Washington School, a somewhat eclectic Classical Revival or Neo-ClassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
-style building in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
. It has plaster pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s framing the main entryway as well as a Tuscan
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
with cast stone columns including capitals and apophyge
Apophyge
An apophyge , in architecture, is the lowest part of the shaft of an Ionic or Corinthian column, or the highest member of its base if the column be considered as a whole...
. The columns support an architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
, frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
and corona.
The building is one of the most elaborate buildings in the area from the 1920s and is "one of the oldest extant Corvallis school buildings". It is a two-story brick building with wood framing, a high masonry foundation, and a full basement. "Only Corvallis' former Methodist Church South and the former Congregational Church '(currently, a National Register property)' are comparable in terms of style." Additions were made in 1952 by the architectural firm of Gathercoal and Jeppsen and in 1954 by "Jeppsen, architect". L. N. Traver was the contractor, D. W. Powell and Oregon Architectural College's "Professor Peck" did the surrounding landscape design
Landscape design
Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practised by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice landscape design bridges between landscape architecture and garden design.-Design scope:...
. The school closed in 1975 and the building was purchased by Linn-Benton Community College
Linn-Benton Community College
Linn-Benton Community College is a two year junior college, located in Linn County, Oregon.-Accreditation:LBCC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities...
for use as an extension center.
Movie theaters
Thomas partnered with Albert Mercier on the design of several historic movie theaters including the Egyptian Theatre (Coos Bay) in Coos Bay, OregonCoos Bay, Oregon
Coos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
; McDonald Theatre
McDonald Theatre
McDonald Theatre is a theater and music venue in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1925 as a movie house, the building was converted to a theater for performing arts, and is still in business...
in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
; Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
's Blue Mouse Theatre
Blue Mouse Theatre
The Blue Mouse Theatre title was used for several historic vaudeville and movie venues opened by John Hamrick in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The name may have been inspired by a lounge in Paris...
and Bagdad Theatre; They also designed the Oriental Theatre (Portland)
Oriental Theatre (Portland)
The Oriental Theatre was a movie theater located at 828 SE Grand Street in the East Portland commercial district of Portland, Oregon. Built in 1927 the Oriental was a 2,038 seat movie palace designed by Lee Arden Thomas and Albert Mercier. The building's exterior was in the Italian Renaissance style...
for George Weatherly next to the ice cream businessman's Weatherly Building
Weatherly Building
The Weatherly Building in Portland, Oregon is a 12-story commercial office building. It was built in 1926 by ice cream businessman George Warren Weatherly...
.
Projects
- J. C. Braly House 2846 NW. Fairfax Terr. Portland, Oregon
- Bend Amateur Athletic Club GymnasiumBend Amateur Athletic Club GymnasiumThe Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium is a historic building in Bend, Oregon, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The building was designed by Lee Arden Thomas and built by Guy H...
(1918) - Redmond Union High School (1922)
- Washington School (1924), later known as the Benton Center, 630 NW 7th St. in Corvallis, Oregon
- Weatherly BuildingWeatherly BuildingThe Weatherly Building in Portland, Oregon is a 12-story commercial office building. It was built in 1926 by ice cream businessman George Warren Weatherly...
(1927) with Sutton & Whitney - Oriental TheatreOriental Theatre (Portland)The Oriental Theatre was a movie theater located at 828 SE Grand Street in the East Portland commercial district of Portland, Oregon. Built in 1927 the Oriental was a 2,038 seat movie palace designed by Lee Arden Thomas and Albert Mercier. The building's exterior was in the Italian Renaissance style...
(1927) - Memorial UnionMemorial Union (Oregon State University)The Memorial Union is the student activity center at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. It contains a ballroom, cafeteria, the university bookstore, and study areas...
, Oregon State University (1927–1928)