Gregg, Edd R. (1897-1961) Architectural drawings, 1939-1956

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator:  Gregg, Edd R., 1897-1961

Title:  Architectural drawings, 1939-1956

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.

Size of Collection:  .89 cubic feet (in 1 ovsz. box)

Location Number:  Mss. AR G819

Scope and Content Note

The collection is housed within one box and is comprised of 180 architectural drawings, which are divided into twelve rolls or “folders”. Drawings vary in topic, including: residential, medical, ecclesiastical, educational, and commercial, though the bulk of the drawings are residential in nature.

Drawings date to the mid-20th century and highlight modern and traditional architectural styles of that era.

Plans are drawn on a variety of papers, including heavy paper and tracing vellum (including heavy and coated). Also included within the collection are numerous blueprint and blueprint carbons. Drawings are in various states of condition and should be handled with care when unrolling and rerolling.

This collection was donated to The Filson Historical Society by Robert F. Crump. Crump served as a draftsman for Gregg in the 1950s. His work is seen throughout the collection by his initials RFC. Crump came into the possession of these drawings through Gregg’s wife, Cissy. After Gregg’s death Cissy gave Gregg’s drawing to their respective owners and/or creators, be it the draftsmen who worked on the project, as in the case of Crump, or, the owners of the home.

See the collection’s Container List and Project Index for additional information on individual records.

 

Biographical Note

Edd R. Gregg was born Edgar R. Gregg on August 4, 1897 to George R. and Lillian B. Gregg. Gregg graduated from Louisville Male High School in 1916.  Records show that Gregg served as Captain in Louisville’s “Battery D” during World War I (he also served in WWII, discharged with the title of Lieutenant Colonel). Gregg was a 1922 graduate of the University Kentucky where he was a member of Gamma Iota and later, as an alumnus, the Vice-President of the Louisville Club of the Alumni Association of the University of Kentucky.

In 1930 Gregg married Mary (Cissy) Peterson. Cissy, also a University of Kentucky graduate, went on to become a well-known food columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal. Her daily piece, “Cissy Gregg’s Cookbook and Guide to Gracious Living” first appeared in 1942 and ran until 1963. Her column was the first magazine section to utilize color. Today her columns are occasionally still run within the Louisville Courier-Journal. In 1996 Cissy was added to the Kentucky Commission of Women’s “Kentucky Women Remembered” award and exhibit.

The March 9, 1928 issue of The Kentucky Kernel announced Gregg’s partnership with E. T. Hutchings. The announcement reads:

T. Hutchings announces the opening of his new office on Thursday, March the first Nineteen hundred twenty-eight in the Heyburn Building Fourth and Broadway. Gaarwood M. Brimes and Edd R. Gregg will be associated with him in the practice of architecture. Louisville, Kentucky. Rooms 1709-11.

According to the 1956 volume of The American Architects Directory Gregg worked with Hutchings as a Chief Draftsman from 1925-1927 and an Associate from 1927-1934.

The title block on many of the plans in this collection locate Gregg at the Heyburn Building in room 1321. The block also contains the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s registration stamp, denoting Gregg as the 84th registered architect in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Gregg was named the Secretary-Treasurer for the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB), State of Kentucky in 1930. In 1951 he served as the President for the Central Kentucky Chapter of the AIA.

The American Architects Directory (1956) also lists the following:

Principle Works: Moorman Home for Women (1928), Louisville; 4th Avenue Presbyterian Church (undated), Louisville (both as Assoc. of E.T. Hutchings); Res, Mr. and Mrs. Ben H. Collings, Jefferson Co, Ky., (1947); Res, J. A. Getzow, Harrodsburg, Ky., (1949); Lincoln Income Life Ins Bldg, Louisville (1953); & Res, J. A. Beam, Louisville (1954); Super. Archt: Louisville War Memorial Carere-Hastings & E. T. Hutchings & Assoc. Archts.  

In 2000 the Harlan Armory, designed by Gregg, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Located in Carlisle County, Kentucky and built in 1942 under a WPA project, this Art Moderne style armory was utilized until the early 1980s.

More records on Gregg reside at the University of Kentucky’s archives:

Mac Swinford Collection, 1932-1975 (Box 9: Edd R. Gregg – Account book/diary, 1941-1942 and Edd R. Gregg – Scrapbook contents (excluding photos) at the University of Kentucky’s Special Collections.

Goodman-Paxton Photographic Collection, 1934-1942 (Harlan County: Armory; Nicholas County: Armory) at the University of Kentucky’s Special Collections.

Sources:

The American Architects Directory.

Louisville Courier-Journal. “C-J Recipes”. http://blogs.courier-journal.com/recipes/tag/cissy-gregg/

Kentucky Commission on Women. “Kentucky Women Remembered.”

The Kentucky Kernel. “Louisville Alumnus Receives Promotion.” Page two. 9 March 1928.

The Kentucky Kernel. “Alumni News.” Page three. 6 December 1946.

Kleber, John E. The Kentucky Encyclopedia. 1992. Third edition. The University Press of Kentucky, Lexington.

Male High School. “Alumni Association”. https://www.malealumni.org/

National Park Service. February 23, 2000.

Sigma Nu Fraternity. The Delta. 1920-1921, Volume 38. The Fraternity, Indianapolis.

Wikipedia. “Kentucky Women Remembered”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Women_Remembered

 

Folder List

Roll 1: Residence for Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Barnes, August – September 1939

Roll 2: Residence for Mr. and Mrs. Harry Byron, undated and 1947-1948

Roll 3: Residence for Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Cornwell, undated and 1953-1955

Roll 4: Residence for Edd R. Gregg, undated

Roll 5: National Guard Armory, November 2, 1949

Roll 6:  Residence for Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Owen, undated and 1955-1956

Roll 7: Residence for Mr. and Mrs. J. Fred Pace, undated and 1953

Roll 8: Paintsville Hospital, no date and 1952-1953

Roll 9: Residence for Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Raus, undated and 1949-1950

Roll 10: School of Dress Design, May 24, 1952

Roll 11: Residence for Dr. R. Glen Spurling, undated and 1948-1949

Roll 12: Sanctuary for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, undated

For more detail see the project’s index.

 

Subject Headings

Anchorage (Ky.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Architects – Kentucky – Louisville

Architecture – Designs and plans

Architecture, Domestic

Architecture – Indiana

Architecture – Kentucky

Architecture – Missouri

Architecture, Modern

Beaver Dam (Ky.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Barnes, Marshall

Blueprints – Kentucky – Louisville

Building trades – Kentucky – Louisville

Buildings – Kentucky – Louisville

Byron, Harry

Cornwell, L.E.

Crump, Robert F., 1926-

Ecclesiastical architecture

Glenview Heights (Ky.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Gregg, Edd. R., 1897-1961

Heyburn Building (Louisville, Ky.)

Home design

Hospital architecture

Louisville (Ky.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Marrowbone (Ky.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Military architecture

Owen, Benjamin

Pace, Fred J.

Paintsville (Ky.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Paintsville Hospital

Paoli (Ind.) – Buildings, structures, etc.

Raus, H. L.

School architecture

Spurling, Dr. R. Glen

Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.)