Samuel Edward Gideon (ˈsæmjul ˈɛdwərd ˈɡɪdiən) was a 20th-century architect and architectural historian most active in Austin, Texas, and as a professor at The University of Texas, Austin School of Architecture.

He was Chair of the Central Texas Branch of the Landmarks Preservation Committee, and he created illustrated brochures on Austin and its architecture. He also served as President of the Guild of Austin Artists, the Texas branch of the National Committee on the Preservation of Historic Buildings, and the Texas Alumni of Fontainebleau.[1][2][3]

Education

He was born on December 9, 1875, in Louisville, Kentucky.[1] Gideon studied architecture at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University.[1] Gideon graduated from MIT in 1906.[4] He is found in the list of students for the 1907 issue of Technique, MIT's photography, yearbook and design student organization.[5] He also attended the School of Fine Arts at Fontainebleau.[1]

Professor and teacher

From 1900 to 1904, he taught at Texas A&M; then, from 1905 to 1913, he taught Mechanical Drawing and Descriptive Geometry at MIT's Department of Architecture.[1][4][6][7]

He took a leave of absence from teaching for the spring 1912 semester to prepare for his drawing classes at Texas A&M and draft plans for the mess hall and dormitory.[1][8][9]

In 1913, he finally became a Professor of Architectural Design and Architectural History at the University of Texas (UT Austin)[10][11][12] As one of the first architecture professors at the University of Texas,[13] he focused much of his work on Texas historic architecture.[14]

At The University of Texas, Gideon held various lectures about World War I, including “The Art of Camouflage,” “Rheims Cathedral,” and “Some Belgium and French buildings in Path of War.”[15]

He lectured at the Texas Folklore Society, where he read his paper, “Early German Architecture in Gillespie County.”[16]

Artist

Gideon was recognized as an artist, notably in Mexico and in Europe.[11] Known as a landscape and historical painter, he focused his artwork on architecture using watercolor, [14] such as The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, and the Spanish missions in California.[17] He showed his watercolors and sketches around the State of Texas, including an exhibit of 50 watercolor images in Bryan, Texas, on Tuesday, March 28, 1916, and Saturday, January 20, 1917.[18] His artwork was exhibited in other states, such as Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Tennessee. Additionally, his artwork was featured in collections located in Texas and Kansas.[19]

He served as the Secretary of the Texas Fine Arts Association.[20]

Although he was credentialed as an architect, he was known as a "watercolorist," influencing such artists as John Bruce Erwin, who studied architecture at The University of Texas (Erwin's collection of 217 works are in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas.). He served in the U.S. Navy during the World War II, and then created violins; two violins are in the Moscow Conservatory.[14]

Architect and architectural historian

Gideon, trained as an architect, influenced F. E. Gieseeke, architect of Texas A&M University.[21] In particular, Gideon designed the Civil Engineering Building (1909) and the Academic Building, before leaving Texas A&M University to teach at The University of Texas.[21] In 1995, when Texas A&M began to renovate older buildings, the renovations included restoring some of the original 1913 designs by the two men.[21]

Gideon was also consulted by various individuals in building, moving, and renovating homes. For example, the parents of Hollywood legend Zachary Scott, Dr. and Mrs. Z. T. Scott, wanted to restore an old home; they purchased a run-down Greek Revival home for $300 and had it disassembled and moved to a 12-acre piece of land overlooking Lake Austin.[22] The home was called the Swisher Home and was built in 1852 by John Swisher, an Austin businessman who had also fought with Sam Houston and the Republic of Texas treasurer.[22] The Swisher Home had a history (General Robert E. Lee had visited, among other guests), and Dr. Scott appreciated the house; however, as he began to draft the plans to reconstruct the home, he realized he was not prepared for the task.[22] He consulted Gideon to research the original plans and adapt the home,[23] per the original design to a 14-room home—"Sweetbrush"—that was recognized as a masterpiece in Austin.[22] (A photograph of the Swisher House[24] can be found in the Portal to Texas History [archive] at the University of North Texas.[25]) The Swisher-Scott House is located at 2408 Sweetbrush Drive in Austin.[26]

Gideon replicated historic homes by pencil, watercolor, or ink to retain their images, such as his works published in The International Studio.[27] He studied architecture around the world (e.g., Imperial Theater at Fontainebleau).[28][29]

He was passionate about Texas architecture, and he authored several works on historic architecture:

  • Landmarks in Austin Texas (1925),[30] advertised for sale for $1.00 per copy and "illustrated by woodcuts made from original drawings" that Gideon created of the landmarks.[2]
  • Historic and Picturesque Austin (1936) highlights outstanding landmarks and locations in Austin, Texas including St. David's Church, the Governor's Mansion, The Colonel James H. Reymond Home, The Shelley House, the Neill-Cochran House, Amelia Barr, Elisabet Nay's Studio, The Old General Land Office, the State Capitol, the State Cemetery, Sunny Ridge, Austin Women's Club and the homes of significant Austinites.[3] This book aided in the restoration of Swisher Home, due to the fact that Gideon drew the building when it was in good condition.[31] Specifically, the staircase was a perfect replica of its original design using the sketch Gideon had made of it in the past.[31]
  • Fredericksburg, a Little German Town in the Lone Star State (thought to be published in 1935)[32]
  • Austin and the Austin National Bank, 1890–1940 (1940),[33] which discusses the architecture features of the national bank and the bank statements involved in the creation of this building. The book mentions several dams in Austin, including Tom Miller Dam, Marshall Ford Dam, Roy Inks Dam, Buchanan Dam.

He served on the Board of Advisory Editors for The Western Architect.[34]

He was published in April 1931 issue of the Pencil Points magazine with his article "Sunday Hours in Austin"[35] and in The American Magazine of Art with his article, "Two pioneer artists in Texas."[20]

He also delivered several Texas-centric presentations, including “Our Cultural Heritage” to the Texas Historical Association on Saturday, April 27, 1940, on a panel titled “Historic Houses Section.”[36]

Gideon's papers from 1908–1945 are held by the Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin. These papers and photographs document Gideon's professional life and include "correspondence, biographical material, clippings, articles, essays, student papers, sketches, photographs, negatives, slides, and paintings."[37]

Advocate

The Gideons contributed to Southern and Texas art and architecture.[11] Gideon also invested in the preservation of historic buildings in Fredericksburg, and the recognition of trees as part of the historic landmarks in Austin.

Additionally, the Gideons purchased and invested in their personal home, known as Pemberton Castle in Austin, TX.

O. Henry Home

Samuel Gideon was particularly dedicated to studying American writer O. Henry. He collaborated with other scholars, historians, and friends of author O. Henry to place a stone marker at the true O. Henry home, originally located at 308 East Fourth Street in Austin,[38] and to shift the home to a museum.[39]

The O. Henry home previously was confused with a nearby home at 304 East Fourth Street—often enough to warrant the stone marker.[38] (The house in its original location was photographed and is now documented[40] in the Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas.)

To preserve O'Henry's home, the house was relocated to 409 East Fifth Street in Austin in March 1934.[41][42][43][44] Because of Gideon's advocacy, the O. Henry home on at the new location in Austin was repurposed as the O. Henry Museum.[11]

Fredericksburg, Texas, historic buildings

In 1938, Gideon advocated saving a historic Fredericksburg courthouse from being demolished.[45]

Trees as landmarks

Gideon also advocated for the preservation of Texas trees: as landmarks and also as a part of Texas heritage. He identified a number of older trees near historic homes and sites that marked locations of historical events.[46] He shared urban myths and oral traditions about trees throughout Austin, advocating for the trees to be recognized.[46] (His historic references also demonstrate the racism of the 1930s in Austin.)[46]

He noted that East Texas' pine trees and oaks were being harvested or burned to make space or to provide lumber. He challenged several Texas cities to save or replace their trees: Gonzales and its oak trees, Fredericksburg's oak trees, Orange's sycamores and a mighty pine tree (on Pine Street), Victoria's oaks (replaced with hackberries) and hackberries (replaced with palms), Bastrop's pine groves, and Austin's hackberries.[47] Instead, he encouraged Texans, and specifically Austinians, to plant native trees.[47]

He also advocated for respect of Texas wildflowers, petitioning Texas to seek to stop picking and selling wild flowers and instead to let them naturally proliferate, preventing extinction.[48]

Pemberton Castle

In the 1890s, a round stone water cistern (later a water tower and pump house[49]) was constructed in the Fisher farm and approximately 30 years later, Samuel Fisher converted the stone building[50] into the sales office for the new Pemberton Heights subdivision,[51] and the limestone "wings" were added to expand the castle appearance.[49] The subdivision sits in the Old West Austin Historic District and today boasts 613 homes, including cottages, estates, and the Pemberton Castle.[52]

In 1937, Gideon and his wife, Sadie Cavitt, purchased the castle[49][50] and began to develop it into their home.[51] The structure, now called the Fisher-Gideon House,[49][53][52] was described as "an asymmetrical Gothic Revival style structure with a rough stone face and prominent castellated parapets."[51]

The couple began to integrate elements of other homes into the castle,[49] including

  • bricks and stained-glass windows from "Old Main," a demolished building on the campus of The University of Texas
  • flooring (leftover slate) from the Home Economics Building on the campus
  • stones from the O. Henry House
  • main staircase from the Bishop Kinsolving House on Whitis Court in Austin (Rumor has it that the staircase was designed and created by Peter Mansbendel, a woodcarver of Swiss descent.)[49]

The Gideons used the first floor for storage but added a kitchen, a master bathroom, and a studio to the Pemberton Castle. Gideon died in 1945,[1] and Sadie Cavitt continued to live in the castle until her death in 1954.[49]

Pemberton Castle is frequently recognized as the site for the Disney film "Blank Check."[54][55]

The castle is located at 1415 Woodridge, in Austin, TX, and is in the heart of Pemberton Heights. In front of the house, the Texas Historical Commission has placed a historic marker with information about the home's history.[50][56]

Personal life

Samuel Gideon was born on December 8, 1875,[1][57] in Louisville, KY.[57]

In 1908, Gideon married Sarah "Sadie" Griffin Cavitt,[11][58] who also born in Bryan, TX and also an artist.[1][59] Together, they actively invested time and energy in the art and architecture communities of Austin, Texas.[11]

Gideon died August 13, 1945, and is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.[1] Sadie Griffin Cavitt died November 8, 1954, at their home, the Pemberton Castle, 1415 Wooldridge Drive, in Austin.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Samuel Edward Gideon [2279]". Texas State Cemetery. Section: Republic Hill, Section 1 (C1) Row: G Number: 28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. 1 2 "Review: Landmarks in Austin, Texas, by Samuel E. Gideon". The American Magazine of Art. 16 (12): 680. December 1925. JSTOR 23929093 – via JSTOR.
  3. 1 2 Gideon, Gideon E. (1936). Historic and Picturesque Austin. Steck Co. OCLC 01203086.
  4. 1 2 "MIT Museum". webmuseum.mit.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  5. ↑ Technique 1907. Boston, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. April 1906. p. 367.
  6. ↑ Bulletin of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Programme. Boston, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1907. pp. 21, 24, 137–138, 161–164. hdl:2027/hvd.hnaa4f. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Written at Denton, TX. "Local News". Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot. Bryan, TX. 23 September 1913. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Instructors Changed" (PDF). The Tech. Vol. XXXI no.86. January 30, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Long Horn". bookreader.library.tamu.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  10. ↑ Hoopingarner, N. L.; Wehrwein, G. S. (May 25, 1917). Visual Instruction through Lantern Slides and Motion Pictures. University of Texas bulletin.no. 1730: May 25, 1917. Vol. 1730. HathiTrust: The University of Texas. pp. 25–26. hdl:2027/loc.ark:/13960/t3tt5301z.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Death Takes Widow of Prof. Gideon". The Austin Statesman. 8 November 1954. p. 8. ProQuest 1559241320.
  12. ↑ "Architecture Facluty [sic] Gets New Instructor: Samuel E. Gideon of Massachusetts Coming in Fall". The Austin Statesman. June 15, 1931. p. 6.
  13. ↑ Holliday, Kathryn; Decherd, Robert (2019). The Open-Ended City: David Dillon on Texas Architecture. The University of Texas Press. p. 402. ISBN 9781477318621.
  14. 1 2 3 Texas State Historical Association (April 2000). "Southwestern Collection". The Southwestern Historical Quarterly. 103 (4): 508. JSTOR 30240281 – via JSTOR.
  15. ↑ "Austin American (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 211, Ed. 1 Friday, December 28, 1917". The Portal to Texas History. 1917-12-28. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  16. ↑ "Folk-Lore has First Meeting in Five Years". The Austin American. UNT: The Portal to Texas History. April 21, 1922. p. 5. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ Peggy, Samuels (1985). The Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West. Castle. ISBN 1-55521-014-7. OCLC 1153663541.
  18. ↑ "Art Exhibit". Bryan Daily Eagle and Pilot. Bryan, Texas. 29 March 1916. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  19. ↑ E., Powers, John (2000). Texas Painters, Sculptors and Graphic Artists: A Biographical Dictionary of Artists in Texas before 1942. Woodmont Books. ISBN 0-9669622-0-6. OCLC 834392094.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. 1 2 Gideon, Samuel E. (September 1918). "Two Pioneer Artists in Texas". The American Magazine of Art. 9 (11): 452–456. JSTOR 23936176 – via JSTOR.
  21. 1 2 3 McCoy, Nancy T.; Woodcock, David G. (2017). Architecture that Speaks: S. C. P. Vosper and Ten Remarkable Buildings at Texas A&M. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 1, 7, 10–11, 203–204, Notes.
  22. 1 2 3 4 Davis, Ronald L. (2006). Zachary Scott: Hollywood's Sophisticated Cad (1st ed.). University Press of Mississippi. pp. 20–21. ISBN 1-57806-837-1.
  23. ↑ pls4e (2018-09-20). "Swisher-Scott House". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2023-04-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ↑ "[Sweetbrush, The Swisher-Scott House Photograph #1]". The Portal to Texas History. November 1964. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  25. ↑ Unit, UNT Libraries' Digital Projects. "The Portal to Texas History - A gateway to rare, historical, and primary source materials from or about Texas". The Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  26. ↑ "Sweetbrush The Swisher-Scott House". Texas Historical Markers. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  27. ↑ Andrews, Robert D. (July–October 1910). "The Towers of Boston". The International Studio. 41: 3, lxxii–lxxv. hdl:2027/iau.31858054764521 – via HathiTrust.
  28. ↑ Gideon, Samuel E. (July–December 1925). "Interior Architecture: The Imperial Theater at Fontainebleau". The Architectural Forum. 43: 249–254. hdl:2027/mdp.39015006759289 – via HathiTrust.
  29. ↑ Gideon, Samuel E. (1924). "Some Old Exterior Hardware in France". Architecture. XLIX and L: 24–26. hdl:2027/uva.x001789132. Retrieved 25 February 2023 – via HathiTrust.
  30. ↑ Gideon, Samuel. Landmarks in Austin, Texas. Library of Austin, Texas: unknown. LCCN 25018689.
  31. 1 2 Commission, Texas Historical (1978). "[Historic Marker Application: Sweetbrush, The Swisher-Scott House]". The Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  32. ↑ "Fredericksburg, a little German town in the Lone Star State | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  33. ↑ "Austin and the Austin national bank, 1890-1940. .. | WorldCat.org". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  34. ↑ McLean, Robert, ed. (1924). "Editorial Page". The Western Architect. The Western Architect, Inc. (published January 1924). XXXIII (1): 9. hdl:2027/mdp.39015007575031 – via HathiTrust.
  35. ↑ Gideon, Samuel E. (April 1931). "Sunday Houses in Texas" (PDF). Pencil Points.
  36. ↑ Texas State Historical Association (July 1940). "Affairs of the Association". The Southwestern Historical Quarterly. 44 (1): 136. JSTOR 30237349 – via JSTOR.
  37. ↑ Gideon, Samuel. "Samuel Gideon papers". Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  38. 1 2 "Stone Marker Erected by Students at O. Henry's Home: House Incorrectly Identified Often, Gideon Declares Structure at 308 East Fourth Is Real Home Of Author". The Austin American. 23 June 1929. p. 14. ProQuest 1611255694.
  39. ↑ "Collection: Samuel Gideon papers | Briscoe Center Collections". collections.briscoecenter.org. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  40. ↑ "[O. Henry House]". The Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  41. ↑ "O. Henry Museum · 409 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78701". O. Henry Museum · 409 E 5th St., Austin, TX 78701. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  42. ↑ "O. Henry Museum | National Trust for Historic Preservation". savingplaces.org. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  43. ↑ "City of Austin - AHC: O. Henry House". www.austinlibrary.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  44. ↑ "O. Henry Museum". City of Austin Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  45. ↑ "Architecture Prof Opens Up Battle To Rescue Fredericksburg Landmark". The Austin Statesman. 28 October 1938. ProQuest 1610319942.
  46. 1 2 3 Gideon, Samuel E (7 August 1932). "Trees Seen As Best Landmarks: Several Species in And Near Austin Discussed". The Austin American. p. A2. ProQuest 1611717010.
  47. 1 2 "Save Austin's Trees by Planting Another When You Cut One Down, Gideon's Plea". The Austin American. 26 April 1931. ProQuest 1611348839.
  48. ↑ Gideon, Samuel E (10 April 1932). "Gideon Puts In Plea For Flowers". The Austin American. p. A8. ProQuest 1611715835.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wesson, Dana. "A History of the Pemberton Castle". Pemberton Family World Wide. Austin, Texas: Pemberton Heights Neighborhood Association. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  50. 1 2 3 "Pemberton Castle (Fisher-Gideon House)". TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKERS. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  51. 1 2 3 Commission, Texas Historical (1996). "[Historic Marker Application: Pemberton Castle (Fisher-Gideon House)]". The Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  52. 1 2 "Pemberton Heights Neighborhood Association | Austin, TX". pembertonheights. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  53. ↑ "[Pemberton Castle (Fisher-Gideon House) Photograph #3]". The Portal to Texas History. 1940. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  54. ↑ Dudek, Dani (2021-08-12). "Did You Know The Castle From Blank Check is Located in Austin Texas". Austin.com. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  55. ↑ Blank Check (1994) - IMDb, retrieved 2023-03-17
  56. ↑ Denney, Richard (February 17, 2021) [1996: year recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark; marker erected]. "Pemberton Castle (Fisher-Gideon House) Historical Marker". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  57. 1 2 McCoy, Nancy T.; Woodcock, David G. (2017). Architecture That Speaks: S. C. P. Vosper and Ten Remarkable Buildings at Texas A&M. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 978-1-62349-553-4. ProQuest 2133976092.
  58. ↑ "Sarah Griffin Cavitt Gideon - Biography". askART. Edan Hughes, author of the book "Artists in California, 1786-1940"; History of Texas Artists (Fisk, 1928); Invw. Retrieved 2023-04-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  59. ↑ "Sarah (Sadie) Griffin Cavitt Gideon (1880-1954), Sunday Morning at auction". LOT-ART. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
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