Birge Clark

Birge Malcolm Clark (April 16, 1893 – April 30, 1989) was an American architect, called “Palo Alto's best-loved architect” by the Palo Alto Weekly; he worked largely in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.^[1]

Birge Clark
Born	(1893-04-16)April 16, 1893 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	April 30, 1989(1989-04-30) (aged 96)
Resting place	Alta Mesa Memorial Park
Education	Stanford University, Columbia University
Occupation	architect
Spouse	Lucile Townley
Children	4
Parent	Arthur Bridgman Clark (father)

Biography

Early life

Clark was born April 16, 1893, in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, California,^[2] though his birth certificate was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake. He was the son of Hanna Grace Birge and Arthur Bridgman Clark, a professor of art and architecture at Stanford and the first mayor of Mayfield, California, later part of Palo Alto.^[3][4] He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1910.^[2] He received an A.B. degree in Graphic Design from Stanford University in 1914, and received a Bachelors degree in Architecture from Columbia University in 1917.^[1][2] He served in the United States Army, as an observation balloon pilot in World War I; he was shot down by a German pilot and won the Silver Star for gallantry.^[2]

Clark's younger sister, Esther Clark, became one of the first women physicians in the country, and was a prominent local pediatrician and a founder of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic.

Career

His principal architectural works at Stanford University are the Lou Henry Hoover House (assisting his father and now the residence of the university President),^[5] the three John Stauffer laboratories (1960’s), and the Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building (1977).

His principal works in Palo Alto include the old Police Station and Fire station (now the senior citizen’s center), the Lucie Stern Community Center, the President Hotel, the Palo Alto Post Office (1932),^[6] the Palo Alto Medical Clinic,^[7] and much of the 500 block of Ramona Street in downtown Palo Alto.^[8] Some of the notable and historic homes Clark built in Palo Alto include the Norris House at 1247 Cowper Street, the Dunker House at 420 Maple Street and Lucie Stern’s house at 1990 Cowper Street.^[9]

Personal life

He was married to the former Lucile Townley, daughter of Stanford mathematician and astronomer Sidney Dean Townley, for sixty-three years, until her death in 1986. They had four sons: Richard Townley Clark, Dean Townley Clark, Birge Gaylord Clark, and Malcolm Mallory Clark, along with 18 grandchildren.^[3]

Notable buildings by Birge Clark

Year built	Name	City	Style	Notes
1919	Lou Henry Hoover House, 623 Mirada Avenue	Stanford, California	International style house	This house was designed by Lou Hoover, with supervision by Arthur Bridgman Clark and his son, Birge Clark.^[10]
1921	Townleys House, 661 Cabrillo Avenue	Stanford, California		He designed this home with his father, for his future in-laws. He was married here.^[11] Previously located at 613 Salvatierra. ^[12]
1924	Addison School, 650 Addison Avenue	Palo Alto, California		^[11]
1925	Dunker House, 420 Maple Street	Palo Alto, California	Spanish Colonial Revival	listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.^[11]
1926	Elizabeth Hughes Chapel, Castilleja School, 1310 Bryant Street	Palo Alto, California	Craftsman style	500-seat capacity auditorium. the school has no religious affiliation.^[13] The similar style building on the campus, the administration building was designed by Roy C. Heald.^[14]
1926	Pacific Art League, 668 Ramona Street	Palo Alto, California	Spanish Colonial Revival
1927	440 – 450 Bryant Street	Palo Alto, California	Spanish Colonial Revival	Former police station and fire station.^[11]
1927	Charles and Kathleen Norris House, 1247 Cowper Street	Palo Alto, California		^[11]
1929	President Hotel, 480 – 498 University Avenue	Palo Alto, California		^[11]
1932–1936	Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Road	Palo Alto, California	Spanish Colonial Revival	A complex of buildings. The construction was done by Wells P. Goodenough.^[15]
1932	Alta Mesa Memorial Cemetery, 695 Arastradero Road	Palo Alto, California		^[11]
1932	United States Post Office (Palo Alto, California)	Palo Alto, California	Mediterranean Revival style	^[11]
1932	Palo Alto Medical Clinic, 300 Homer Avenue	Palo Alto, California	Spanish Colonial Revival	^[11]

Publications

• Birge Clark (1971). World War I Memoirs. Unknown publisher. p. 176pp. ASIN B00072VNZ2.
• Birge Clark (1969). Memoir About Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Hoover, with Particular Emphasis on the Planning and Building of Their Home on San Juan Hill. Privately published.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Clara County, California

References

1. Kushman, Rick (April 13, 1994). . Palo Alto Online, Palo Alto: The First 100 Years. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
2. "Historic Houses III, San Juan Neighborhood, Stanford University" (PDF). Stanford Historical Society. Stanford Historical Society. 2005. pp. 9–10. ISBN 0-9664249-4-8. (PDF) from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
3. "Obituary: Birge Clark (1893-1989)". PaloAltoOnline. May 25, 1994. from the original on 2004-09-01. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
4. Hayde, Monica (April 15, 1994). "Paintings of the past". PaloAltoOnline.com. from the original on 2004-01-23. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
5. "About Birge M. Clark". A Stanford Atlas - Spotlight at Stanford. from the original on 2020-07-12. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
6. "Palo Alto Historical Association Photograph Collection". Palo Alto Historical Association. from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
7. “Birge: After the War,” article by Frederic O. Glover, ibid. pp. 8–9; reprinted in An Architect Grows Up in Palo Alto; Memoirs of Birge M. Clark
8. Weinstein, Dave (2003-07-05). "Birge Clark: Palo Alto's favorite architect mixed romance with realism". SFGate. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
9. "Birge Clark: Palo Alto's In-House Designer". Palo Alto History Project. from the original on 2012-01-15. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
10. Feuer, Margaret (2013). "Lou Henry Hoover House". Palo Alto Stanford Heritage. from the original on 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
11. "Birge Clark Architectural Works in Palo Alto, CA". www.pastheritage.org. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
12. "S. D. Townley (residence), 613 Salvatierra, Stanford, California, 1921". A Stanford Atlas - Spotlight at Stanford. from the original on 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
13. "Cultural Resources Study for the Castilleja School Project, City of Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California". City of Palo Alto. Samantha Murray, MA, Sarah Corder, MFA, Kara Dotter, MSHP, William Burns, MSc, RPA, and Adam Giacinto, MA, RPA. Dudek of Auburn. March 2019. p. 51. from the original on 2020-11-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
14. "1310 Bryant Street". www.pastheritage.org. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
15. "Lucie Stern Center". www.pastheritage.org. Retrieved 2020-11-09.

External links

• Birge Clark at Find a Grave
• Sound recording of Birge Clark (May 1984), from the Stanford University audio collection
• Birge Clark Oral History (October 1985), from Palo Alto Historical Association Moving Image and Audio Collection

Research resources

• Birge Malcolm Clark Papers, 1914-1985 (5 linear ft.) are housed in the at Stanford University Libraries
  • XML catalog of correspondence with Herbert Hoover.
• Guide to the Birge Malcolm Clark, Lou Henry Hoover House Papers, 1921- 1949, from the Online Archive of California