Charles F. Gillette Photographs, 1905-1970

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions.

Terms of access:

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred citation:

Charles F. Gillette Photographs, 1905-1970, Accession #11083, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Summary

Abstract:
This collection consists of photographs, 1905-1970 and undated, of historic gardens, buildings and estates from the files of Charles Freeman Gillette (1886-1969), a Richmond landscape architect, including homes, restoration work at Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello, churches, the Cape Henry lighthouse, cemeteries, and other structures.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Charles F. Gillette Photographs, 1905-1970, Accession #11083, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains photographos of Virginia homes, estates and gardens. They include snapshots of older homes and sites, chiefly in Albemarle County, Va., photographed for their historical value and containing notes on the verso commenting on the original owners,unusual architectural details, or directions to the site. There are also professional photographs of well-known Virginia buildings, many of whose gardens were designed by Gillette. In addition there are copies of photographs of historical Gloucester County homes, 1905; and the 1970 report of the Historical Richmond Foundation.

"Belmont" (Garden)
["Cherthouse"?]
John Custis Tenement
"Marmion"
["Mt. Airly Dower House"?]
"Old Powder Magazine" (1703)
"River Edge"

Biographical / historical:

Charles Freeman Gillette (1886-1969) was a Richmond landscape architect. A native of Wisconsin, he was born in Chippewa Falls on March 14, 1886, to Orlando Gillette (d. 1926) and Katy Melville Gillette (d. 1927). He began his apprenticeship in landscape architecture with Warren Manning (1860-1938), a Boston landscape designer, in 1909. His first assignment was at Chelmsford, the Elon Huntington Hooker estate in Greenwich, Connecticut. In 1912, he married Ellen Cogswell (1880-1967), the daughter of Fillmore and Lillian Patterson Cogswell. Some notable Gillette landscape projects in Virginia include the grounds of Richmond College (1911); Nelson House in Yorktown (1915); Kenmore (1924); Virginia House and Agecroft Hall (1927); and the Executive Mansion garden (1954). For a very fine book discussing the career of Charles F. Gillette see Genius in the Garden Charles F. Gillette & Landscape Architecture in Virginia by George C. Longest.

Processing information:

These photographs were transferred from the Fiske Kimball Fine Arts Library to Special Collections in 1990 but were not accessioned until March 17, 1993.

Physical description:
There are 270 items in this collection.