Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection
Pfeiffer, Alberta Raffl, 1899-1994
Ms.1988.017
10.3 Cubic Feet
15 boxes, 3 oversize folders
1929-1976
Please note: Boxes 1-15 are located in off-site storage and may require 2-3 days notice for retrieval. Contact Special Collections for more information.
Alberta Pfeiffer graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1923 as one of the first women to achieve a degree in architecture at that institution. The collection contains drawings, photographs, and correspondence of her architectural career. Most projects are residential, and the collection consists of approximately 250 different designs for various jobs.
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials. Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection, Ms1988-017, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection was donated to Special Collections in 1988 and 1993.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection was completed in November 2010.
Existence and Location of Copies
Some of this collection has been digitized and is available online.
Biographical Note
Alberta Pfeiffer was an architect from Hadlyme, Connecticut, and born in Red Bud, Illinois, in 1899. Pfeiffer was one of the first women to study architecture at the University of Illinois--Urbana/Champaign where she graduated first in her class (1923). She was also the first woman to win the American Institute of Architects School Medal.
She began her 55 year career as an architect at the Chicago firm Tallmadge and Watson. After a year she returned to the University of Illinois for graduate work. In 1925, she moved to New York City where she worked with the Harrie T. Lindberg architectural firm until she set up practice in Hadlyme with her husband, Homer F. Pfeiffer, in the early 1930s.
Their practice was mainly residential focusing on design and renovations in the area surrounding Hadlyme, Connecticut. In 1940, Homer joined the Navy to supervise the construction of naval housing, hospitals, and other facilities while Alberta continued their firm's work on her own. After the war Alberta established her own private practice and flourished in the post-war boom recalling during the 1950s and 1960s she was never without a project and often had as many as ten designs on her desk at the same time. At her retirement in 1977 she had designed and/or renovated over 250 projects.
She was active in many professional and community groups joining the Society of Connecticut Craftsmen (1935) and a lifetime member of the Connecticut Society of Architects. Pfeiffer was a member of the local board of Education and the Zoning Board, and was involved in mental health issues and activities.
Pfeiffer died in 1994.
More information on Alberta Pfeiffer is available from the IAWA Biographical Database.
Scope and Content
The Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection contains 15 boxes and 3 oversize folders consisting of drawings, photographs, and correspondence relating to Pfeiffer's architectural career. Most projects are residential, and the collection contains approximately 250 different designs for various projects.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into two series:
Series I. Professional Papers are arranged alphabetically.
Series II. Projects are arranged by project job number, with unknown numbers at the end in alphabetical order.
Related Materials
There is an article about the acquisition of the Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection in the Fall 1990 IAWA Center News, the International Archive of Women in Architecture newsletter.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Alberta Pfeiffer Architectural Collection, Ms1988-017 by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA)
Architects
Architectural drawing -- 20th century
Women -- History
Architectural drawings (visual works)
Series I. Professional Papers1936-1939, 1964-1966, 1974, 1977, 1986, 1988-1989Christmas Cardsn.d.157-8Clippings1974, 1986159Correspondence1936-1939, 19771510-11Correspondence, IAWA1988-19891512Mental Health Legislation Correspondencen.d.1513Military Plaque Design19661514Photographsn.d.15153Seminaries for Clergy1964-19651516Watercolors, school work competitionsn.d.1Series II. Projects1933-1976, n.d.Hobart Thompson Residence, Job 02193311Earnest Ely Residence, Job 03193412Henry 0'Neil Residence, Job 061934132Andrew J. Pizzini Residence, Job 07193414O. Glenn Saxon Residence, Job 08193415Ralph Bellany Residence, Job 09193416Luke Finlay Residence, Job 14193517Paul P. Swett Residence, Job 16193518T.W. Goodrich Residence, Job 17193519Henry Hull Residence, Job 181936110Matthew Griswold Residence, Job 19193621R. W. Huntington Residence193622Adolph Levi Residence, Job 21193623J.M. Mitchell Residence, Job 22193624Elser Pool Residence, Job 25193625Guy Pearce Jones Residence, Job 2626Robert Bradford Residence, Job 30193627Alfred Sanford Residence, Job 31193728Lyne Church, Job 32193729Philip. S. Owen Residence, Job 33193731Thomas Nason Residence, Job 34193832Jones Kennel, Job 35193733Holbrook Residence, Job 36193734Kehoe Residence, Job 37193735Lyne Church, Job 38193735-6Moodus Savings Bank, Job 39193737Peck Residence, Job 4138Chappel Residence, Job 43193839Wilson Residence, Job 43193841Pizzini Residence, Job 46193842Norton Residence, Job 48193843Tremaine Residence, Job 49193844Reaser Residence, Job 50193845Tremaine Servants Quarters, Job 52193946Clifford Scott Residence, Job 5347Meloney Brown Residence, Job 5548-9Whitney Studio, Job 56193951Holbrook Residence, Job 60194052Ferguson Residence, Job 61194953Inglis Griswold Residence, Job 63194054Bar-T-Bar Land and Cattle Co., Job 64194055Shaw Residence, Job 65194156Sorenson Residence, Job 66194457Wharton Residence, Job 67194158Manley Residence, Job 68194159Pizzini Residence, Job 691941510Seidler Residence, Job 701941511Kihn Residence, Job 711942512Proudfoot Residence, Job 721942513Kehoe Residence, Job 751945514Manville Residence, Job 761947515Ritchie Residence, Job 78194561Buck Residence, Job 80194662Kehoe Residence, Job 81194563Various Church Plans1946-1951156Samuels Residence, Job 85194764Chidsey Residence, Job 86194765Brenmin Residence, Job 87194766Brummer Residence, Job 88194767Ely Residence, Job 90194768Brown Residence, Job 91194769Knollenberg Residence, Job 921947610Church Residence, Job 951947611Ondek Residence, Job 971947612Peggy's Catalog, Job 981948613Kuvalanka Residence, Job 1001948614Edward Lyman Residence, Job 1011948615Tremaine Residence, Job 1021948616Steele Residence, Job 104194871McKee Residence, Job 105194972Adams Residence194973Bradford Residence, Job 107195074Lake Residence, Job 108195575Hewett Residence, Job 112195076Bent Residence, Job 113195077Emerson Residence, Job 114195081Griswold Residence, Job 115195082Franchetti Residence, Job 116195083Ely Residence, Job 117195084Bennet Residence, Job 119195185Fisher Residence, Job 121195186McKee Residence, Job 122195187Jonnke Residence, Job 123195188Reynolds Residence, Job 124195189Jewett Residence, Job 1251951810Griswold Residence, Job 1261951811Bernstein Residence, Job 1271952812Morrison Residence, Job 1281952813Hoedebeake Residence, Job 1291952814Humpal Residence, Job 131195391Hosford Residence, Job 134195392Selden Kitchen, Job 135195393Morrison Porch, Job 136195394Maud Sargent Residence, Job 137195395Ely Farm Residence, Job 138195396Tremaine Barn, Job 139195397Willows Residence, Job 140195398Halperin Residence, Job 141195399Spaulding Residence, Job 1421953910Morrison Residence, Job 1431953911Sisk Residence, Job 1441953912Holmes Residence, Job 1451954913Swan Residence, Job 1461954914Griswold Residence, Job 1471954915Bernstein Residence, Job 1481954101Jewett Residence, Job 1491954102Cone Residence, Job 1501954103Halperin Barn Residence, Job 1501955104Ryerson Residence, Job 1511954105Chandler Residence, Job 1521954106Telichet Residence, Job 1531954107Holbrook Residence, Job 1541954108Randall-Mills Residence, Job 1551954109Blenner-Hassett Residence, Job 15619551010De Saulniers Residence, Job 15719551011Richardson Residence, Job 15819551012White Residence, Job 15919551013Fire House, Job 16019551014Ryerson Residence, Job 16219581015Westerbeit Residence, Job 162A19561016Brevoort Residence, Job 162B19561017Edwards Residence, Job 162C19561018Fisher Residence, Job 162C19561019Aager Residence, Job 1641955111Garfinkel Residence, Job 16519561122Brevillier Residence, Job 1661956113Kenney Residence, Job 1671956114Goodrich Kitchen, Job 1681956115Whitaker Residence, Job 1691956116Morrison Residence, Job 1701957117Turner, Jr, Job 17119572Murtz Residence, Job 1721957118O'Conner Residence, Job 1731958119McDonnell Residence, Job 17419581110Hayes Residence, Job 17519581111Kearns Residence, Job 17619581112Sheffield Residence, Job 177195911132Kengor Residence, Job 17919591114Copp Study, Job 18019591115John J. Speis Jr. Residence, Job 18119591116Buck Residence, Job 18219591117Delinks Residence, Job 18319591118Hamilton Jerret Residence, Job 18419591119Baldwin Residence, Job 18519591120Webster Residence, Job 18619591121Moriarty Residence, Job 18719591122Simpson Residence, Job 18819591123Ely Residence, Job 1891959121Kenyon Residence, Job 1901959122Speirs Residence, Job 1911959123Jerett Residence, Job 1921960124Howard Bawns Residence, Job 1931960125Harold Fair Residence, Job 1941960126Allyn Bown, Jr. Residence, Job 1951960127Henry Bowes Residence, Job 1951960128Davies Residence, Job 1971960129Luke Residence, Job 197A19601210Webster Bedroom Wing, Job 19819601211Girls Scouts, Job 19919601212Hal Baly-Madison Residence, Job 20019611213Rauch Residence, Job 20119611214Allen Residence, Job 20219611215Martinson Residence, Job 20319611216Fulton Residence, Job 20419611217Bennet Residence, Job 20519611218Hayleton Residence, Job 20619611219Hodlyn Residence, Job 20819621220Russel (in Hadlyme) Residence, Job 2091962131Shaw Residence, Job 2101962132Morrison Residence, Job 2111963133HoH, Job 2121963134Spencer Residence, Job 2141963135Irvine Residence, Job 214A1963136New Allen Residence, Job 2151964137Marer Residence, Job 2161964138Bloom Residence, Job 2171964139Harty Residence, Job 21819651310Sheffield Garage, Job 22019641311James F. Orr Residence, Job 22119641312Phillip Gordon Residence, Job 22219651313Renato Tiezzi Residence, Job 2231965141Han Rennhard Residence, Job 22419661422Fisher Study, Job 2251967143Speirs Rental Cottage, Job 2261967144Brevillier Bay Window, Job 2271967145Smith Residence, Job 2281967146Hostnik Residence, Job 22919671472Speirs Residence, Job 2301968148Stanley Peterson Residence, Job 2311968149North School House, Job 231A19681410Metcalfe Residence, Job 23219691411Haser Residence, Job 23219691412Griswold Residence, Job 23419701413McFarland Residence, Job 23519701414Sheffield Residence, Job 23619711415Plimpton Residence, Job 23719711416Hostnik Residence, Job 23819721417Cole Residence, Job 23819721418Murray Residence, Job 24019721419Hood Residence, Job 24119721420Van Halem Residence, Job 24419741421Brevillar Residence, Job 24719741422Littlefied Residence, Job 24719771423Roger Hilsman Residence, Job 24919731424Williams Residence, Job 249197514252Friedman Residence, Job 25019761426Armour, Job Unknownn.d.2Hilley Residence, Job Unknownn.d.153Kihn Residence, Job Unknown19382Lyme Elementary School, Job unknown1949151Neilson Residence, Job Unknown1958152Ruby Boyer Miller, Job Unknownn.d.2Sargeant Residence, Job Unknownn.d.154Williams Residence, Job Unknownn.d.155