L.S. Buffington papers
Scope and Content Note
The collection includes plans, specifications, sketches, renderings, scrapbook and photos. More than 100 of the sketches were drawn by Harvey Ellis.
Dates
- 1865-1929
Language of Materials
English
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open and available to the public. Advance notice is requested.
Restrictions on Use
There are no restrictions on the use of materials in this collection. Copies can be requested if the condition of the originals warrants it.
Biographical Note
Leroy Sunderland Buffington was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1847 and received all of his formal education there. His first employment was with the architectural firm of Hannaford and Anderson, whom he left in 1871 to move with his wife of two years to St. Paul. He entered partnership with Abraham Radcliffe, an established architect, which lasted until 1874 when he moved to Minneapolis and opened an office that he continued to maintain until 1931. He had no partners.
In 1880, he was appointed the official architect of the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway Company, and by 1885 he had one of the largest practices in the Twin Cities. Near the end of his life, he credited himself with designing $20 million' worth of structures throughout the United States. He applied for and received a patent in 1887 for the steel skeleton method of construction for high-rise buildings, the basis upon which all modern skyscrapers are built. However, his claim was challenged in a court suit which he eventually lost.
Buffington died in Minneapolis in 1931.
Extent
67.75 Cubic Feet (20 flat file drawers, 2 drawings boxes)
Abstract
The collection includes plans, specifications, sketches, renderings, scrapbook and photos from the practice of a prominent Minneapolis architect.
Arrangement
The collection is organized alphabetically by commission name. The renderings by Harvey Ellis are listed separately at the end of the commission list. (The commission list ends with the entry for "Yellowstone Hotel.")
Physical Location
High Bay; Mezzanine; Audio-Visual Room
Processing Information
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Christine Emeott, 2000; the EAD version was written by Barbara Bezat, May 2004.
- Title
- L. S. Buffington Papers
- Author
- Barbara Bezat
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
- drawer: 1 (Graphic Materials)
- drawer: 1 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 2 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 3 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 4 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 5 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 6 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 7 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 8 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 9 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 10 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 11 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 12 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 13 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 14 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 15 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 16 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 17 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 18 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 19 (Mixed Materials)
- drawer: 20 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 1 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 2 (Mixed Materials)
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Northwest Architectural Archives Collecting Area
