Joseph Michels papers

Collection

Identifier: N299

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

The papers of Joseph Michels represent his career as an architect in Minnesota. The collection includes incomplete job files from various projects he worked on during his career, research files which include building codes and blank contracts, product and trade catalogs used for project research and specifications, as well as architectural drawings and blueprints.

Dates

Creation: 1968-2011

Language of Materials

English

Restrictions on Access

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Restrictions on Use

Please contact staff regarding copyright status of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Biographical Note

Joseph Michels is an architect who worked in Minnesota for over 50 years. Joe Michels (1927- ) was born in Milwaukee to Oscar and Lucille Michels. After graduating high school in 1945, he spend a short time in the Navy as a radio technician before the end of World War II. In the fall of 1946, he enrolled at the University of Minnesota. Although unsure of where to focus his studies, he took a series of aptitude tests that guided his decision to study architecture and art history. From 1952 through 1956, Michels worked for Minneapolis Architect, Carl Graffunder, where he worked on numerous designs and supervised several residential projects. After a 10 month trip spent in Europe, Michels returned to Minneapolis in 1957 and worked with Architect David Griswold until he started his own practice in 1963. Focusing primarily or residential architecture, Joe Michels has worked on over two hundred architectural projects through his private practice.