Robert Stanton (architect)

Last updated
Robert Stanton
Jo Mora and Robert Stranton.jpg
Jo Mora (left) and Robert Stranton (right)
Born
Robert George Stanton

1900
DiedSeptember 1, 1983
Occupation Architect
SpouseVirginia Young
Buildings Monterey County Court House
King City Joint Union High School Auditorium

Robert Stanton (1900-1983) was an American architect. A resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, he practiced primarily in the central California coastal region, and was responsible for a variety of eclectic buildings, most notably the Monterey County Court House and the King City Joint Union High School Auditorium, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He worked closely with sculptor Joseph Jacinto Mora on several of his projects.

Contents

Early life

King City High School Auditorium KingCityHS-RobertStantonTheater.jpg
King City High School Auditorium

Stanton was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1900. His mother was a singer in the B.O. Whitney Opera Company. Stanton joined the U.S. Navy during World War I, then graduated from the Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles, California. From there he went on to architectural studies at the University of California, Berkeley from 1921 to 1923, where he was involved in theater productions. Following his studies he went on a grand tour of Europe.

Career

On returning to the United States he worked in Pasadena, California for architect Wallace Neff, gaining licenses for architecture and real estate. In 1925, Stanton's office building in downtown Carmel on Monte Verde Street and Ocean Avenue was constructed by builder Fred Ruhl. This building became part of the complex of buildings, known as the Normandy Inn. The buildings included retails shop and office along the southwest corner of Ocean Avenue and Monte Verde Street. [1] [2] In 1926, Stranton designed the Ethel P. Young Spanish Eclectic House on the southwest corner of Carmelo and 11th Avenue in Carmel. [2]

Monterey County Courthouse Monterey County Courthouse 1.jpg
Monterey County Courthouse

In 1935 Stanton opened an office in the Hotel Del Monte in Monterey, establishing a practice that included school and hospital work in the Monterey area and across the San Joaquin Valley. [3] He collaborated closely with sculptor Joseph Jacinto Mora (1876–1947) on multiple projects. In 1937, Stanton was the architect for the Monterey County Courthouse, which incorporated Mora's bas-relief panels, column caps, and figurative heads on both the building's exterior and its interior courtyard. [4] [3]

In addition to the Monterey County Court House and the King City High School Auditorium, [5] Stanton designed schools in Monterey, the San Benito County Hospital, the Salinas General Hospital, and buildings at Fort Ord. [6]

He supervised the construction of homes for Bob Hope, King C. Gillette, Frederic March, and King Vidor. One of the most notable work was the mansion "Pickfair' in Veverly Hills, for Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Mary Pickford. [7]

He was president of the Monterey County Symphony Association, the Monterey Museum of Art, Cumminty Chest, Monterey History and Art Association, the Old Monterey Bicentennial, and the Monterey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. [7]

Stanton met his wife Virginia Young (1903-1994) at University of California, Berkeley. They married on December 8, 1922 in Solano County, California. They had three children. [7] [8]

Selected works

Death

Stanton died at his home in Carmel Valley on September 1, 1983, at the age of 83. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Mora</span> Artist, sculptor, illustrator

Joseph Jacinto Mora was a Uruguayan-born American cowboy, photographer, artist, cartoonist, illustrator, painter, muralist, sculptor, and historian who lived with the Hopi and wrote about his experiences in California. He has been called the "Renaissance Man of the West".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Bough Playhouse</span>

The Golden Bough Playhouse is a historic three-story theatre in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California on Monte Verde St., between 8th and 9th Avenues. The playhouse occupies the site of the former Carmel Arts and Crafts Club, Carmel's first cultural center and theatre, built in 1906–1907 on Casanova Street, and the Arts and Crafts Hall, built in 1923–1924 on an adjacent lot on Monte Verde Street. Since 1994, the facility has been owned and operated by Pacific Repertory Theatre, Monterey County's only year-round professional theatre company. A two-phase renovation of the aging facility began with an interior building project in 2011. A second phase project, including both interior and exterior renovations, is scheduled for 2023-2024. The theatre was recorded with the National Register of Historic Places on July 3, 2002. It is significant as a California historic building because it is located on the original site of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club and Hall, the oldest indoor performing arts venues in Carmel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King City High School Auditorium</span> United States historic place

The King City High School Auditorium, also known as the Robert Stanton Theater, is an Art Moderne style auditorium at the King City High School in King City, California. Built in 1939 with Works Progress Administration funding, the auditorium is one of several buildings in the area in a similar style, known as WPA Moderne. It was designed by architect Robert Stanton of Carmel, in partnership with Joseph Jacinto Mora, who designed and executed the building's extensive sculptural elements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monterey County Courthouse</span> United States historic place

The Monterey County Court House is the court house for Monterey County in Salinas, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunset Center</span> United States historic place

The Sunset Center is located in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States. It is a performing arts center which features concerts, comedy, theatre, and dance. Formerly the Sunset School, the site was purchased by the city of Carmel in 1965 with the plan to develop it into a cultural center. It is home to the Carmel Bach Festival. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 9, 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Junípero Serra (Carmel-by-the-Sea, California)</span> Statue in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, U.S.

A statue of Junípero Serra, also known as the Serra Shrine, was installed in the community of Carmel Woods in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States. Artist Joseph "Jo" Mora (1876-1947), designed and carved the wood statue of Father Serra for real estate developer Samuel F.B. Morse's new subdivision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmel Woods</span> The unincorporated area north of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Carmel Woods is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California, United States. It is located adjoining the northern city limits of Carmel-by-the-Sea and adjacent to Pebble Beach. Carmel Woods was laid out in 1922 by developer Samuel F. B. Morse (1885-1969). It included a 25-acre (0.10 km2) subdivision with 119 building lots. Carmel Woods was one of three major land developments adjacent to the Carmel city limits between 1922 and 1925. The other two were the Hatton Fields, a 233 acres (94 ha) between the eastern town limit and Highway 1, and the Walker Tract to the south, which was 216 acres (87 ha) of the Martin Ranch called The Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrison Memorial Library</span> Library in California

The Harrison Memorial Library is a historic building designed by architect Bernard Maybeck and built by Michael J. Murphy in 1928. It houses a public library for the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The library provides books, materials and programs that support the pursuit of education, information, recreation, and culture. It includes documents about the history and development of Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula. The Harrison Memorial Library was named after California Supreme Court Justice Ralph C. Harrison. It was designated as an important commercial building in the city's Downtown Historic District Property Survey and was recorded with the Department of Parks and Recreation on November 18, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paseo Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

El Paseo Building is a two-story commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The building is the best example of Spanish Eclectic commercial design in Carmel, inspired by the Spanish churches built in the 1880s. The building was designated in the city's Downtown Historic Conservation District Historic Property Survey on January 24, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Tiendas Building</span> Historic hotel in California, U.S.

The Las Tiendas Building is a two-story reinforced Spanish Eclectic style commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The building is the best and only example of Spanish Eclectic commercial design by the architectural firm of Swartz & Ryland in Carmel. It has been designated as an important commercial building in the city's downtown historic district property survey; and was registered with the California Register of Historical Resources on February 15, 2003. The building has been occupied by the Club since 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monterey County Trust & Savings Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The Monterey County Trust & Savings Building, also known as China Art Center, is a historic Spanish Mission Revival commercial building in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was designed by architects H. H. Winner Co., of San Francisco and built in 1929–1930, by Hugh W. Comstock and Michael J. Murphy. It was designated as an important commercial building in the city's Downtown Historic District Property Survey on October 18, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Ribera Hotel</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The La Ribera Hotel, also known as the Cypress Inn, is a historic Spanish Eclectic hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was designed by architects Blaine & Olsen of Oakland, California and built in 1929, by Meese & Briggs. The building was designated as a significant commercial building in the city's Downtown Historic District Property Survey, and was recorded with the Department of Parks and Recreation on February 13, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward G. Kuster</span> American attorney (1878-1961)

Edward Gerhard Kuster was a musician and attorney from Los Angeles for twenty-one years before coming to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California in 1921. He became involved in theater and establish his own theatre and school. He built the Theatre of the Golden Bough in 1924, and a second theater, the Golden Bough Playhouse in 1952. Kuster directed 85 plays and acted in more than 50 roles in the 35 years he lived in Carmel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Wilson Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The Wilson Building, also known as the Philip Wilson Building is a historic commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It is an example of American Craftsman architectural style that was built in 1905 on the corner of Ocean Avenue and Dolores Street as a real estate office. In 1916 it became Carmel’s first official City Hall. The building qualified as an important building in the city's downtown historic district property survey and was recorded with the California Register of Historical Resources on November 30, 2002. The building is occupied by two tenants, the J. McLaughlin and The Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis W. Wynkoop</span> American architect

Francis W. Wynkoop, was an American architect, known for building educational school buildings in Pacific Grove and San Carlos, and oceanfront homes in Carmel Point at the southern city limits of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. One of them is the noted Butterfly House on Scenic Drive.

Percy Parkes was an American master builder in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Parkes was one of the main progressive builders in Monterey County through the 1920s and 1930s, and the first contractor to build homes on Scenic Drive. His best known commercial buildings are the Seven Arts Building (1928), the Dummage Building (1924), and the Percy Parkes Building (1926). His American Craftsman-style, influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, is evident in the buildings he constructed during that time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert R. Jones</span> American architect

Robert R. Jones was an American architect in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California best known for his Modern architecture. Jones designed numerous residences and commercial buildings in the Monterey Peninsula. In the post-war period, he emerged as a prominent figure among architects and designers who played a pivotal role in shaping Carmel's modernist landscape from the middle 20th century onward. His was known for his design aesthetic that was a Modern architecture-style, combined with elements from the Second Bay Tradition. His creation, the Monterey Airport Administration building, was honored with a design award by the Smithsonian Institution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen Knight</span> American politician

Allen Knight, was an American merchant seaman and political figure in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He is best know for his service on the Carmel City Council, including a two-year term as mayor, and for co-founding the Sundial Lodge. In 2016 the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association acquired the Allen Knight's maritime collection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Ruhl</span> American California builder

Fred Ruhl was an American master builder in Monterey County, California. He is best known for his contributions to the architecture of Pebble Beach, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, most notably for the Outlands in the Eighty Acres, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He worked closely with architect Robert Stanton to build the Normandy Inn on Ocean Avenue in Carmel.

References

  1. Dramov, Alissandra (2016). Historic Homes and Inns of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 68–69. ISBN   9781467115971 . Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Kent L. Seavey (October 20, 2001). "DPR 523 Forms Volume I A-69" (PDF). Department of Parks and recreation. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  3. 1 2 Hiller, Peter (November 2007). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Monterey County Court House". National Park Service. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  4. "Robert Stanton". The Living New Deal. May 24, 2019. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  5. Whitney, Catherine (August 18, 1990). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: King City Joint Union High School Auditorium". National Park Service. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  6. "American Architects Directory 1962" (PDF). American Institute of Architects. p. 669. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 23, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Robert Stanton". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. September 3, 1983. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  8. "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953". Solano County. Solano County, California. December 8, 1922. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 "Carmel Inventory Of Historic Resources Database" (PDF). The City of Carmel. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Retrieved April 9, 2023.