A.1.1 - Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 416 W. 12th Street - National Register nomination — original pdf

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NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 RECEIVE* (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Registration Form FEB 2 4 REGISTER OF h - : '^LACK NATIONAL PAF> •:i-yt 1. NAME OF PROPERTY HISTORIC NAME: OTHER NAME/SITE NUMBER: N/A 2. LOCATION Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building STREET & NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: STATE: Texas 416 West 12th Street Austin CODE: TX COUNTY: • NOT FOR PUBLICATION Travis • VICINITY CODE: 453 ZIP CODE: 78701 3. STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this 0 nomination • request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property 0 meets • does not meet the National Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant • nationally • statewide 0 locally. (• See continuation sheet for additional comments.) Signature of certifying official / Till Texas Historical Commission State or Federal agency / bureau or Tribal Government State Historic Preservation Officer 2k Date ' 12^ In my opinion, the property • meets • does not meet the National Register criteria. {• See continuation sheet for additional comments.) Signature of commenting or other official Date hereby caftify that the property is: Date of Action State or Federal agency / bureau or Tribal Government 4. NATIONAL/PARK SERVICE CERTIFICATION I entered in the National Register • See continuation sheet. • determined eligible for the National Register • See continuation sheet. • determined not eligible for the National Register. • removed from the National Register • See continuation sheet. • other, explain • See continuation sheet. USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Page 2 5. CLASSIFICATION OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY CATEGORY OF PROPERTY X X private public - Local public - State public - Federal building(s) district site structure object NUMBER OF RESOURCES WITHIN PROPERTY contributing noncontributing 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 buildings sites structures objects total NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER! 0 NAME OF RELATED MULTIPLE PROPERTY LISTING: N/A 6. FUNCTION OR USE HISTORIC FUNCTIONS: COMMERCE/TRADE / organizadonal = professional organization headquarters CURRENT FUNCTIONS: COMMERCE/TRADE / organizational = professional organization headquarters 7. DESCRIPTION ARCHITECTURAL CLASSIFICATION: MODERN MOVEMENT / International Style MATERIALS: FOUNDATION CONCRETE WALLS BRICK, STONE / marble, CONCRETE GLASS ROOF ASPHALT OTHER NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION (see continuation sheets 7-5 through 7-12) NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 5 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION The 1956 Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters is a two-story commercial building that provides office, meeting, and storage space and accommodates all of the functions of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. The asymmetrical exterior form of the building (hereafter, the Delta Kappa Gamma Building), is an exquisite example of postwar modem design in a local context. The primary (south) elevation of the building features a series of intersecting horizontal and vertical material planes found in Miesian Intemational Style buildings, but the building as a whole is a looser regional and commercial interpretation of functionalist modem architecture. The less visible northem and eastem elevations adhere to the major edicts of modem fimctionalist design, especially considering the lack of omamentation, the emphasis on materials and horizontality, and the flat roof Few significant alterations have been made to the exterior or interior of the building, which maintains a very high degree of historic integrity. The Deha Kappa Gamma Building is located near downtown Austin at the northeast comer of West 12th Street and San Antonio Street (map 1, figures 1-2). Just west of the central business district,, each three- to four-acre block in the area contains historical homes, mid-rise office buildings, mid-rise condominiums, and two- to three-story parking garages. Compared to the similarly-sized blocks of the business center of downtown Austin, the blocks west of the business center contain a much lower density of buildings with considerably more open space and trees. The block that contains the Delta Kappa Gamma Building slopes a full floor level from the highest point at the southeast comer to the lowest point at the northwest comer. Immediately to the east of the Delta Kappa Gamma Building, at 402 West 12th Street, is the Watson (A.O.) House, a two-story nineteenth-century Austin Landmark house used as a law office. The southeast comer of the block contains an empty lot that is zoned for a commercial mixed-use building. The northeast comer of the block contains a parking lot. The remaining northem edge of the block contains a parking lot for the law office, bounded by a wooden fence, and parking for the Delta Kappa Gamma Building. Setting Exterior The Delta Kappa Gamma Building contains two floors. The first floor is accessed at ground level by the main entry on the southem elevation. The basement floor is concealed below grade at the southem elevation. The ground slopes down a full floor height from the level at the southem elevation to the level at the northem elevation. The sloping grade reveals the basement floor along the westem elevation. The interior floor plan is a "C" plan. The floor plan contains about 5,000 square feet of interior space on each floor. The interior space is very similar on the two floors (figures 3-4). The stmcture of the Delta Kappa Gamma Building is a reinforced concrete frame. The exterior walls are concrete block cavity walls with various exterior brick and masonry treatments. The exterior of the Delta Kappa Gamma Building exhibits characteristics of the Intemational Style. Like Mies van der Robe's 1929 Barcelona Pavilion (figure 5), the main elevation of the Delta Kappa Gamma Building is composed of a series of intersecting vertical and horizontal planes, with an emphasis on materials (figure 6, photograph 1). Exterior wall materials include cast concrete, concrete block, red Norman brick, yellow Norman brick, and marble. The building also contains a distinctive cast concrete slab canopy that hangs from the exterior wall to shade the glazing on certain elevations. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 6 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas The form of the building follows a few simple design mles. Most of the walls of the building meet at right angles to contain the volume of the interior floor plan. A flat roof ftiUy encloses the volume of the interior floor plan. Outside of this single volume, additional walls and roof canopies extend to shape the surrounding exterior space. The architects used materials to emphasize the distinction between the single volume of the interior floor plan and the adjunct planar elements. The different surface materials reflect the purposes of each wall, which function either as discrete planes, as part of the enclosing envelope, or as retaining walls. Almost the entire exterior of the building is original from the date of constmction. The original copper comice that lined the parapet of the building was stolen, as well as a distinctive sculpture from the westem courtyard (Hickey, personal interview). All windows and glazing units are original. South Elevation The southem elevation contains the main entry to the building (figure 7). A sidewalk leads from the street edge to the front door. Yellow brick composes the majority of the building's southem elevation. A large void in the center of the yellow brick wall is filled in by marble slab and glazing to emphasize the entry. Aluminum letters mounted on the marble slab denote the name of the building: "THE DELTA KAPPA GAMMA SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL" (figure 8). The glazed area contains one set of glass double doors centered and flanked by fixed glass panes in aluminum mullions. To the right of the glazing, a massive marble plane protmdes from the interior of the building envelope, where it constitutes the eastem wall of the lobby, into the exterior space to partially enclose the exterior space leading to the glazed entry. The wall to the right of the massive marble plane is composed of yellow brick and glazing that contains two sliding glass doors centered and flanked by fixed panes in aluminum mullions. A concrete slab canopy extends from the wall above the marbled and glazed portions of the southem elevation. The marble and glazing materials extend the ftill height to the level of the canopy. The southwestem comer of the canopy is supported by a unique steel ornamental column that has been painted red. The column is made up of four rectangular steel sections that form a square in plan. The four steel sections are connected to one another by perforated steel mesh that has been welded to the steel sections. The center of the concrete slab canopy rests on top of the protmding massive marble plane. The southeast comer of the concrete slab canopy is cantilevered and unsupported. Like the massive marble plane and the concrete slab canopy, numerous red brick planes intersect to form a small courtyard and planters on the south side of the building. Two red brick planes partially enclose the small courtyard to the right of the sidewalk. The red brick planes attach to the massive marble slab and the exterior wall of the building via omamental iron gates to fully enclose the courtyard. Like the steel omamental column, the omamental iron gates have been painted red. The iron gates that connect the discrete planes enclose the courtyard and allow visual access to the lush vegetation inside the courtyard. The street view of the yellow brick wall and glazed portions of the southem wall to the right of the massive marble slab are completely obscured by the red brick wall containing the southem courtyard. West Elevation The westem elevation reveals the basement floor that is concealed below grade at the primary southem entrance (figures 9-10, photograph 2). The sidewalk that mns along West 12th Street tums the comer at San Antonio Street and follows the building along its westem elevation. The sidewalk slopes significantly downhill. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 7 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas The most significant feature of the westem elevation is the appearance of the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor, which differs in material composition and form from the yellow brick exterior wall of the first fioor. First, the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor is thicker than the yellow brick exterior wall of the flrst floor, denoting its fiinction as the supporting plane that the yellow brick exterior wall of the first fioor rests on. Second, in some instances the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor extends past the volume of the interior floor plan to partially enclose the exterior space outside of the volume of the interior floor plan. A datum line of altemating concrete and glass blocks distinguishes the basement floor red brick exterior walls from the first floor yellow brick exterior walls. The datum line also fimctions to emphasize the grade change along the westem elevation. The datum line first appears at the very westemmost comer of the southem elevation, where the ground gently begins to reveal the red brick of the basement floor, and wraps around the southwestem comer and continues along the westem elevation. The datum line breaks the westem elevation into two distinct vertical segments. From the street view, the westem elevation appears to be broken into three equally sized horizontal segments. Beginning from the southernmost comer of the building, the first horizontal segment exhibits the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor, the datum of altemating concrete and glass blocks stacked on top of the red brick wall, and the yellow brick exterior wall of the first floor stacked on top of the datum. The yellow brick exterior wall contains two vertically- oriented fixed glazed windows set in aluminum mullions. A concrete slab canopy appears over the windows and continues the length of the first horizontal segment. The concrete slab canopy is solid above the two windows to offer solar protection. The remainder of the concrete slab canopy is pierced by a series of square voids. Past the first horizontal segment, the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor, the datum of altemating concrete and glass blocks, and the yellow brick exterior wall of the first floor tum ninety degrees to the east to follow the "C" shape of the floor plan. This wall encloses the volume of the C-shaped floor plan and consdtutes the southem boundary wall to the resulting courtyard. The wall contains a large glazed panel centered horizontally within the total width of the wall. The glazed panel includes aluminum mullions whh five large fixed glass panes in the top row and five small operable windows on the bottom row. The concrete slab canopy that appeared on the first horizontal segment of the westem elevation tums the comer with the wall and continues as a solid canopy along the length of the southem boundary wall to the courtyard. The second wall to enclose the volume of the C-shaped floor plan constitutes the eastem boundary wall to the resulting courtyard. Unlike the southem boundary wall, the eastem boundary wall contains only yellow brick on the exterior of both floors. The wall contains three glazed panels. The first large glazed panel begins at the southem comer of the wall and stretches from the ground level to the height of the glazing on the other elevations. Vertical aluminum mullions divide the glazing into three equal-width horizontal sections. Horizontal mullions divide the glazing into six vertical sections. The two tallest rows of glazing include fixed glass panes, the three shortest rows of glazing include operable windows, and the row in the center of the two floors includes frosted glass spandrels that conceal the concrete slabs between the floors. The second glazed panel in the center of the wall contains six operable windows in aluminum mullions. The third glazed panel at the northem comer of the wall contains a glass door centered and flanked by five fixed glass panes in aluminum mullions. A concrete stair leads from the courtyard to the door. The solid concrete slab canopy continues along the length of the eastem boundary wall to the courtyard. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 8 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas The third wall to enclose the volume of the C-shaped floor plan constitutes the northem boundary wall to the resuUing courtyard (figure 11, photograph 3). Like the southem boundary wall to the courtyard, this wall is composed of the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor, the datum of altemating concrete and glass blocks, and the yellow brick exterior wall of the first floor. The wall contains a large glazed panel centered horizontally within the total width of the wall. Vertical aluminum mullions divide the panel into three fixed glass panes. The solid concrete slab canopy continues along the length of the northem boundary wall to the courtyard. The westem boundary to the courtyard is enclosed by a red brick plane that extends from the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor at the southem boundary to the courtyard. The red brick plane stops short of fully enclosing the courtyard. The same omamental iron gates that appeared on the southem courtyard close the gap between the walls of the westem courtyard. The third horizontal segment exhibits the red brick exterior wall of the basement floor, the datum of altemating concrete and glass blocks stacked on top of the red brick wall, and the yellow brick exterior wall of the first floor stacked on top of the datum. The wall contains no windows. The concrete slab canopy that appeared along the northem boundary wall to the courtyard tums the comer and continues about 6 feet along the wall. This portion of the concrete slab contains the square voids. The red brick wall of the basement floor extends past the volume of the interior floor plan to act as a plane that conceals the parking on the northem elevation. North Elevation EastElevation The northem elevation contains the primary parking and delivery space for the building (figure 12, photograph 4). The alley north of West 12th Street mns along the northem elevation of the building. The basement fioor of the northem elevation contains six covered parking spaces for cars that can park perpendicular directly off the alley. The cars park between the rectangular reinforced concrete columns that are part of the building's stmcture and support the first floor of the building. Behind the parking spaces, the basement floor wall of the northem elevation is composed of concrete blocks and two utilitarian entry doors for the building. The first floor wall of the northem elevation exhibits the yellow brick exterior wall that appears on the first floor of every other elevation. The wall contains three glazed panels that each contain six operable windows in aluminum mullions. The eastem elevation is the functional and utilitarian elevation of the building (figure 13, photograph 5). The ground level slopes back uphill along the eastem elevation. Unlike the westem elevation, where the basement floor is concealed partially below grade for much of the length of the elevation, the eastem elevation uses a cast concrete retaining wall to hold the earth back from the exterior surface of the building, providing a concrete walkway between the exterior of the building and the retaining wall. The earth held back by the retaining wall is a paved parking lot for the building that is accessed by the alley. The basement floor exterior wall is cast concrete like the retaining wall that mirrors it. The basement floor concrete exterior wall is pierced by a series of simple operable windows that correspond to the rooms on the interior of the basement floor. The space between the concrete retaining wall and the concrete exterior wall of the basement floor allows NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 9 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas daylight to enter the basement floor interior rooms. A utilitarian door provides access to the mechanical room at the southem end of the concrete walkway. The first floor wall of the eastem elevation exhibits the yellow brick exterior wall that appears on the first floor of every other elevation. The yellow brick wall sits on top of the concrete wall of the basement floor. The wall contains a series of glazed panels similar to the glazed panels that appear on the first floor of the northem elevation. Every glazed panel is an operable window in aluminum mullions. The other notable features of the eastem elevation are all utilitarian features. Three conspicuous downspouts mn the height of the wall to dhect water from the flat roof to the concrete walkway between the concrete retaining wall and the concrete exterior wall. The walkway is slightly concave and ramps downward toward the alley to direct the water away from the building and into the alley. Fresh air vents pierce the yellow brick wall. A conspicuous chain-link fence appears along the top of the concrete retaining wall to prevent visitors from falling into the walkway void between the retaining wall and the concrete exterior wall. Cars pull into the parking lot off of the alley and park nose-in at an angle along this chain-link fence. A few parking spaces are taken up by two HVAC condensing units. The condensing units are fenced in with the same omamental iron gates that appeared on the south and westem courtyards. The numerous pipes from the condensing units lead from the condensing units, through the chain-link fence, over the concrete retaining wall, south along the concrete walkway, and into the mechanical room on the basement floor. The nondescript and utilitarian appearance of the eastem elevation requires a visual shield from the main entrance to the building along West 12th Street. A series of red brick planes extend from the southeastem comer of the building and line the southem edge of the parking lot. The gaps between the planes are closed by the same omamental iron gates that appeared on the south and westem courtyards. Everything north of the red brick planes is partially concealed from the view of passersby along West 12th Street. The space south of the red brick planes to the West 12th Street sidewalk is a large grass yard with manicured landscaping. Interior The first floor of the Delta Kappa Gamma building contains the more public spaces including entry foyer, event room, offices, kitchen, and library. The basement floor of the building contains the more private and utilitarian spaces including private offices, conference room, supply and storage room, and mechanical room. The interior floor plan is a simple "C" plan that contains about 5,000 square feet of interior space on each floor. Both floors exhibit a simple floor plan with a central corridor and flanking offices, as well as a few important larger spaces. The stmcture of the Delta Kappa Gamma Building is a reinforced concrete frame. Most of the concrete columns are attached to the interior walls or concealed entirely within the walls. A limited number of columns appear free-standing within the floor plan. The interior spaces contain dropped ceilings throughout that conceal the concrete frame that supports the first floor plate and roof Most of the interior walls of the Delta Kappa Gamma Building are composed of plaster on lath. The walls of the more public spaces, including much of the central corridors, are composed of walnut wood paneling to accentuate the important spaces. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 10 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Interior Alterations Sttmmaiy Almost the entire interior of the building is original to the date of constmction. The walnut wood paneling and built-in cabinetry is original to the date of constmction. The building included an empty elevator shaft room and elevator equipment room, as well as a large empty subterranean space at the southem end of the basement floor which the architects had left open for future expansion (Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center). The first renovation took place in 1964 (figures 14-15). The firm Brooks and Barr Architects was hired to revise the floor plans of both floors to divide some of the larger rooms into smaller rooms, mostly to make more private offices. As a result of the 1964 renovation, the largest rooms on both fioors were converted into four smaller rooms, and the empty subterranean space on the basement floor was built out as the new supply and storage room. The renovation required very limited demolition of any existing walls; most of the renovation involved building in non-load-bearing partition walls. The ftinctions of some of the rooms changed, though not significantly enough to alter the appearance of the interior design of the rooms. Other minor alterations include changes in floor and ceiling materials throughout the building, and changes of the floor and ceiling molding in the Annie Webb Blanton room. None of the existing carpet is original (Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center; Crozier, Hickey, and Sanchez, personal interviews; Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society)- The second significant renovation took place in 1995 and contained only limited modifications to bring the building up to fire and accessibility codes. The second alteration included adding an additional egress door into the westem courtyard from the supply room, installing the elevator and elevator mechanical equipment into the provided spaces, and adding a short chah lift up the steps of the foyer (Crozier, Hickey, and Sanchez, personal interviews). First Floor Plan The main entry to the building leads directly into a small foyer (figure 16, photograph 6). The entire right wall of the foyer is the massive marble slab that leads from the exterior space to the interior space. The massive marble wall forms the backdrop to the reception desk, which is located directly in front of the entry. The other walls are plaster with simple walnut floor and ceiling molding. The ceiling at the eastern edge of the wall above the marble slab drops and lamps provide indirect uplighting at the edge of the room. After passing through the foyer, visitors can tum left through a set of double doors or tum right up three stairs leading to a corridor. The doors to the left of the reception desk lead to the Annie Webb Blanton Room (figure 17-18, photographs 7-8). Named for the founder of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, this spacious room is used for dinners and events. The entire north wall of the room is glazed and overlooks the westem courtyard. The walls are plaster with carved floor and ceiling molding, which is different from the original molding. The room has a small mantle at the southem end which is not original. The steps to the right after the reception desk lead to the main corridor of the first floor plan. The three steps have been altered to include mbber tread and a power stair chair lift mounted on the wall. The corridor is fianked by smaller rooms and offices on either side. The office of the Executive Coordinator is accessed through a door at the southem end of the corridor (figure 19, photograph 9). The walls are plaster with simple walnut floor and ceiling molding. The southem wall NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page H Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas of the room is glazed with two sliding doors that open into the southem courtyard. The southem edge of the ceiling contains a dropped ceiling with uplighting like the foyer. The central corridor mns from the door of this office at the southem end of the floor plan to the door of the office located directly opposite at the northem end of the floor plan. The walls are walnut paneling from floor to ceiling with built-in casement. The most noticeable casement is a set of shelves with glass doors that exhibit historical information about the founding of the organization (figure 20). The doors leading to the rooms on either side of the corridor are walnut. The rooms on either side of the corridor include offices, restrooms, a vault, closets, a kitchen, the elevator and mechanical room for the elevator, and the stair hall. Most of the rooms to the right of the corridor are simple and nondescript, containing the utilitarian operable windows of the northem and eastem building elevations and white plaster walls (figure 21, photograph 10). Some of the rooms to the left of the corridor contain windows overlooking the westem courtyard. Just past the elevator, a void in the left wall of the corridor leads to the stair hall. The stair hall provides access to the basement floor. The stair is divided into two flights with a landing between. The landing contains the glazed door that accesses the exterior stairs of the westem courtyard. From the landing, the door leads outside to a second landing and then down the concrete stairs to the ground level of the courtyard. The door at the northem end of the hall leads directly into an office. Originally, the corridor ended at the door to this northem office. A set of double doors on the left side of the corridor led to the expansive record room. The room was an open unobstmcted space where records of organization members were stored. The 1964 renovation by Brooks and Barr Archhects divided the large record room into smaller spaces. The firm removed the portion of the wall that closed the record room off on the left end of the corridor so that the corridor now tums the comer and continues west to access the newly formed smaller flanking rooms. The central corridor now forms the shape of an "L". The original expanse of the record room is now a corridor with three flanking rooms accessed by doors on either side of the new corridor and a greatly reduced record room accessed by the door at the westem end of the new corridor. The southem wall of the present first floor record room contains the glazing overlooking the westem courtyard, opposite the glazing on the north wall of the Annie Webb Blanton room. Basement Floor Plan The primary access to the basement floor is the interior stair hall of the building. The two flights of stairs end at a door that opens into the corridor that mns through the center of the basement floor. This corridor is located in the same position as the corridor of the floor above. Like the corridor of the floor above, the basement floor corridor is flanked by doors to rooms on either side. The northem end of the corridor accesses a storage room through the door on the left and a building supply room through the door on the right. The northem end of the corridor contains a set of double doors that lead directly to the car parking area. Like the northem end of the corridor on the first floor, the southem end of the corridor on the basement floor has been modified from its original configuration. Originally, the southem end of the corridor led directly to one expansive storage room and the mechanical room. The remaining subterranean space of the southem end of the basement floor plan was not built out. The 1964 renovation by Brooks and Barr Architects divided the large original supply room into smaller spaces and buih out the unused space to serve as the new supply and storage room. The firm added partition walls to form an NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 7 Page 12 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas extension of the corridor south of the elevator shaft equipment room. The new portion of the corridor contains three doors on the left that access a women's lounge and conference room and two doors on the right that access two offices. A third set of double doors on the right accesses the new supply and storage room. The single door at the southem end of the new corridor accesses the mechanical room that has not changed since the original constmction. Four stairs at the northeast comer of the mechanical room lead to the double doors that open into the exterior walkway between the concrete retaining wall and the concrete exterior wall of the eastem elevation. USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Page 3 8. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE APPLICABLE NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA: A, C CRITERIA CONSIDERATIONS: NA PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1956-1962 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE: Education, Architecture SIGNIFICANT DATES: 1956 SIGNIFICANT PERSON: N/A CULTURAL AFFILIATION: N/A ARCHITECT / BUILDER: Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects J.M. Odom Construction Company, Builder/Contractor NARRATIVE STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (see c o n t i n u a t i on sheets 8-13 t h r o u gh 8-18) 9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES BIBLIOGRAPHY (see conrinuation sheets 9-19 through 9-20) PREVIOUS DOCUMENTATION ON FILE (NPS): N/A _ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested. _ previously listed in the National Register _ previously determined eligible by the National Register _ designated a National Historic Landmark _ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # _ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # PRIMARY LOCATION OF ADDITIONAL DATA: X State historic preservation office (Texas Historical Commission, Austin) _ Other state agency _ Federal agency _ Local government _ University Other ~ Specify Repository: NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 13 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Delta Kappa Gamma Building was built in 1956 as the intemational office of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, an organization founded in 1929 to improve women's opportunities in the field of education. Organized by twelve women in Austin, Texas, the Delta Kappa Gamma Society expanded to all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Canada to include a membership of 72,021 women by 1960. The Delta Kappa Gamma Building continues to serve its original fimction today. The building is nominated under Criterion A in the area of Education, as the intemational headquarters of a significant organization that supports the role of women in education through scholarship and fellowship programs. It is also nominated under Criterion C as an excellent local example of postwar modem design by the Austin firm Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, incorporating aspects of the Intemational Style in its primary facade, fianctionalist commercial office design in its planning, and a more traditional residential aesthetic in its interior design and finishes. The Delta Kappa Gamma Society was conceived of by a female University of Texas professor who envisioned equal opportunhies for women educators. Although women were granted suffrage in 1920, women educators still faced severe discrimination in 1929. Women teachers received lower salaries than men, were pressured to resign from their position if they married, and were overlooked as scholarships and promotions were almost always awarded to men (Cottrell, "Professional, Feminine, and Feminist: Annie Webb Blanton and the Founding of Delta Kappa Gamma," 1). Dr. Annie Webb Blanton, a professor of mral education at the University of Texas, formed the professional national fratemity in order to unite the most reputable women educators in Texas so that they might work together to achieve equal opportunities against men in their field. Dr. Blanton is a significant figure in the history of women educators. She was active in the Texas State Teachers Association and was elected the first woman president in 1916 (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 17-18). Due to her success as president, Dr. Blanton was persuaded to mn against men in the highly contested 1918 race for the position of State Superintendent of Public Instmction. Dr. Blanton won the race and served two terms as superintendent, making her the first woman to hold the important position and the first woman elected to a state office in Texas (Odom, Pioneer Women Teachers of Texas, 5). During her tenure as State Superintendent, Blanton advocated for English-only education in public and private schools, and helped popularize programs of "Americanization" in Texas schools (Blanton, The Strange Career of Bilingual Education in Texas, 1836-1981, 64-66). Dr. Blanton was hired as a faculty member at the University of Texas in 1923. From 1926-27, Dr. Blanton briefly left the University of Texas to conduct research on Rural Education at Comell University, the Library of Congress, and the United States Bureau of Education, for which she eamed her Doctor of Philosophy from Comell. Dr. Blanton retumed to teaching at the University of Texas and in 1933 became the third woman at the University of Texas to be promoted to full professorship (Odom, Pioneer Women Teachers of Texas, 6). As stated by Debora Lynn Cottrell, "Cognizant of her rather unique role in Texas education, and always interested in helping female colleagues, she realized that her experiences both good and bad - held great potential on which other women could build. Uniting women in a professional society offered her a direct way to share her experiences and increase the potential of women to exert a positive influence on the teaching profession" (Cottrell, "Professional, Feminine, and Feminist: Annie Webb Blanton and the Founding of Delta Kappa Gamma," 2). NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 14 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Dr. Blanton sought the most reputable women educators from across Texas to found the Society. According to Cottrell, "Blanton sent a letter, explaining the group's aims.. .The correspondence noted that the new Society was to consist of women who had proven their success as teachers, shown leadership in professional organization, and exhibited an unselfish professional spirit...Blanton signed the letter 'Dalton Katherine Graham,' in an effort to keep male educators from leaming of her plans and then criticizing them" (Cottrell, "Professional, Feminine, and Feminist: Annie Webb Blanton and the Founding of Delta Kappa Gamma," 7). Including Dr. Blanton, the twelve founders represented nearly every level of education, from grade school teachers to college professors (Crawford and Ragsdale, "Texas' Foremost Woman Educator: Annie Webb Blanton," 190). By pledging membership to the fledgling Society, the founding members prepared to face severe criticism from men and women alike who opposed women's organizations. The organization was originally named Kappa Gamma Delta but was renamed Delta Kappa Gamma later in 1929 when it was discovered that an organization with that name already existed. The official name changed once more to Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational in 1978 (Hoag and Schmnk, Our Heritage Volume III, 11). The original meeting place of the Society was the University Faculty Women's Club on the University of Texas campus. The first meeting took place on May 11, 1929 (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, I). The purposes of the Society, as outlined in the Constitution, included fiinding scholarships for women teachers and students, developing a strong coalition and support system between women educators, and rewarding distinctive achievements by women educators. The ultimate goal of the Society was to dissolve the inequality between men and women in the field of education in the hopes that women would be equally represented, rewarded, and recognized in the education system (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 11). In the period of time between 1929 and 1960, the Society grew from one charter chapter in Austin to multiple chapters in every state, the District of Columbia, and six provinces in Canada (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 303-05). The growth of the Society persisted despite setbacks during the Depression and World War II. During the Depression, leaders had difficuhy collecting dues from all members and expansion slowed (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 85). World War II restricted travel and communication (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 122-24). The organization, which originally included only white women educators, overcame its racial segregation in 1946, when the vote narrowly passed to remove the "white" clause from the constitution and allow each chapter, state, or intemational body to choose any qualified woman educator regardless of race. According to the organization stmcture, a woman chosen for membership by any chapter, state, or intemational body automatically becomes a full member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 134). The Society held National Conventions in different cities throughout the United States every year save four from 1930 to 1950, and Intemational Conventions every other year from 1952 to 1960. Even as the Society expanded into Canada in 1952, Austin remained home to the central intemational business headquarters. In addition to supplying monetary and social support to several extemal national and intemational groups, the Society created intemal awards and scholarships to recognize outstanding Delta Kappa Gamma Society members. The Society created two intemal awards. Twenty-seven Intemational Achievement Awards were presented to Delta Kappa Gamma Society members demonstrating outstanding service to the Society, and seven Educator's Awards were presented to members for publishing outstanding research or books on education (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 275). NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 15 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Perhaps the most important purpose of the Society during this period was raising money for intemal scholarships. Scholarship money helped alleviate the disparity in pay between men and women of equal training and afforded scholarship recipients a greater opportunity to pursue their research and studies. From 1940 to 1959, forty-two Intemational and National Scholarships were awarded to Delta Kappa Gamma Society members pursuing graduate and doctoral studies. In 1954, fifty-one Silver Anniversary Scholarships were awarded to one outstanding Delta Kappa Gamma Society member from each state (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 279-82). These awards are still presented annually. Building the Delta Kappa Gamma Headquarters in Austin The founders of the society began setting aside money for a central headquarters office in 1929. Dr. Blanton made it clear from the beginning that the Society Headquarters would always be located in Austin. In 1939, executive leaders determined to move forward with erecting a new central headquarters office in Austin. In 1940, leaders purchased the lot at San Antonio and West 12th Street in Austin for $7,800. In 1946, after the death of Dr. Blanton, leaders debated the location of the central headquarters. In January of 1949, a majority of members voted to establish a branch office in Washington, D.C. The following month, dissenting members filed an injunction to prevent the establishment of either the central headquarters office or a branch office in Washington, D.C. In late 1949, the Court of Civil Appeals sustained the injunction. In 1950, the defendants brought the matter before the Supreme Court, which also sustained the injunction. According to the final court mling, the central headquarters office would remain in Austin, and no branch office would be established in Washington, D.C. (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 284-287). Up to 30 scholarships are still awarded annually. Delta Kappa Gamma Society members controlled the building project from start to finish. Society members researched the headquarters buildings of other organizations as well as the work flow of their own organization to determine the most suitable type of building for their own central headquarters office. In 1954, Building Committee members secured a zoning variance with the City of Austin to constmct a professional office in a residential zone, interviewed six potential architectural firms, hired the firm Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, and hired a legal consultant. Working closely with the architectural firm. Society members engaged in almost every design decision from recommendations for floor plans and work schedule to specific decisions about the easement, retaining walls, carpentry, millwork, roofing, sheet metal, ironwork, plastering, plumbing, and electrical work. In 1955, Society members collected enough money to begin constmction, approved the final plans, and employed J. M. Odom Constmction Company. Society members held elaborate ceremonies for the ground breaking in July of 1955, the laying of the comerstone in November of 1955, and the final completion in August of 1956. The Society paid for every phase of the constmction, ftimishings, and equipment upon completion without taking out a loan (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 287-92). When consulting with the architect R. Max Brooks about the form of the building. Society members agreed to let the "form of the building follow ftinction" (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 288). This documented decision produced a building that is a good local example of modem commercial design as applied to an office building. The building exhibits flat roof metal casement windows, unadomed wall surfaces, asymmetrical fa9ade, and large planes of rich materials, specifically marble and walnut. Most significantly, the women of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society acknowledged that a functionalist scheme would allow their building to be flexible in the arrangement of the interior spaces and accommodate the diverse range of fiinctions that the expanding organization demanded. Typical of functionalist buildings, the stmctural frame of the building is separate from the walls that partition the interior rooms. The NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 16 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas building was designed with a large portion of the basement floor open for future expansion. When, in 1962, it came time to expand into these rooms and provide additional office space, the architects of the renovation were able to easily constmct additional parthion walls whhin the existing framework of the building (Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center). Kuehne, Brooks and Barr The most senior partner in the firm Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Hugo Franz Kuehne, helped found the University of Texas architecture school in 1910, taught at the school from 1910 to 1915, and practiced architecture from 1915 to 1960. From 1919 to 1942, he managed his own firm called H. F. Kuehne. Two of Kuehne's most notable projects from this time period included the Austin Public Library in 1933, now the Austin History Center, and the Cox-Craddock House in 1928 (Williamson, "Hugo Franz Kuehne," The Handbook of Texas Online). The Cox-Craddock House (figure 22) was built in the Colonial Revival style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 ("Cox-Craddock House" NRHP Listing). The Austin Public Library (figure 23) was built in the Italian Renaissance style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 ("Austin Public Library" NRHP Listing). According to its National Register listing, "the design for the Austin Public Library refiects Kuehne's Beaux Arts training" by exhibhing a symmetrical fa9ade, and axial and symmetrical plan, and omamental details such as arched windows, classical columns, comice, and grand interior staircase ("Austin Public Library" NRHP Listing). In 1942, Kuehne and R. Max Brooks were both partners in the short-lived firm Giesecke, Kuehne and Brooks. Howard Barr joined Kuehne and Brooks in 1942 to form the firm Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, which functioned until 1960 (Williamson, "Hugo Franz Kuehne," The Handbook of Texas Online). The formation of the firm with the two younger associates Brooks and Barr signaled a change in direction for Kuehne's architectural design. In contrast to Kuehne's Beaux-Arts-inspired projects of the past, the firm Kuehne, Brooks and Barr became well-known for their midcentury modem designs. One of the most notable local examples by Kuehne, Brooks and Barr included the American National Bank in 1954 (figure 24). The American National Bank, now the Starr Building, is currently undergoing renovation: "Vacant and overlooked for four years, a 55-year-old downtown Austin building once heralded as an icon of midcentury modem design is about to be restored largely to its original state" (Novak, "Austin's Starr Building to be rebom," Austin American-Statesman). The American National Bank was built of large unintermpted planes of single materials such as glass and brick. One year later, Kuehne, Brooks and Barr designed the Delta Kappa Gamma Building in a similar way, with an emphasis on planes of single materials, but on a smaller scale. R. Max Brooks and Howard Barr continued to work together on modem buildings in Austin and across the country. Their most famous collaboration was with architects Graeber and White in the firm Brooks Barr Graeber White (BBGW). Among many other buildings, the firm designed the J. J. Pickle Federal Building in Austin (figure 25). The Delta Kappa Gamma Building is a unique building amidst Brooks and Barr's body of work. While most of Brooks and Barr's modem buildings exhibit the New Formalist style of the J. J. Pickle Federal Building, the Delta Kappa Gamma Building displays a rich and diverse material palette, especially evident in the entryway, with its massive and modem marble walls, window walls, and flat concrete canopy. In contrast, much of the interior beyond the lobby is much less modemistic and is more in line with conventional midcentury residential design. This domestic appearance is created through the use of crown moldings, and the placement of omate fireplace mantelpieces, chandeliers, mirrors, and French provincial fumiture throughout the offices and meeting spaces. This contrast between the modem exterior and revivalist interior spaces may be due to the desire of society members to use a palette that evoked a sense of formal comfort and repose. Overall, the NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page X7_ Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas building represents the common postwar American practice of selectively applying modem principles to a building that serves the otherwise traditional function of an office block. In this case, the overall inspiration owes less to Mies van der Rohe than to published examples of other archhects who combined aspects of modemity with the commercial functionalism desired by clients. This functionalism accounts for the building's flexible plan, and cost-effective brick exterior on the secondary elevations, which may have been also perceived as more appropriate than large expanses of glass for the hot climate of central Texas. Significance in Education The Delta Kappa Gamma Building stands as a testament to one woman's vision for equal opportunities for women educators. Dr. Blanton originally stored all of the administrative materials for the Delta Kappa Gamma Society in her office and boarding room on the University of Texas campus (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 253). From these humble beginnings, the organization grew to an intemational membership. The two-story building was buih to serve ah of the ftinctions of the Society: offices for the intemational officers; space to store inventories of membership; equipment for typing, mailing, and printing; conference rooms for group meetings; social rooms for celebratory fiinctions; and archival storage for the Society's relics of personal history. Delta Kappa Gamma Society members' immense pride in their organization and steadfast dedication to preserving the history of both their organization and their central headquarters building contributes to the high degree of integrity of this building. At the laying of the comerstone. Society members stated, "May the spirit of Delta Kappa Gamma symbolized by this Headquarters characterize the work of all who labor here and inspire those who enter through its doors" (Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 256). The Delta Kappa Gamma Society building continues to fiinction as the central headquarters building for the intemational organization. Today, the organization has expanded to seventeen countries {Headquarters Video Tour). Individual members belong to a chapter that meets six to eight times a year, chapters constitute the state organization that meets once a year, state organizations belong to one of four regional units that meets every two years, and the intemational society holds an Intemational Convention every other year (Guss, "Delta Kappa Gamma Society," Encyclopedia of Education, 1073). In their own words, the current organization outlines seven society purposes: "To unite women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship; To honor women who have given or who evidence a potential for distinctive service in any field of education; To advance the professional interest and position of women in education; To initiate, endorse and support desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interests of education and of women educators; To endow scholarships to aid outstanding women educators in pursuing graduate study and to grant fellowships to women educators from other countries; To stimulate the personal and professional growth of members and to encourage their participation in appropriate programs of action; To inform the members of current economic, social, political, and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society" (Hoag and Schmnk, Our Heritage Volume III, 12-14). These abstract purposes translate into numerous programs. One of the most important programs is the Educational Foundation. Founded in 1964, the Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation is a separate non-profit corporation that focuses on improving the standards of education in the United States and abroad (Britt, The Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation: A History, 5-7). According to the Encyclopedia of Education, the Educational Foundation "assists and cooperates with schools, colleges, universities, organizations, tmsts, fiinds, or foundations to support, encourage, and improve education. The foundation has made grants to researchers and authors in the field of education. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 8 Page 18 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas has supplemented the society's scholarship and world fellowship program, and has sponsored numerous study seminars" (Guss, "Delta Kappa Gamma Society," Encyclopedia of Education, 1072). Since its foundation, the Educational Foundation has also sponsored numerous themed Seminars for Purposeful Living featuring prominent female speakers and lecturers (Britt, The Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation: A History, 7). The Educational Foundation is also committed to improving education in underdeveloped countries by sending ambassadors to help stmcture and improve the education programs in countries like Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Pem, Chile, and Umguay (Guss, "Deha Kappa Gamma Society," Encyclopedia of Education, 1072-73). Historically, the scholarships and recognitions were awarded to Delta Kappa Gamma Society members. The traditional scholarships awarded to Delta Kappa Gamma members seeking graduate study remain an integral part of the organization. According to Hoag, "The first national Scholarship of $1,000 for graduate study was awarded in 1940. Through the years the program has grown. In 2007-2008 the Society offered 30 scholarships for $6,000 each to members. From 1970 through 2008, 813 members have been awarded scholarships to pursue graduate study" (Hoag and Schmnk, Our Heritage Volume III, 13). However, the Society has greatly expanded its focus outside its own membership. For example, the World Fellowship Program, begun in 1946, provides fellowships for women in war-tom countries to pursue advanced studies in the United States and Canada (Hoag and Schmnk, Our Heritage Volume III, 14). As Carolyn Guss summarizes, "Through conventions, conferences, committee meetings, and seminars, the society provides an outlet for the creativity of women educators and for the exchange of ideas of leaders in all fields education" (Guss, "Delta Kappa Gamma Society," Encyclopedia of Education, 1072). NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Section 9 Page 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY 2007. "Austin Public Library," National Register of Historic Places Listing, Texas Historical Commission. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.thc.state.tx.uz. Blanton, Carlos Kevin. The Strange Career of Bilingual Education in Texas, 1836-1981. Texas A&M University Press, Britt, Deloris, comp. The Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation: A History. Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation, 2000. Print. Brooks and Barr, Architects. Constmction documents for 1964 renovation. Austin History Center, Austin. Cottrell, Debbie Mauldin. "Annie Webb Blanton." The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. <http://www.tsaonline.org>. Cottrell, Debora Lynn. "Professional, Feminine, and Feminist: Annie Webb Blanton and the Founding of Delta Kappa Gamma." 5 Oct. 1990. TS. Center for American History, Austin. Print. "Cox-Craddock House," National Register of Historic Places Listing, Texas Historical Commission. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://www.thc.state.tx.us.> Crawford, Ann Fears, and Crystal Sasse Ragsdale. "Texas' Foremost Woman Educator: Annie Webb Blanton." Women in Texas: Their Lives, Their Experiences, Their Accomplishments. Austin: State House Press, 1992. 183-93. Print. Crozier, Jolene. Personal interview. 25 Oct. 2010. Guss, Carolyn. "Delta Kappa Gamma Society." Encyclopedia of Education. Ed. James W. Guthrie. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2003. 1072-73. Print. Headquarters Video Tour. Austin: Full Effect Productions and Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational, 2010. Film. Hickey, Phyllis. Personal interview. 25 Oct. 2010. 1960. Print. hitemational, 2010. CD-ROM. Holden, Eunah Temple. Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Hoag, Constance L., and Odelia Schmnk. Our Heritage Volume III. Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society "Howard Barr Remembered." Austin Construction News 2.5 (2002): 10. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. <http://www.constmctionnews.net>. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section 9 Page 20 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Kearl, Bimta Celmins. "Austin History Center." The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. <http://www.tsaonline.org>. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects. Constmction documents for 1955 constmction. Austin History Center, Austin. Novak, Shonda. "Austin's Starr Building to be rebom." Austin American-Statesman 3 June 2009. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. Odom, Lalla M., et al. Pioneer Women Teachers of Texas. Austin: Press of the Gannaway Printing Company, 1950. Posten, Jane L., ed. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin Vol. 55. Issue 3. Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society <http ://www. statesman. com>. Print. hitemational, 1989. Print. Sanchez, Mary. Personal interview. 25 Oct. 2010. Williamson, Roxanne. "Hugo Franz Kuehne." The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association, n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. <http://www.tsaonline.org>. USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Page 4 10. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF PROPERTY: less than one acre UTM REFERENCES 1. Zone 14 Easting 620727 Northing 3349973 VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: The property is described by the Travis County Appraisal District as being: "Lot 1 & W 11 ft. of Lot 2 Block 150 Original City Cen." plus "45 ft. of Lot 2 Block 150 Original City." BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION: Nomination includes all property historically associated with the building. 11. FORM PREPARED BY (with assistance from National Register Coordinator Gregory Smith) NAME/TITLE: Emily E.Ray ORGANIZATION: University of Texas at Austin DATE: 12/10/10 STREET & NUMBER: 104 East 37th. Street TELEPHONE: 512-633-4984 CITY OR TOWN: Austin STATE: Texas ZIP CODE: 78705 ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION CONTINUATION SHEETS MAPS (see continuation sheets 21 and 22] PHOTOGRAPHS (see continuation sheet 43) ADDITIONAL ITEMS (see continuation sheets 23-42) PROPERTY OWNER NAME: Delta Kappa Gamma Society International STREET & NUMBER: 416 West 12th Street T E L E P H O N E: 512-478-5748 CITY OR TOWN: Ausrin STATE: Texas ZIP CODE: 78701 NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 22 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 1. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building aerial photograph. Google Earth 2010. n*ger/ Data Nov 25, 2009 NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 23 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 2. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building site plan. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 24 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 3. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building first floor plan. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. / Is C (L^ ,* : •. I V O * •» ' I* • > f \ :c. i NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 25 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 4. Deha Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building basement floor plan. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Archhects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. B NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 26 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 5. Barcelona Pavilion reconstmction, Barcelona, Spain. Photograph by: Ashley Pomeroy at en.wikipedia, 2010. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 27 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 6. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building southwestem elevation, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, I960) n.p. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 28 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 7. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building southem elevation. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. 3 fr aiiit.u(sccsracm E X I ST I MC NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 29 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 8. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building southem elevation, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)239. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 30 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 9. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building westem elevation. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. FIGURE 10. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building westem elevation, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)254. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 31 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 11. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building westem courtyard, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)251. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 32 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 12. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building northem elevation. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. TOP esracoR' T OP OF I ST TOP or C>A&KMe.NT B U I CK W A . I . U- pa —CURK> . 1 III rn Eur.V. S 2 . - 7 ' - 0" K 1 0 B . TU E L E V A T I Q Kl I I *- FIGURE 13. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building eastem elevation. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr, Architects, 1955. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collecdon, Austin History Center. k ^ L ^ L H v j H v a ^ a f l f- if i 11 iJ • NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 33 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 14. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building first floor renovation sketch. Drawn by Emily E. Ray, based on plans by Brooks and Barr Architects, 1964. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 34 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 15. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building basement floor renovation sketch. Drawn by Emily E. Ray, based on plans by Brooks and Barr Architects, 1964. Kuehne, Brooks and Barr Collection, Austin History Center. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 35 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 16. Deha Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building foyer, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)241. NPS Form IO-900-i (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 36 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 17. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building Aimie Webb Blanton Room, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)242. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 37 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 18. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building Annie Webb Blanton Room, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Deha Kappa Gamma Society, 1960) 243. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 38 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 19. Deha Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building Executive Coordinator office, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)245. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 39 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 20. Delta Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building corridor casement, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)259. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 40 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 21. Deha Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building office, 1960. Photograph by Dewey Mears. Eunah Temple Holden, Our Heritage in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Austin: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, 1960)246. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 41 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 22. Cox-Craddock House. Photograph by Emily Ray, 2010. FIGURE 23. Austin Public Library (now Austin History Center). Photograph by Emily Ray, 2010. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section FIGURE Page 42 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas FIGURE 24. American National Bank (now the Starr Building). Photograph by Emily Ray, 2010. FIGURE 25. J. J. Pickle Federal Building. Photograph by Emily Ray, 2010. NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section PHOTO Page 43 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas PHOTOGRAPH LOG Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas Photographer: Emily E. Ray Date: December 10, 2010 Location of digital files: Texas Historical Commission, Austin Photo 1 Southem Elevation Camera facing: Northeast Photo 2 Westem Elevation Camera facing: East Photo 3 Westem Courtyard Camera facing: North Photo 4 Northem Elevation Camera facing: Southwest Photo 5 Eastem Elevation Camera facing: Southwest Photo 6 Foyer Camera facing: North Photo 7 Annie Webb Blanton Room Camera facing: South Photo 8 Annie Webb Blanton Room Camera facing: Northeast Photo 9 Executive Coordinator Office Camera facing: Southeast Photo 10 Office Camera facing: Northeast NPS Form 10-900-a (Rev. 01/2009) OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section MAP Page 21 Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters Building Austin, Travis County, Texas MAP 1. Deha Kappa Gamma Society Intemational Headquarters Building map. Google Maps 2010. Tenia As<Mi<iflTion of BiiMiess Texas Di»mct &Cour«yAttv» Central ©2010 Google - Map data ©2010 Google, Sanborn - UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY NAME: D e l ta Kappa Gamma S o c i e ty I n t e r n a t i o n al Headquarters B u i l d in g MULTIPLE NAME: STATE & COUNTY: TEXAS, T r a v is DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: 2/24/12 4/03/12 REFERENCE NUMBER: 12000198 REASONS FOR REVIEW; DATE OF PENDING LIST: 3/19/12 DATE OF 45TH DAY: 4/11/12 APPEAL OTHER: REQUEST^ N DATA PROBLEM; N PDIL: N SAMPLE: N LANDSCAPE: N LESS THAN 50 YEARS: N N PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N N PERIOD: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT RETURN REJECT DATE ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS Entered is The National Register of Historic Places RECOM./CRITERIA_ REVIEWER TELEPHONE DISCIPLINE_ DATE DOCUMENTATION see a t t a c h ed comments Y/N see a t t a c h ed SLR Y/N If a nomination is r e t u r n ed to t he n o m i n a t i ng a u t h o r i t y, t he nomination is no l o n g er under c o n s i d e r a t i on by t he NPS. T E X AS H I S T O R I C AL C O M M I S S I ON real places t e l l i ng r e al 5 forfBECEIVED 2280 FEB 2 4Z012 NA- REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO: Edson Beall National Park Service National Register of Historic Places 1201 Eye Street, NW (2280) Washington , DC 20005 FROM: Gregory Smith Texas Historical Commission DATE: February 8, 2012 RE: Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Headquarters, Austin, Travis County, Texas • The following materials regarding the Delta Kappa Gamma Society are submitted: X Original National Register of Historic Places form Resubmitted nomination Multiple Property Documentation form _ Resubmitted form X Photographs printed from digital files X Gold CD with TIFF photograph files Photographs printed from negatives X USGS map Other: Correspondence - Notification of federal property owner (USPS) COMMENTS: Other: SHPO requests substantive review (cover letter from SHPO attached) The enclosed owner objections (do ) (do not ) constitute a majority of property owners P.O. BOX 12276 • AUSTIN, TEXAS • 78711-2276 • P 512.463.6100 • F 512.475.4872 • TDD 1.800.735.2989 • www.thc.state.tx.us RICK PERRY, GOVERNOR 'JON T. HANSEN, CHAIRMAN • MARK WOLFE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR