James Gamble Rogers II   Considered to be Winter Park's most revered architect James Gamble Rogers II was born Jan. 24th, 1901, in Chicago, the son and nephew of well-regarded architects. His uncle, James Gamble Rogers of New York, was famed for buildings at Yale University. His father, John Arthur Rogers, practiced in Chicago until health problems forced him to move to Florida. James Gamble Rogers II graduated from Daytona Beach High School and later attended Dartmouth College for three years. He did not graduate, but received a solid foundation in the profession of his father and his uncle. Returning to Florida, he worked and studied with his father in Daytona Beach, then opened an office of his father's firm in Winter Park in 1928. He started his own firm in 1935. It survives today as Rogers, Lovelock and Fritz. During the early years of his career, he designed some of the finest houses in Winter Park, including Four Winds, a French Provincial cottage he built for he and his bride, Evelyn on the Isle of Sicily, and Casa Feliz (the Barbour House), which was based on a Spanish farmhouse. James Gamble Rogers was most interested in the informal styles of Spanish, French and English domestic architecture. He remained faithful in terms of scale and materials to the original styles that inspired him. Then, after WWII, his firm became involved in large institutional commissions, including the Florida Supreme Court Building. The firm also became the architects for Rollins College, designing the Mills Library (and later, the Olin Library), and the Archibald Granville Bush Science Center. All tolled, Rogers designed, renovated or contributed to work on approximately 20 buildings at Rollins College. He also led a group of architects that were responsible for designing the first phase of the University of Central Florida. Rogers and his wife, Evelyn, had two children: James Gamble Rogers IV, and John Rogers. The elder of Rogers' two sons, James Gamble Rogers IV, worked in his father's office briefly but went on to become a popular musician and story teller under the name Gamble Rogers. Son John went on to be an architect in his own right. Rogers died on October 28th, 1990 in his home in Winter Park. He is remembered as a beloved father and grandfather . . . and a man of wit, athleticism and talent. **   The Winter Park History & Archives Collection contains a biographical file about James Gamble Rogers II and three photographs in our historical photograph collection. In 1993, the first Smith Grant was awarded to Patrick W. McClane for research on the works of Rogers.  It was entitled: James Gamble Rogers II: Residential Architecture in Winter Park, Florida. In 2004, the University Press of Florida published this work. Both of these items can be found in the Winter Park History & Archives Collection. New additions to the collection: In January 2010, the library received a gift from Rogers' son, John H. Rogers . . . a donation of 175 books from the private library of James Gamble Rogers II. They vary greatly in scope and range, but deal with architecture around the world and through the ages.   In April 2010, another generous gift was bestowed by John H. Rogers . . . 25 sets of original architectural drawings created by his father. They consist primarily of the residential architectural drawings that were commissioned by clients wishing to have their Winter Park home designed by JGR II. Another 43 sets of drawings will be added in the future.   In May, 2011, a third gift was received from John H. Rogers: a collection of photographs taken by Harold Haliday Costain during the decade of the 1930s. The photographs in this collection showcase two of Roger's most familiar creations . . . the Barbour House (Casa Feliz) and the Ingram House.   All of these gifts are located within the Winter Park History & Archives Collection. Please contact our archivist, Barbara White, for information about these newest additions.     Additional information . . .   Coming soon!  A complete list of the architectural drawings that were donated to the library by John H. (Jack) Rogers. These drawings are a significant representation of the work of James Gamble Rogers II from 1924 - 1951. These drawings pre-date the use of computer aided design and therefore reflect the true talent of this renowned architect. There will be 68 separate sets of drawings in total. They reflect various projects, but are mainly residential in nature. The drawings include preliminary sketches, perspective sketches, and working drawings. A majority of the homes were designed for clients desiring a residence in Winter Park. Please check back for updates!   A sampling from the list of the books that the library received from Jack Rogers . . . from his father's private library. A wide variety of interests are reflected. A brief glance would reveal books about: the architecture of ancient Rome and Greece, interior design, woodworking, textiles, the Fine Arts, English mansions, hospital design, town planning . . .and more! Publication dates range from 1863 - 1978.     In May 2011, Jack Rogers donated a collection of historical photographs taken by eminent photographer Harold Haliday Costain. Costain met James Gamble Rogers II in 1930 when he was here on an assignment for The American Home magazine. The photographs revealed here were commissioned on subsequent visits to Florida. The homes featured in this collection are the Barbour House (Casa Feliz) and the Ingram House. Click here to view these photographs       Item: Photograph Source: History & Archives Collection: Photograph collection Date: c.1980 Item: Advertisement Source: The Florida Realty Journal Date: 1938 Item: Newspaper photograph Source: The Winter Park Herald Title: "Proposed Congregational Church Addition" Caption: This addition will occupy the site of the Hooker Memorial Date: February 23, 1940 Item: Photograph of JGR II and wife Evelyn Source: History & Archives Collection: Photograph collection Date: c.1980   Item: Photograph of JGR II Source: History & Archives Collection: Photograph collection Date: c.1980 Item: Obituary. Source: The Orlando Sentinel Title: “James Gamble Rogers II dies: noted architect designed houses, public buildings” Reporter: Chuck Twardy Date: October 31, 1990   Item: The research results of 1993 Smith Grant award. Title: James Gamble Rogers II: Residential Architecture of  in Winter Park, Florida. Authors: Debra L. Alderson & Patrick McClane Date: 1994   Item: Book based on the Smith Grant research Title: The Architecture of James Gamble Rogers II in Winter Park, Florida. Author: Patrick McClane & Debra A. McClane Publisher: The University Press of Florida Date: 2004   ** Oral History: An interview with James Gamble Rogers II (Click here to listen) Transcript: Mr. Keith McKean is interviewing architect James Gamble Rogers on October 27, 1981. Here are a few excerpts. Mr. McKean had asked Mr. Gamble Rogers about the kind of houses that were here in Winter Park when he arrived in 1928. McKean: “There was some Spanish architecture, wasn’t there?” Rogers: “There was a little. And, of course, the two examples, ‘The Ripples’ . . . and Hugh’s house, “Windsong.” They’re excellent examples of good Spanish architecture.” McKean: “What makes them good examples?” Rogers: “Well, you have to have the proper kind of stucco, and if you look at the Rollins buildings – starting with the chapel, which was the first really distinguished building on the campus – a beautifully done building with stucco that is exactly right, and the buildings that we did are all stuccoed about the same way. We’ve done about, I think, twelve or fourteen buildings over there and actually we’re working now on a new one, doing some research on the new library.” McKean: “What got you interested in Spanish? Did you think it fitted this area, or . . .” Rogers: “Yes, I thought it suited it very well, really, because, of course, the climate is similar to what you find in Spain and Italy and those places along the Mediterranean, and with not too many windows, where you get sunlight and still some way to get a breeze through. An early man and his wife, Dr. Shippen, Eugene Shippen, from Boston, I think . . . probably Boston or Washington . . . Mrs. Shippen was from a very prominent Washington family and Dr. Shippen was, I think, from Boston. Were intensely interested in Spanish architecture and they commissioned me to do their house. It’s on North Park Avenue, as you make the turn from north to west up there . . . a deep lot – all the way to the lake. McKean: “Is that house on Lake Osceola?” Rogers: “Let me see. Yes, Osceola, that’s right, Lake Osceola. The Shippens were world travelers, and they were very fond of Spanish architecture and asked me to go ahead and do a real Spanish house. That was one of the very earliest. Then Harvey Barbour came along and he had this beautiful lot, you know, on North Interlachen Avenue.” “Evelyn and I were sitting at home one time and somebody tapped on the door and I went to the door and here were Mr. and Mrs. Barbour, whom I had never met. And he said, “I want to know who your architect was,” and I said well, I was my own. Let me give you this much more background: In 1928 . . . I was married in 1929, just before the big crash on Wall Street. In fact I was up at the summer place in Michigan at the time. So . . . let me see . . . Mr. Barbour said, “I want to know who your architect was,” and I told him that I had designed it myself. He said, “I want you to design me a house, but I don’t want anything like this. I think your house is beautiful, but I don’t want anything like it. He said, “I want a Spanish farmhouse. You may design it anyway you want. I won’t interfere, and if I don’t like it when it’s done, I’ll sell it. I’m not going to interfere with you one bit. You just make me a beautiful Spanish farmhouse.” McKean: “That’s a remarkable offer.” Rogers: “It was the only time in my life when anybody ever said a thing like that. So, that’s the way the Barbour house came into being and that made quite a splash here, and also nationally.”