Rebecca Wood Watkin
Architectural Drawings, 1940-1989

Ms95-009
2.5 cubic feet

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Rebecca Wood Watkin was born in 1913 in Portland, Oregon. She earned a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College in 1933, and a B. Arch. from the Architecture School of the University of Pennsylvania. She returned to the west coast, and worked in other architects' offices during the 1930s and 1940s. She earned her California Architectural license in 1944 and opened her own practice in 1951. She collaborated with architect Fred Coolidge from 1953 to 1970, and then practiced from her own office in Sausalito, California, from 1972 to 1989. She served on the Marin County Planning Commission from 1954 to 1958. She continued to design until her retirement in 1990.

Watkin married Joseph Esherick in 1938; they divorced in 1951. She married Harold Watkin in 1958; he died in 1981. She has three children. Her avocational activities include involvement in Democratic Party political campaigns on all levels of government and work with the Ecumenical Association for Housing in Marin County, California.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The papers consist of architectural drawings of remodelings, alterations, additions, and new designs of buildings, mostly residences, that Watkin worked on from 1940 to 1989. The locations, unless otherwise noted, are all in northern California.

Also in the collection are photographs of three projects: the Watkin residence in Kentfield, California; the Creek Apartments in San Anselmo, Marin County, California; and the Watkin residence in Placer County, California; and a 1956 article in Progressive Architecture on the Watkin residence in Kentfield.

PROVENANCE

The papers were donated by Rebecca Wood Watkin in April 1995 with the aid of Inge S. Horton of San Francisco, California. An addition to the collection, consisting primarily of photographs of three of Watkin's projects, was made by Inge S. Horton in August 2002.

Processing of the collection was completed by J. Harlow, Student Assistant, under the supervision of L.K. Smith, Manuscripts Curator, in 1995; and by Jessica Caruthers, Student Assistant, under the supervision of Catherine G. OBrion, Manuscripts Archivist, in October 2002.

INVENTORY

Oversize Folder 1

• 1940--Wood residence, located on Columbia River near Vancouver and Washington state. 4 drawings.
• 1950--Additions to Arequipa Sanitorium, Fairfax. 6 drawings.
• 1950--Alteration of Sunnyhills Infirmary, San Anselmo. 16 drawings.

Oversize Folder 2

• 1962--Creek Apartments (24 units) in San Anselmo. 1 drawing.
• 1962--Addition of bedroom and kitchen to Smith residence, Kentfield. 5 drawings.
• 1963--Service building and addition to Yacht sales building, Sausalito Yacht Harbor. 3 drawings.
• 1963--Thomas Wiper Apartments, Sausalito. 4 drawings.
• 1964--Alteration of and addition to Meyer residence, Sausalito. 6 drawings.

Oversize Folder 3

• 1965--Addition to beach house, Bolinas. 3 drawings.
• 1965--House in Alpine Meadows, Bear Creek, for Royston and Watkin. 8 drawings.
• 1965--Littman residence, Alpine Meadows. 9 drawings.
• 1965--Addition of a deck and garage to Sprang residence, Mill Valley. 6 drawings.
• 1966--Eldridge House on Donner Lake. 10 drawings.

Oversize Folder 4

• 1966--Alteration (garage and entry) of Erickson residence, San Anselmo. 5 drawings.
• 1966--Milk Bar, Village Fair, Sausalito. 6 drawings.
• 1968--Stairhall fixture, Littman residence, Alpine Meadows.
• 1969--Alteration of Gantner residence, San Francisco. 2 drawings.
• 1969--Alteration of an addition of a second story to Odgers residence, Mill Valley. 14 drawings.
• 1969--Alteration of Westberg residence, Mill Valley. 2 drawings.

Oversize Folder 5

• 1970--Kitchen alteration of Lewis residence, Larkspur. 4 drawings.
• 1971--Alteration of Tellone residence, Woodside. 2 drawings.
• 1971--Alteration of Hawkins residence, Cotati. 2 drawings.
• 1971--Alteration (bedroom, bath and dressing room; carport and remodeling of garage to recreation room) to Matthews residence, Tiburon. 11 drawings.

Oversize Folder 6

• 1972--Main cabin and sleeping cabins for Watkin family on the Metolius River, Camp Sherman, Oregon. 3 drawings.
• 1972--Addition of a library to Littman residence, Rolling Hills, Tiburon. 80 drawings. Includes drawings (1976-79) for Spec residences for Allan Littman. 33 drawings.
• 1972--Addition of a dining room and sun room to Gatov residence, Kentfield. 14 drawings.

Oversize Folder 7

• 1973--Alteration (gallery and pergola) of Spiller residence, Kentfield. 3 drawings.
• 1973--Alterations and additions to Weston residence, San Anselmo. 2 drawings.
• 1973--Addition to Duck Club on Grizzly Island (not built). 2 drawings.
• 1974--Alterations to Vaughan residence, Point Richmond. 2 drawings.

Oversize Folder 8

• 1975--Alteration of Reynolds residence, Petaluma (not built). 1 drawing.
• 1975--Alteration of Thorner residence, Kentfield. 13 drawings.
• 1975--Ecumenical Association for Housing, various proposals for housing in different locations and years (Pole House in Fairfax; Apartments for Elderly, Christ Presbyterian Church, Terra Linda; Mixed income housing on McLeran Property). 11 drawings.
• 1975-77--Addition (garden room) to Denman residence, Kentfield. 5 drawings.
• 1977--Alteration to T&M office building, St. Helena. 5 drawings.
• 1978--Alterations and additions to Brombaugh residence. 2 drawings.
• 1978-79--Alteration to create low-income housing for Ecumenical Association for Housing, San Rafael (not built). 12 drawings.

Oversize Folder 9

• 1979--Griffen ski house, Alpine Meadows (not built). 14 drawings.
• 1979--Office for National Emergency Services, Tiburon. 13 drawings.
• 1979--Alteration and addition to Denman residence, Larkspur. 7 drawings.
• 1980--Alteration of and addition to Miller residence, Kentfield. 12 drawings.
• 1980--Alteration of and addition to Scales residence, Ross. 4 drawings.
• 1980--McDonald residence, Ross (not built). 23 drawings.
• 1981--Seismic and conversion to public use feasibility study for Marconi property, Marshall, for the San Francisco Foundation (formerly Synanon property). 14 drawings.
• 1981--Remodeling of office of Larry Livingston & Associates, Sausalito. 1 drawing.

Oversize Folder 10

• 1981--Development plan for property in Cotati, approved but not developed (sketches only for residential units). 7 drawings.
• 1981?--Addition to Hawley residence, Healdsburg. 4 drawings.
• 1982--Addition (conservatory) to Spiller residence, Kentfield. 2 drawings.
• 1983--Carport for Vogler residence. 5 drawings.
• 1983--Addition to living room of Engel residence, Greenbrae. 3 drawings.

Oversize Folder 11

• 1985--Addition of a sunroom with hot tub to Esherick residence, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 5 drawings.
• 1986--Addition to Leones residence, Kentfield. 7 drawings.
• 1986-87--Girl Scout camp outside of Fairfax. 21 drawings.

Oversize Folder 12

• 1987--Alteration (bedrooms and bathroom) of Westberg residence, Belvedere. 6 drawings.
• 1987-88--Alteration of True residence (added guest room, bath, carport, storage room, deck, new entrance and stairs). 5 drawings.
• 1988--Alteration of an office building and deck, Watkin Trust property, San Anselmo. 1 drawing.

Oversize Folder 13

• 1989--Alteration of Thorner residence, Kentfield. 4 drawings.

Box 1

• Folder 1-8 : Photographs of Thorner residence in Kentfield, California, n.d.
• Folder 9: Article on the Watkin residence in Kentfield, California, in Progressive Architecture, June 1956.
• Folder 10-11: Photographs of Creek Apartments, San Anselmo, Marin County, California, 1964.
• Folder 12-15: Photographs of Watkin residence, Placer County, California, 1965-1967.

Box 2

• Folder 1-6: Photographs of Watkin residence, 1965-1967.

Send questions or comments to:
IAWA Archivist, University Libraries
Virginia Tech, P.O. Box 90001,
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001