The Journal of San Diego HistorySAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY

Winter 1985, Volume 31, Number 1Thomas L. Scharf, Editor

The Silent SentinelSamuel Wood Hamill, F.A.I.A.

by Laura YoungGraduate History Student at the University of San Diego

Sam Hamill day-dreamed of what the fair would offer as he rode along in the streetcar towardBalboa Park.1 Twelve years old and the younger of the two Hamill boys, he had a pass for thePanama-California Exposition2 of 1915 safely tucked away in an inside jacket pocket. The pass,a present from his mother3, allowed unlimited access to the Exposition, and Sam planned tospend much of the summer vacation enjoying this great event in San Diego. What he could notimagine, at this age, however, is that one day his efforts would be largely responsible for thepreservation of the fair's architectural link to the history of San Diego. Thoughts of past summerscame to his mind as Sam recalled how he had become a San Diegan.

Recorded history of Samuel Wood Hamill gives his birthdate and place as April 27, 19034 inGlobe, Arizona5. From that time until the age of six Sam lived in that mining town with the othermembers of his family.

Father, Joseph Hackney Hamill6,arrived in Globe while still a teenager and later became owner,manager, and editor of the Arizona Silver Belt7 newspaper. Mother, Flora Hamill, came fromSilver City, Nevada8, where she had been born and raised. Sam had two older sisters9, an olderbrother10, and one younger sister11.

In 1909, economic strife, due in part to the lack of mining development in Globe, caused JosephHamill to move his family to San Diego, California12, to pursue new business opportunities. Thedecision startled Sam, but when assured that even Tippy, the family dog, would go to California,the move seemed not quite so alarming to a six year old who had never thought of leaving hislittle domain.

San Diego, a large city by comparison to Globe, fascinated Sam, and one day curiosity led him toleave the hotel for a stroll around the block to see the new buildings. Sam knew there would beno problem since if one turned right and continued in this direction the point of beginning wouldbe reached. After the lad had turned the fourth corner, an uneasy thought entered his mind whenno familiar door came into view. Sam no longer felt sure that he would reach the point ofbeginning, and the uneasy thought became sheer terror, "lost in the big city"! A gentleman whorecognized the plight of the young adventurer turned Sam to the right; his panic-stricken eyesmet the glorious sight of the hotel lobby. The door of the hotel, closed when the journey began,had been opened which removed this beacon from his line of vision. Sam knew then thatknowledge of this "big city" and its buildings would come later.13

Within a few days, Joseph rented a house for the family, located at 1124 Twenty-Fourth Street14,where the Hamills lived for two years. In 1912 Mr. Hamill purchased a home and 1612 FernStreet15 became their permanent residence.

The new neighborhood, close to Balboa Park, provided open space which the boys used forvarious expeditions. Coincidental to this time of outdoor activity, Sam became aware of theimportance of gardens and plantings through lectures given by Kate Sessions16 at the BrooklynSchool17 which he now attended. A quiet and sensitive young man, Sam enjoyed his explorationof the undeveloped canyons to find specimens of plant life for exhibition at school. This love ofnature became evident when Sam incorporated the view of gardens as a design element of hisresidences, a feature of the type of architecture found in Southern California.

Shortly after moving into the new home Mr. Hamill again found himself in economic straits dueto failing business investments, and in order to provide for his family, Joseph returned to Globe.The Silver Belt newspaper had moved to a different town, but Joseph stayed in Globe to establishanother newspaper, the Arizona Record.18 Mr. Hamill lived in Arizona for most of his life exceptfor visits to the home in San Diego where Flora Hamill remained with the children.

With Father gone, Mrs. Hamill encouraged the children to achieve success in any endeavor,instilled a sound Christian philosophy in their minds, and exposed the youngsters to culturalactivities whenever possible in the San Diego of the early twentieth century. The year 1915proved to be one of the most enlightening for Sam Hamill.

As the streetcar approached the entrance to the fair, reminiscences faded, and Sam reached intohis jacket for the pass. Card in hand, he prepared to present the ticket at the gate so there wouldbe no delay in getting to what awaited him beyond.19 The lad jumped off the streetcar as soon assafety permitted, and sprinted across the road toward the entrance to the wonders of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915.

A large arcade created an imposing entrance, with ticket gates in the center, and on either sidetwo curved walkways led to the buildings beyond. When Sam passed through the gate, hethought, "This is a different world this is not the San Diego I remember as a small child."20 Nodoubt he recalled the downtown area of the city as it looked when the family arrived in 1909, andnow the sight of these beautiful buildings, with the grandeur and eloquence of their SpanishColonial architecture21, overwhelmed him.

The buildings formed a quadrangle; the space between displayed the natural beauty of pools andgardens, and a broad paseo, or walking area, filled the central rectangle-an awesome sight. Agraceful cantilever bridge spanned Cabrillo Canyon22 on the West and connected the far end ofthe quadrangle to Sixth Avenue.23 Sam had not expected this experience:

I knew at that moment that I wanted to learn all I could about these beautiful buildings; to beable to enjoy them to the fullest degree ... I wanted to have these wonderful buildings lastforever, to be appreciated by all people who came to San Diego in the future.24

During the many visits that followed, Sam familiarized himself with every inch of the buildingsand gardens; especially where to find the free samples. Like most children, he spent much of histime investigating the mysteries of this new attraction. Unlike most youngsters, Sam developedan appreciation for the design of the Spanish Colonial structures, a magnificent architectural linkto the Spanish era in the history of San Diego. The complexity and detail of theChurrigueresque25 decor on some of the buildings fascinated him. Others, of the Mission style26,appealed to him in their simplicity, and the Indian27 architecture added a mystique to the overallambiance. Constant exposure to this oasis of physical beauty proved to be a significant influencein his decision to become an architect.

Sam had always liked to draw, and encouragement by his mother helped him to choose draftingclasses in high school. Sam remembers Lilian Rice28 as one of the drafting teachers whorecognized his potential as an architect. In response to a "Career Day" he selected architecture ashis interest, and attended a lecture given at school by the well known architect, WilliamTempleton Johnson.29 During the personal interview that followed, Mr. Johnson asked Sam towork for him that summer in an evaluation of the physical condition of some of the downtownbuildings. By acceptance of this offer, he launched himself in his architectural career.

After graduation from the San Diego High School30 in 1921, Sam enrolled at San Diego StateCollege31 and attended for one year.Lilian Rice taught him geometry at the State College, andonce again became a strong influence in persuading him to go on to the School of Architecture atthe University of California in Berkeley.32 Guided by the teaching of professors who had abackground of classicism in the Beaux Arts33 school of thought, Sam blossomed and became an"A" student. On May 11, 1927, he received his degree in architecture34, and went to workimmediately for the firm of Requa35 and Jackson36.

Sam had advantages as a new architect in an established firm. He had been employed in thisgroup as an apprentice while earning money to finish his education, Richard Requa and H.L.Jackson knew him personally, and his brother Joseph worked here as a draftsman. The seniorpartners recognized Sam's ability and allowed him to assist in the design of custom homes at thebeginning of his career. The talented young architect also designed interiors; that artistry wouldbe evident in the decor of the Japanese Tea Room, part of the Marston Company Building.37

The year of 1928 Sam worked in the Rancho Santa Fe office38of Requa and Jackson with hisformer teacher and mentor Lilian Rice, who assisted in development of the residential areabefore establishing her own practice. This firm of architects made a significant contribution tothe architectural style known as "Southern Californian,39a new era in contemporary San Diego

history. In 1929 Sam returned to the office in downtown San Diego. At that time the firm hadcontracts for several school buildings which he designed. These schools are located throughoutSan Diego County. Some of the structures appear to be traditional in style while others aredesigned to be compatible with the unique topography of Southern California-a continuitybetween past and present.

With his career well underway, Sam gave serious thought to marriage, and in 1931, GeorgetteRousseau40, a young lady of French and Mexican descent, became his bride. Shortly after themarriage, effects of the Great Depression41 reached San Diego, and the building of homesceased. Requa and Jackson could no longer afford to pay Sam a salary so they made him apartner of the firm. With this arrangement, all would share expenses as well as profit.

In the midst of this bleak economic crisis, fortune smiled upon the firm when Ralph Jenny42, alocal attorney and chairman of the State Relief Commission, recommended the selection ofWilliam Templeton Johnson, Louis Gill43, Richard Requa, and Sam Hamill to act as a committeefor the design of a new Civic Center Building at the waterfront.44 Federal funds had beenallocated for a WPA45 project in San Diego by the Roosevelt46 administration, and the city andcounty of San Diego desperately needed more spacious quarters.

Jenny quickly arranged for office space to accommodate 100 workers in one of the unusedbuildings of Balboa Park, and placed Sam Hamill in charge of the Civic Center project as ChiefDesigner.47 Subsequent events took place in rapid succession, and after consideration of theoriginal Nolen Plan48 for city development, along with several other alternatives, a modifiedSpanish Colonial style with ornamentation of gold and azure tiles satisfied the city council. OnDecember 5, 1935, local dignitaries turned the first shovel of earth toward the construction of theCivic Center49, now the County Administration Building. A large fountain designed by DonalHord50. on the waterfront side of the building portrays a domestic woman holding a water jugwhich complements the architectural style. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, greeted byRalph Jenny, dedicated the Civic Center to the people of San Diego in July of 1938,51 three yearsand seven months after groundbreaking.

During this period, but unrelated to other WPA projects, Sam redesigned some of the Expositionbuildings in Balboa Park, erected as temporary structures for the 1915 exposition, now to be usedfor cultural purposes. Perhaps the House of Hospitality with its Casa del Rey Moro Gardens52 isthe most charming and innovative of the redesigned buildings.

Sam remodelled the T-shaped building without altering the original facade, designed by CarletonM. Winslow.53 The interior of the structure had to be removed which created a courtyard wherean exquisitely designed fountain by Donal Hord provided a link to the Mexican heritage of SanDiego and extended a refreshing welcome to visitors. Adjacent to the rear of the building, wherethe restaurant is located, Sam cleverly utilized the natural topography of the small canyon by theuse of terraces which provided space for gracefully curved stairways and outdoor patios. Thesound of flowing water in several small fountains added to a delightful setting for large parties,weddings, or community gatherings. He incorporated this concept of outdoor living with his useof window space and access to patios which reflects his theory that man can produce harmony

and compatibility between traditional architecture and nature. Sam, the silent sentinel, has neverfelt the need to destroy the work of others to create a monument to Samuel Hamill, the architect.

In his next career milestone, he adapted Mission style architecture into the splendid design andconstruction specifications of the Del Mar Racetrack54, a tribute to another era, the missionaryhistory of California. The Turf Club tower, a replica of the Mission San Jose de Aguayo,55

dominates the landscape. The entrance and window above are facsimiles of their counterparts inthe San Jose mission. The facade of the East Exhibit Building is a copy of the Mission Dolores56

in San Francisco. The West Exhibit Building is a combination of the entrance to the San GabrielMission;57 the tower from a mission in the area of Mexico City.58 The grandstand style is that ofthe San Gabriel mission in Los Angeles. Construction specifications called for adobe brick whichSam knew could be made on the site. This type of construction would not only perpetuate thebuilding methods and materials of the missionaries, but also would be economically feasible.

At the time the WPA Del Mar project came to an end, Richard Requa had left the firm, andJackson seemed ready to retire from active practice which left Sam to maintain the firm alone.During the years that followed he designed several large buildings in San Diego. The VeteransWar Memorial in Balboa Park, Union Title and Trust Company, County Courts Building andSheriff facilities, and the Community Concourse are among those most notable. Sam still hopedthat one day the Nolen Plan for a mall connecting the harbor and Balboa Park would become areality, and tried to promote this plan for a homogeneous architectural development for SanDiego, both in his professional career and in his many civic involvements.

Because of his depth of feeling for people, nature, architecture and San Diego, Sam exertedevery effort to participate in the most meaningful way possible in the development andpreservation of things he considered most valuable. He initiated the founding of the San Diegans,Inc.,59the Committee of 100,60 and donated much of his time to other civic groups61. The AIA62

elected Sam a Fellow in 1957; the San Diego Floral Association made him an honorary memberin 1971, and in 1980 Roger Hedgecock, for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, honoredSam in a public ceremony as architect for the County Administration Building.63

Sam retired in 196864 after forty years of practice. Now an octogenarian, Sam remains active inmany civic organizations, and is vitally interested in the quality of future architecturaldevelopment as well as the preservation of existing historic buildings in San Diego.

By stature Sam is a small man, and by nature a quiet man, but his selfless contributions andaccomplishments loom large in the city he loves. The calm, clear blue eyes behind his spectaclesreflect the magnitude of thoughts and dedication toward his goals in life, By the appreciation andpreservation of what is already here, by the use of artistic elements in the homes of individuals,and by the incorporation of classic design in public buildings, Samuel Wood Hamill, through hisarchitecture, has quietly and unobtrusively given San Diego a reflection of the architectural erasin its history-Spanish, Mexican, and Southern Californian.

NOTES

1. In 1868 a large parcel of land, consisting of 1400 acres, became what we now know as BalboaPark. The name honors the Spanish explorer, Vasco Balboa, the first of the foreigners to see thePacific Ocean. The city of San Diego attached this name to the park in 1910. FlorenceChristman, The Romance of Balboa Park (San Diego: The Committee of 100, 1977), pp. VIII,29.

2. The Panama-California Exposition of 1915 began as a promotional idea of several prominentSan Diego business men, ostensibly to commemorate the opening of the Panama Canal in 1915,and in addition, to bolster the sagging economic conditions in San Diego. Four years of plans anddecisions passed before the grand opening on January 1, 1915. The fair brought people from allparts of the world and proved a tremendous success both from a cultural and an economicperspective. Iris H.W. Engstrand, San Diego: California's Cornerstone (Tulsa: ContinentalsHeritage Press, Inc., 1980), pp. 86-91.

3. Born in Silver City, Nevada, about the year 1860, Flora Isabel Wood Hamill moved to Globe,Arizona while still a young girl with her mother and stepfather. Flora married Joseph Hamill inGlobe and bore him five children. When the family moved to California in 1909, Flora remainedin San Diego to raise the children while her husband returned to Globe to earn his living. Apersonal communication with Sam Hamill is the source of this family background information.

4. April 27, 1903 is the date that Samuel Hamill gives as his birthday, and Globe as the place. Apassport in Mr. Hamill's possession has this date of birth.

5. Globe, Arizona, is located in the foothills of the Mazatzal Mountains, approximately 100 mileseast of Phoenix, the capital city, and 100 miles north of Tucson. This places Globe in thesoutheast quarter of the state. The town originally became settled as a result of the discovery ofsilver and copper in the quest for gold, and has remained a small mining town to the presenttime. Atlas of the Fifty United States, p.23, and Honor The Past . . . Mold the Future, (Globe,Arizona: Gila Centennials Incorporated 1976).

6. Joseph Hackney Hamill, born in St. Louis in mid 19th century, left the security of his familyowned and operated riverboat business to accompany his uncle, Harold Hackney, to Silver City,New Mexico, where they established a newspaper, the Siler Belt. Apparently Silver City did notsatisfy Uncle Harold, and when he decided to go further west, Joseph, eager for new horizons,continued on to Globe with Mr. Hackney. Samuel Hamill contributed this history of his fatherduring a personal interview on September 28, 1983.

7. A newspaper seemed appropriate for the small mining town of Globe, Arizona, and theArizona Silver Belt became the news medium for Globe. Uncle Harold must have had secondthoughts about frontier life and returned to St. Louis. Joseph remained in Globe, married, andbecame the father of five children. This branch of the Hamill family departed from Globe in1909, but Joseph returned alone in 1912 to resume life as a newspaper editor and manager. Mr.Hamill came to San Diego in 1925 to spend his last two years of life; he died the day after Sam

received a degree in architecture at Berkeley. Samuel Hamill related this history during apersonal interview on September 28, 1983.

8. Silver City, Nevada, is another of the many small mining towns scattered throughout thewestern states. The name appears to have been used for several other towns as well. This SilverCity is located approximately 30 miles south of the capital city of Reno, and about 20 miles eastof Lake Tahoe which places it in the extreme western part of the state. Atlas of the Fifty UnitedStates. p. 22.

9. Carrie Hamill, the eldest child in the family, after attending San Diego Teachers' College for ashort time, decided to become a nurse and left for Los Angeles. Nursing studies werediscontinued when she married Dr. Henry C. Richter, and the couple went to Calexico to live.Flora Hamill, second eldest child, became a teacher after attending San Diego Teachers' College.Flora married John B. Fitzpatrick and lived in Glendale, California. This family history iscontributed by Samuel Hamill.

10. Joseph H. Hamill, Jr., the older brother of Sam, did not attend college, but studied drafting inthe office of Requa and Jackson, architects. Joseph became a draftsman and practical engineer,and remained with the firm from 1928 until 1940 at which time he left to become a supervisor incharge of construction for the Public Housing Administration. Joseph worked in this capacityuntil his death in 1956. San Diego Union, March 8, 1956.

11. Ruth Mary Hamill, the youngest of the Hamill family, began college studies in Los Angeles;then attended San Diego State University to become a school teacher. Ruth joined the Red Crossduring WWII, served in Taiwan, and later went to Japan to organize the Yo-Yogi School whereshe taught the children of army personnel for sixteen years. Ruth Mary returned to this country,taught in the public school system for a number of years, and retired. Ms. Hamill now lives inSan Diego. Ruth Mary Hamill supplied this data through personal communication with thewriter, October 5, 1983.

12. In the year 1909 San Diego had become a bustling city of 40,000 people. Many bankbuildings, stores, hotels and restaurants lined the downtown streets. Some of the "foundingfathers" had died; however, the second generation of these families continued to support andfoster the future development of San Diego to the metropolis it is today. Engstrand, San Diego;California's Cornerstone, Chapter VI.

13. This is a story told by Sam Hamill in personal interview with the writer on October 5, 1983.

14. The house in which the Hamills first lived in San Diego is still in reasonably good condition.The structure is a moderate sized house constructed at the turn of the century in the then popularSpanish style, or Southern California vernacular style. The exterior finish is stucco; the simplevertical and horizontal lines are relieved by three arches in the pavilion at the front of the house.This description is by personal inspection of the property by the writer, October 12, 1983.

15. The second home, and permanent residence of the Hamills is located at 1612 Fern Street.This home is of moderate size; seven or eight rooms, and of frame construction. The house is a

bungalow type with a peaked roof which extends over the walls in a wide overhang. A broadveranda breaks the front elevation and four support columns of no particular order adorn thestreet side of the residence. The house has been converted lo apartments and the neighborhood isno longer middle class. This observation is the personal opinion of the writer on inspection of theproperty, October 12, 1983.

16. Kate O. Sessions, sometimes referred to as the "Mother of Balboa Park," graduated from theUniversity of California at Berkeley in 1881 with a degree in natural science. This nature loverstarted a nursery in Coronado in 1885; then moved to City Park, now Balboa Park, where shepromised to plant trees in lieu of paying rent for nursery space. She is responsible for theplanting of, literally, thousands of trees which she imported from all areas of the world. Hertireless dedication to beautification by plantings has made Balboa Park an oasis of greenery.Christman, The Romance of Balboa Park, pp. 8-12.

17 Brooklyn School is located on Fern Street in the area known as South Park. The originalstructure had to be reconstructed due to legislation enacted as a result of a serious earthquakewhich weakened old buildings. The reconstructed Brooklyn Elementary School is on the samesite as the old building where Sam went to school. Mr. Hamill verified this location as the site ofhis old school on inspection of the property with the writer on October 12, 1983.

18. Samuel Hamill has stated that Arizona Record is the name of the second newspaper JosephHamill established in the town of Globe, Arizona; Honor The Past.

19. Sam recalls that the minister of the Methodist-Episcopal Church had given a lecture alongwith a slide presentation of the forthcoming events and scenes of the Panama CaliforniaExposition of 1915. Sam had been present at this preview, so he knew to some extent, what toexpect at the fair.

20. This quotation is the exact thought, spoken to the writer, as experienced by Sam when hestood on the same spot sixty-eight years ago.

21. Spanish Colonial is a term used with reference to the use of Spanish Renaissance architectureof the 17th century combined with the simple Mission style architecture, which is identifiable bythe use of unbroken planes, arches for structural strength, and little or no ornamentation, andNorth American Indian architecture, both refined and primitive, of Aztec, Mayan, and Puebloorigins. This combination of styles caused the need for a new term of reference for the mixture ofthe three types. This is a personal evaluation and opinion of the writer derived from observationand some knowledge of architecture.

22. Cabrillo Bridge over Cabrillo Canyon; Cabrillo is a proper name of the man who firstdiscovered San Diego in 1542, just 50 years after Columbus discovered America. The originalname of the area, San Miguel, became San Diego in 1602. Throughout San Diego one finds thename Cabrillo attached (o streets, bridge, canyon and monument. Engstrand, San Diego:California's Cornerstone, and James R. Mills, San Diego, Where California Began, (San Diego:San Diego History Center, 1976).

23. Sixth Avenue runs approximately north and south through the entire area of downtown SanDiego and abuts the west side of Balboa Park. Street Map of San Diego, (San Jose, California:H.M. Gousha Co.)

24. These feelings and thoughts are those as expressed by Sam Hamill to the writer in a personalcommunication on the site of the old entrance (o the 1915 Exposition. October 21, 1983.

25. The term Churrigueresque is a derivative of the proper name Curriguera, the latter a Spanishcraftsman of the 17th century who developed his own style of Baroque, or heavy ornamentation,as decoration of large buildings. There are several books which offer definitions of this term;however, the writer has chosen this as the most concise and accurate. Encyclopedia Britannica,Vol. 19, p. 416.

26. The Franciscan missionaries first settled in California in the 18th Century and had only arudimentary knowledge of construction systems and building methods. Generally, Mission styleis identifiable by the simplicity of vertical and horizontal linear design which consists of flatunbroken planes, elemental use of arches as structural support, and a minimal use of fenestrationdue to the semi-arid climate. This is a personal opinion of the writer and a reference toChristman, The Romance of Balboa Park, pp. 33, 34, and William H. Pierson, Jr., AmericanBuildings and Their Architects.

27. Indian architecture, both refined and primitive, is basically simple in linear design. The useof the geometric pyramidal form in the more refined architecture of the highly developedsocieties of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations reflects a great similarity to Egyptian architecture.The simple unadorned and functional style of the nomadic Indians of the southwestern UnitedStates, indicates that the structures provided shelter and protection from (he harsh elements ofthe semi-arid climatic conditions and served only a useful purpose. This is a personal opinion ofthe writer and a reference to William H. Pierson, Jr, American Buildings and Their Architects,(New York: Double day & Company, Inc., 1970), p. 159.

28. According to Sam Hamill, Lilian Rice, a graduate of the School of Architecture at Berkeley,taught Sam drafting at San Diego High School, and a few years later had Sam as a student onceagain at San Diego State College. Miss Rice helped persuade Sam to pursue architecture as acareer, and extended her assistance when Sam attended Berkeley. Lilian and Sam workedtogether in the development of Rancho Santa Fe when Miss Rice finally found employment as anarchitect. Lucinda Liggett Eddy," Lilian Jenette Rice: Search for a Regional Ideal, TheDevelopment of Rancho Santa Fe," The Journal of San Diego History (Fall, 1983).

29. William Templeton Johnson, architect. Birthplace, Staten Island, New York on August 31,1877. Johnson graduated from Columbia University in 1907; then studied at the Ecole des BeauxArts in Paris, France from 1909 to 1911. Johnson designed several well known buildings in SanDiego; Junípero Serra Museum, Fine Arts Gallery, San Diego Museum of Natural History, andSan Diego Trust and Savings Building in which he maintained his office. Who's Who in America,1957-60. p. 1407.

30. The Board of Trustees for San Diego designated five acres of the City Park as a site for ahigh school in 1881. Since that era, the school has been enlarged to many times the original size,renamed San Diego High School, and is still located on (he south side of Balboa Park on thesame five acres. Engstrand, San Diego: California's Cornerstone, p. 55.

31. San Diego State College, now San Diego State University, changed the original name of SanDiego Teachers' College when men were enrolled in 1921, San Diego Daily Aztec, May 6, 1962,pp. 5-9.

32. The School of Architecture of the University of California at Berkeley is thought by some tobe one of the finest on the West Coast. When Sam attended college, the professors at Berkeleyhad been indoctrinated with a solid background of classical architecture which was reflected intheir traditional method of teaching, both in theory and in practical design. Sam Hamill offeredthis information during a personal interview on September 28, 1983, William W. Ferrier,Origion and Development of the University of California (Berkeley: Sather Gate Book Store,1930).

33. Ecole des Beaux Arts, or School of the Beautiful Arts, is one of the most famousarchitectural schools of the 19th century. It is located in Paris, France, and its philosophy seeksto furnish interior utility within classical buildings using the traditional elements of domes andcolumns along with basic principles of composition which present an overall harmony ofgeometric form and artistic ornamentation. Encyclopedia of American Architecture, Vol. 19, p.460.

34. The date of graduation from Berkeley is a matter of record, and verified by the date on thediploma which Sam Hamill has in his possession.

35. Richard Requa enjoyed a career as an architect for thirty years in San Diego. Although Mr.Requa did not have a degree in architecture per se, this man contributed much to the 20th centuryarchitecture known as Southern California style. Requa trained as an apprentice in the office ofIrving Gill in San Diego. "Richard Requa, Southern California Architect", Master's Thesis, MaryTaschner, USD, 1982.

36. H.L. Jackson graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania with a degree in structuralengineering. Jackson worked for a railroad company in the midwest; then came to Californiawhen San Diego enjoyed a tremendous growth after WWI. Jackson became a partner of RichardRequa in 1920, and in 1935 continued in partnership with Sam Hamill. This biographical sketchis supplied by Sam Hamill who knew Jackson personally.

37. The Marston Company Building, constructed about 1878, became one of the largestdepartment stores in San Diego. In the 1950's a large addition housed the Japanese tea roomdesigned by Sam Hamill. The building has been destroyed. Engstrand, San Diego: California'sCornerstone, p. 48.

38. The firm of Requa and Jackson established a branch office in an area known as Rancho SantaFe, one of the original land grants from the days of Mexican control in San Diego. This

residential community is located northeast of the city of San Diego. Sam Hamill verifies that heworked at Rancho Santa Fe during this period.

39. The architecture called Southern California is a combination of indoor/outdoor livingaccomplished by the use of patios, decks, balconies, and a window view of interior courtyards.The exterior finish is usually stucco, and the use of arches gives a Spanish accent. Roof coveringis generally of the rust colored ceramic curved tile used extensively in the Mediterraneancountries of Europe. Sam Hamill offered this definition lo the writer during a lour of homesdesigned by the firm of Requa, Jackson and Hamill. Architect and Engineer, June, 1927.

40. Georgette Rousseau Hamill, wife of Sam, lived for a time with her sister in La Jolla whereSam first met her. Georgette had been born and raised in Mexico, and continued to have closefriends among the many Mexican citizens of San Diego during the marriage. Sam Hamill offeredthis information during a personal interview by the writer on September 28, 1983.

41. The Great Depression of the 1930's happened as a result of the stock market crash in 1929,and the ensuing rush to withdraw cash from banks by panic stricken depositors. When the banksclosed, business virtually stopped and millions became unemployed. Burns, Peltason, Cronin,Government by the People (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1981.) pp. 568-570.

42. Ralph E. Jenny, Federal District Court Judge for the Southern District of California, practicedlaw in San Diego for many years. Mr. Jenny acted as Chairman of the State Relief commission,and as an active Democrat appeared to have a personal acquaintance with F.D. Roosevelt. Thisposition enabled Jenny to obtain relief projects for San Diego including funds for the CivicCenter. Jenny died in Pasadena in 1945. San Diego Union, articles dating from 1935 to 1945.

43. Louis J. Gill, nephew of Irving Gill, enjoyed a 44 year career as a distinguished architect, andworked on some of the better known structures in San Diego which include the San Diego Zoo,Scripps Hospital and Institution of Oceanography, and the Mission Hills Congregational Church.The American Institute of Architects elected him a Fellow in 1941. This biographical sketch iscontributed by Douglas Kroll who recently completed a biography of Louis J. Gill.

44. The city council approved a contract for a new civic center in November of 1935. Thisbuilding would house the offices of both the city and county of San Diego. The contract for thedesign of the new Civic Center went to the team of Requa, Johnson, Gill and Hamill. San DiegoUnion, November 13, 1935.

45. WPA is the combination of three letters which represent the Works Progress Administration,one of the many new governmental agencies created by (he Roosevelt administration during theGreat Depression. These agencies funded government projects to relieve the mass unemploymentthroughout the country. David Muzzey, History of the American People, (Boston: Ginn andCompany, 1938), p. 741.

46. The Roosevelt administration responded to the efforts of Ralph Jenny when he went toWashington, D.C. to confer with government officials for relief projects in California. The San

Diego Chamber of Commerce commended Jenny for obtaining funds for the Civic Center. SanDiego Union, November 30, 1935.

47. Ralph Jenny placed Sam Hamill in charge of the Design Office for the Civic Center. Requaand Johnson had been chosen as architectural consultants for the new exposition of 1935 whichkept them busy with other matters. Gill did the administrative work, and Sam devoted his time tothe Civic Center project. This information is from the transcript of a personal interview by BobWright for the San Diego History Center, with Sam Hamill in 1974.

48. The Nolen plan is a proposal set forth in 1908 by John Nolen, a city planner fromCambridge, Massachusetts. This proposal suggested a comprehensive and planned constructiondevelopment for the city of San Diego whereby a mall would connect the Civic Center, locatedat the waterfront to Balboa Park. The buildings would have been of classic design presenting anarchitectural homogeneity and continuity to the downtown area. San Diego Union, Section F.,January 8, 1983.

49. The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the Civic Center site with local dignitaries andpoliticians present to see the first shovel of earth turned toward the ultimate goal of the longawaited Civic Center. San Diego Sun, December 5, 1935.

50. Donal Hord, a talented and well known sculptor, has been innovative in the architectural useof sculpture in the San Diego area. Many of his works depict the Spanish-Mexican influence onthe culture of Southern California. Donal Hord studied at the American Academy of the Arts inPhiladelphia and the Beaux Arts School in New York. Christman, The Romance of Balboa Park,pp. 92-93.

51. Franklin Delano Roosevelt arrived in San Diego in July of 1938 to participate in thededication of the new Civic Center. Ralph Jenny, designated by the city council, as Chairman ofthe Welcome Committee greeted President Roosevelt. San Diego Union, July 6, 1938.

52. The House of Hospitality houses the Cafe del Rey Moro and the Casa del Rey MoroGardens. This building is now used for office space by several civic groups, and the restaurantwith its gardens, similar to those in the Casa del Rey Moro, or home of the Moorish King ofSpain, is well patronized by the public. Bruce Kamerling, "Architecture of Balboa Park," Apollo(June, 1983), pp. 4-5.

53. Carleton M. Winslow came to San Diego in 1911 specifically to work with BertramGoodhue, the principal architect for the 1915 Exposition. Mr. Winslow later returned to LosAngeles and Beverly Hills to continue his career. Who's Who in America, 1944-45, Vol. 2, p.2236.

54. The Del Mar Racetrack is another of the projects partially funded by federal monies throughthe WPA agency created by Roosevelt. This facility had to be completed through a loan fromprivate funds when the government source became depleted. San Diego Union, May 1936.

55. The Mission of San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo is located in the mission valley near SanAntonio, Texas. Fray Antonio Margil, one of the most courageous Franciscan pioneers, foundedthe mission in 1720, and dedicated it to the Marquis of San Miguel de Aguayo, the Governor ofTexas. The church of San Jose is the most authentic surviving example of European Baroquearchitecture in America. The elaborate sculptured portal and window above are attributed to ayoung Spaniard, Pedro Huizar, c. 1730. W.H. Pierson, Jr., American Buildings and TheirArchitects (New York: Doubleday, 1970), pp. 176-185.

56. Mission Dolores is located in San Francisco; founded in 1776 by the Franciscan Padre Palouon October 9. The original site was changed, and its present location established in 1782. Jesse S.Hildrup, The Missions of California and the Old Southwest (Chicago: A.C. McClurg &Company, 1912), p. 48.

57. The San Gabriel Mission in Los Angeles is one of the best known of the California missions.Father Serra founded the mission September 8, 1771, with the assistance of two other priests.Missions of California and the Old Southwest, p. 42.

58. The reference to this mission in the area of Mexico City cannot be documented. It is possiblethat this mission is no longer in existence and the location and name are unknown to SamHamill, the architect of Del Mar Racetrack.

59. Sam Hamill is one of the founders of the San Diegans, Inc., a civic group dedicated to therevitalization and development of the downtown area of San Diego. The organization has beenactive since the 1960s. This information has been compiled by Rhoda Kruse, Senior Librarian forthe San Diego Public Library for publication of brochure, 1980. See also the Archives of SanDiegans, Inc.

60. In 1967, four people met to discuss the fate of the Food and Beverage Building, one of thefour original structures remaining from the 1915 Exposition. Sam Hamill, one of the group,remarked that they would be lucky to find 100 people to participate in the plan to save thisbuilding. To the astonishment of all, 450 people appeared, and the name, The Committee of 100,became official. This civic organization has preserved the Spanish Colonial architecture inBalboa Park by having the El Prado area placed on the National Register for Historic Places, andcontinues to work toward the maintenance and preservation of these beautiful buildings.Christman, The Romance of Balboa Park, pp. xii-xvii.

61. Sam Hamill has donated his time to the Community Chest, Balboa Park Citizens StudyCommittee, San Diego Urban Renewal Committee, San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association,Museum of Man, San Diego Fine Arts Society, Boys and Girls Aid Society, San Diego Chamberof Commerce, Navy League, and Catholic Community Service.

62. AIA are initials generally recognized as representing the words, American Institute ofArchitects. This group of professional architects elected Sam Hamill a Fellow, or one of theirgroup who has achieved outstanding success in his career, in 1957. San Diego Union, April 18,1957.

63. The public ceremony took place at the County Administration Building where Sam receivedrecognition not only for his contribution relative to this structure, but also the Del MarFairgrounds and his numerous school buildings. San Diego Daily Transcript, May, 1980.

64. Sam closed his office and retired in 1968 because he had suffered a slight stroke from whichhe recovered rapidly. Mr. Hamill lives in his Mission Hills home with his faithful little dog,Corky. The house originally belonged to Morizt Trepte and was designed by Wm. TempletonJohnson. It is interesting that Mr. Johnson is the man who offered Samuel Hamill his first jobrelated to architecture. Mr. Hamill contributed this information during a personal interview withthe writer on September 28, 1983, and the house has been identified by Walter Trepte as thefamily residence.

THE PHOTOGRAPHS are from the San Diego History Center's Title Insurance and TrustCollection.

This article received the Second Prize, Kamerling Award at the San Diego Historical Society's1984 Institute of History.

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The interior courtyard of the House of Hospitality in Balboa Park is one of Sam Hamill's morepopular designs. The fountain is by Donal Hord.

(left to right) Hamill, Frank G. Forward and James D. Forward, Sr. examine a model of Hamill'sdesign for the Union Title Insurance Company's building.

At left, architect Hamill stands in front of the completed structure, November, 1959.

The buildings of San Diego's 1915 Panama-California Exposition became an inspiration toHamill as a boy. He later recalled that after first seeing them, "I wanted to have these wonderfulbuildings last forever..."

THE PHOTOGRAPHS are from the San Diego History Center's Title Insurance and TrustCollection.

San Diego History Center, 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, California 92101 -Phone: (619) 232-6203