Dwight James Baum Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Baum, Dwight James, 1886-1939.
Title:	Dwight James Baum Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1922 (ca)-1950
Quantity:	10 linear ft.
Abstract:	Papers of the American architect. Collection includes three pencil drawings, miscellaneous published materials, and several hundred photographs (interior and exterior) of completed Baum architectural projects, mostly homes in Florida and New York State.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Library 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 http://scrc.syr.edu

Biographical History

Dwight James Baum (1886-1939) was an American architect. Born in Little Falls, New York, Baum graduated from Syracuse University in 1909 and almost immediately began a steady rise in reputation and respect in his chosen field. He specialized in country homes and institutional work; among other things he designed Syracuse Memorial Hospital and the Columbus Circle area in Syracuse, the Westside YMCA and Trade School in New York City, and the Hotel El Verona in Sarasota, Florida. One of his largest projects was the mapping out of a 50-year building and expansion plan for Syracuse University, as part of which he was the architect for Hendricks Chapel, the College of Medicine (now part of Upstate Medical University), and the Maxwell School of Citizenship. Baum also served as architect for Wells, Clarkson, Hartwick, and Middlebury Colleges, all in New York State.

Baum also played a significant part in the development of Florida in the 1920s, designing among other things dozens of individual homes, a newspaper plant and a country club; serving on the board of architects for the complete replanning of Clewiston; and devising a new town plan for Fort Pierce.

Baum wrote many articles, and served as architectural consultant to Good Housekeeping magazine. His plans were exhibited at venues in Paris, London, Berlin, and several South American cities. His abilities were recognized numerous times during his career. He won bronze medals (1931, 1932, 1933) and gold medals (1932) from Better Homes in America, a gold medal from the Architectural League of New York, and in 1934 was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine arts from Syracuse University. On that occasion, Chancellor Charles Flint praised him:

"...for that rare combination of business and executive ability, precise knowledge of structural problems, thoroughness in coordination of plan requirements to the purpose of the project, discriminating cognition and realization of preparation and detail in design, along with a high sense of beauty..."

Baum was member of the Beaux Arts Institute of Design, American Federation of Arts, Architectural League of New York, National Sculpture Society, American Institute of Architecture, and the University Club of New York.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The bulk of the Dwight James Baum Papers consists of Photographs. Styles include Italianate, Colonial, Dutch Colonial, Georgian, and English. A detailed spreadsheet, listing subject, style, location, and photographer, is available here. Three Pencil drawings by Eggers, and Miscellaneous material (an index of wooden frame houses, some published material, miscellaneous other items) complete the collection.

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Arrangement of the Collection

With a few exceptions, the collection is arranged alphabetically by building or project name.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this material

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has the papers of a number of leading architects. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Dwight James Baum Papers
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Library

Finding Aid Information

Created by: --
Date: --
Revision history: 5 Sep 2007 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

	Photographs
		Please refer to the Excel spreadsheet inventory for more detailed information.
Box 1		Allyn - Baily House
Box 2		Barnum - Barrett
Box 3		Bates - Barnes
Box 4		Baum, various
Box 5		Bonnfield - Beichi
Box 6, 7		Campagna
Box 10		Chapman
Box 8		Chicago Pavilion
Box 9		Contessa Villa
Box 10		Collins - Cooper
Box 11		Crosley
Box 12		Dailey - Drumlins
Box 13		Elliot - Evans
Box 14		Fein - Fuerth
Box 15		Galban - Galley
Box 16		Gibbes, Griffin
Box 17		Hamilton, Hammerstein
Box 18		Hatch - Hilbonn
Box 19		Hoffman
Box 20		Hughes - Hutton
Box 21		Iselin - K-House
Box 22, 23		Law, Robert
Box 24		Lawrence
Box 25		Leach - Lyons
Box 26		Malady - Middlebury College
Box 27		Mullaly - Murray
Box 28		Nimock
Box 29		Patton House - Quinn
Box 30		Riley
Box 31		Ringling, Ritt
Box 32		Riverdale Club - Rowland
Box 33		Sarasota
Box 34		El Verona, recreation group, spa
Box 35		Schwab - Simpson
Box 36		Skillman - Stevenson
Box 37, 38		Syracuse Memorial Hospital, Syracuse University College of Medicine
			See also University Archives for more information
Box 39		Syracuse University Hendricks Chapel
			See also University Archives for more information
Box 40		Syracuse University Maxwell School
			See also University Archives for more information
Box 41		Taylor - Tekenian
Box 41		Unidentified
Box 42		United States Post Office - Wagner
Box 43		Wells College
Box 44		Wilds - World's Fair
Box 45		Wychwood - Wylds
Box 46, 47		West Side YMCA
Box 47		Zinc - Zoller

	Pencil drawings
Box 49		Hartwick College - chapel, library, dormitory

	Miscellaneous
Box 48		Citadels of democracy, camps and plans for men and munitions
Box 48		Index of wooden frame houses
Box 48		Congress of International Geography
Box 50		Salisbury, D.E.
Box 51		M85-46

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