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Merton Elwood Granger Papers

An inventory of his papers at the Syracuse University Archives

Summary

Creator: Granger, Merton Elwood.
Title: Merton Elwood Granger Papers
Dates: 1910-1961
Size: 3 map cases (12 linear feet)
Abstract: A collection of Merton Elwood Granger's architectural drawings for houses and other buildings in or near Syracuse, New York.
Language: English
Repository: University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biography

Merton Elwood Granger

Born on February 28, 1882, in Wayland, New York, Merton Elwood Granger (1882–1974) enrolled in nearby Syracuse University in 1905. Granger studied at the University’s School of Architecture, and after graduating in 1909, he would go on to have a long career designing homes and other buildings in the city of his alma mater.

After receiving his degree, Granger got his professional start working as an architectural draftsman for Syracuse-based architect A. L. Brockway. In 1916, just a few years later, Granger started his own architectural practice in Syracuse. He later formed the firm Granger and Gillespie with Helen E. Gillespie. In 1944, he became the firm's senior partner, and he continued his work there for almost another thirty years before retiring.

In addition to working on his many professional projects, Granger was also kept busy by his involvement with local architectural organizations. He was the co-founder of the Syracuse Society of Architects, who would award him with a Certificate of Service; he was a member of the New York Association of Architects, with which he served as director for ten years; he also worked with the American Institute of Architects for over fifty years, serving on the board of directors. Other local organizations Granger was involved with include the Syracuse Board of Assessors, the Tri-Regional Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute, Inc., and the Code Committee for the City of Syracuse.

Granger retired in 1973, ending his career as a prominent, active figure in the local architectural community. He died just a year later, in Syracuse, on November 26, 1974.

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Scope and Content Note

The Merton Elwood Granger Papers contains architectural drawings and plans from 1910 to 1961. Most of the collection is comprised of Granger's architectural drawings for houses in Syracuse, New York, drafted between 1920 and 1940. The collection also includes plans for houses in surrounding areas, such as Fayetteville and Dewitt, and materials related to other types of buildings, such as drawings for St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in Syracuse.

The collection is divided into four series. The Houses series, which comprises the bulk of the collection, contains architectural design materials intended for the construction of new residences. The Houses - Additions and Alterations series includes work Granger did with existing houses. The Other Plans and Drawings series contains materials related to buildings and installations other than traditional houses, such as churches or business facilities. The Unidentified Plans series contains the few materials in the collection which have no identifying information.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

The Archives hold a clipping file and portrait file for Merton Elwood Granger.

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Selected Search Terms

Names

Granger, Merton Elwood.
Granger and Gillespie.
Syracuse University -- Alumni and alumnae.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University -- Students.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Architectural firms.
Syracuse (N.Y.) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
Architects.

Types of material

Architectural drawings (visual works)

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Merton Elwood Granger Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

This collection of architectural drawings was deposited with the Central New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Records in the Library's Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University. The Granger Papers were separated from the AIA records and transferred to the Syracuse University Archives at an unknown date.

Processing Information

Resources were arranged in series after damaging binding materials were removed.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Lafiya Watson
Date: 2007
Revision history: Converted to EAD by Sean Molinaro, 2012

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Arrangement

The items are arranged in alphabetical order within series, most of which are organized by the client's surname.

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Inventory

Houses
MC 13-4 Ames, Allen - Onondaga Park and Grosset Street, Syracuse, N.Y. May 1917
MC 13-4 Ayling, F. C. ca. 1935
MC 13-4 Balsey, Harry W. - Crossett Street, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1923
MC 13-4 Boggs, Thomas - Berkeley Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. March 15, 1927
MC 13-4 Brown, M. G. - Syracuse, N.Y. September 2, 1926
MC 13-4 Chryst, Robert - Stinard Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. June 21, 1927
MC 13-4 Clune, J. P. - Robineua Road, Syracuse, N.Y. October 22, 1927
MC 13-4 Dahl, Eugene T. - House and Garage - 161 Milnor Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. September 24, 1927
MC 13-4 Friedel, Arthur C. - House and Kitchen - Hampshire Road and Rugby Road, Syracuse, N.Y. May 1, 1930
MC 13-4 Friedel, Joseph, F. - Brattle Road, Syracuse, N.Y. March 1, 1922
MC 13-4 Gamma Phi Beta Chapter - Syracuse University October 27, 1937, February 17, 1938
MC 13-4 Grabau, A. J. - South Gate Road, Dewitt, N.Y. March 7, 1957, May 8, 1957
MC 13-4 Grassman, Paul F. ca. 1936
MC 13-4 Hand, John, Jr. October 28, 1935
MC 13-4 Heffernan, W. - Harrington Road, Bradford Hills, Syracuse, N.Y. Septermber 9, 1929
MC 13-4 Hills, James - Syracuse, N.Y. October 4, 1928
MC 13-4 Hoag - Bradford Parkway, Syracuse, N.Y. April 5, 1937
MC 13-4 Hoffman, A. J. - Park Side Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1917
MC 13-4 Hoffman, Edwin - Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1928
MC 13-4 Holcomb, Seward - Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1927
MC 13-4 House at Bradford Hills November 1927
MC 13-4 House at Lot 782 - Bradford Hills, Syracuse, N.Y. March 12, 1938
MC 13-4 Howell, F. W. - Manlius Road, Fayetteville, N.Y. September 26, 1938
MC 13-5 Jaquith, Willard - Bradford Parkway, Syracuse, N.Y. February 6, 1937
MC 13-5 Kimber, Howard - Kimber Road, Syracuse, N.Y. May 6, 1938
MC 13-5 MacFetridge, C. K. - Stinard Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. June 21, 1927
MC 13-5 Mack, Herbert ca. 1927
MC 13-5 MacPherson, Norman - Norwich, N.Y. ca. 1930
MC 13-5 Madara, Frank E. - Syracuse, N.Y. undated
MC 13-5 Matlow, H. H. and Mrs. March 30, 1952, June 26, 1952
MC 13-5 Morton, W. January 29, 1946, August 30, 1946
MC 13-5 Muench, Carl - House and Cupboards - Brattle Road, Syracuse, N.Y. August 14, 1923
MC 13-5 Neusbaum, Charles - Fayetteville Road, Syracuse, N.Y. May 7, 1939
MC 13-5 Odell, Gary H. October 15, 1935
MC 13-5 Ormsby, Hiram K. - House and Garage - Roberts Avenue August 11, 1928
MC 13-5 Pennock, J. W. - (A. L. Brockway, Architect) - Syracuse, N.Y. January 8, 1910
MC 13-5 Piercefield Development Corporation, Owners - Wynthrop Road, Solvay, N.Y. April 7, 1924
MC 13-5 Pritchard, H. B. - East Genesee Street, Syracuse, N.Y. March 10, 1922
MC 13-5 Rago, Frank and Mrs. - Twin Hills Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. April 30, 1937
MC 13-5 Reed, George S. - Circle Road, Berkeley Park; Dorset Road, Syracuse, N.Y. May 12, 1924, October 11, 1924
MC 13-5 Robinson, F. D. - Sedgwick Drive and Hampshire Road, Syracuse, N.Y. November 8, 1928
MC 13-5 Roscoe, J. S. ca. 1936
MC 13-5 Shipstead, Helge - Dewitt Road, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1940
MC 13-5 Skerritt, Harry H. - Berkeley Park, Windsor Place and Berkeley Drive, Syrcause, N.Y. January 26, 1925
MC 13-5 Spencer, M. Lyle - 222 Salt Springs Road, Fayetteville, N.Y. August 12, 1936
MC 13-5 Stowell, Harold E. - Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1936
MC 14-1 Tiffany, C. W. - 310 Berkeley Drive, Syracuse, N.Y. November 2, 1925
MC 14-1 Tholens, Eugene A. - Windsor Place, Syracuse, N.Y. June 3, 1926
MC 14-1 Thompson, Mark - Bradford Boulevard, Syracuse, N.Y. March 2, 1931
MC 14-1 VanSothen - Bradford Parkway, Syracuse, N.Y. May 12, 1937
MC 14-1 Valentine and Purchase, Owners - Scottholm Boulevard, Syracuse, N.Y. November 8, 1928
MC 14-1 Valentine, Harry - Dewitt Road, Syracuse, N.Y. (1) June 16, 1927
MC 14-1 Valentine, Harry - Dewitt Road, Syracuse, N.Y. (2) ca. 1928
MC 14-1 Valentine, Harry - Scottholm Boulevard and Scott Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1926
MC 14-1 Valentine, John - 592 Roberts Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1928
MC 14-1 Walker, J. W. W. - Manlius Road, Fayetteville, N.Y. ca. 1939
Houses - Additions and Alterations
MC 13-4 Barnum, Jerome - Hampshire Road and Rugby Road, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1941
MC 13-4 Phi Mu Sorority House - 208 Walnut Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. July 2, 1934
MC 13-4 Potter, Carton and Mrs. - 4 Waverly Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. December 17, 1924
MC 13-4 Soule, Oscar F. - 2 Brattle Road, Syracuse, N.Y. April 24, 1931
MC 13-4 Steckel, Harry A. - 130 Circle Road, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1935
MC 13-4 Thompson, Mark A. - 838 Ostrom Avenue, Syracuse, N.Y. September 10, 1923
MC 13-4 Waldo, A. G. - Canastota, N.Y. September 29, 1934
MC 13-4 White, Andrew H. January 11, 1937, March 13, 1937
Other Plans and Drawings
MC 14-1 Air Cooled Motors Corporation Plans - Liverpool Road, Liverpool, N.Y. September 29, 1934
MC 14-1 Ames, Allen - Garage May 1917
MC 14-1 Bellevue Country Club - Additions and Alterations - Syracuse, N.Y. February 16, 1927
MC 14-1 Burrows Memorial Chapel - Skaneateles May 10, 1934
MC 14-1 Cassidy, Z. J., Owner - Camp at Skaneateles Lake undated
MC 14-1 Clune, J. P. - Retaining Wall and Interior Plans - Robineau Road October 22, 1927
MC 14-1 Crouse, H. B. - Survey and Levels July 29, 1937
MC 14-1 Dilts, F. B. - Garage - Fulton March 24, 1925
MC 14-1 Gray, Howard P. - Closet Details - South Gate Road, Dewitt May 23, 1957
MC 14-1 O'Neil, Paul - Building - 2601 James Street, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1935
MC 14-1 Onondaga Litholite Company March 21, 1938
MC 14-1 Power, Thomas A. - Cottage - Skaneateles Lake February 27, 1926, April 6, 1931
MC 14-1 St. Paul's Chapel - Details and Alterations - Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1936
MC 14-1 St. Paul's Episcopal Church - Special Lectern - Syracuse, N.Y. April 21, 1961
MC 14-1 Smith, Harry A. - Pergola - 180 Beverly Road, Syracuse, N.Y. undated
MC 14-1 Union Rental Company - Boiler House - 441 South Salina Street, Syracuse, N.Y. ca. 1939
MC 14-1 Valentine, H. - Stores and Office Building September 18, 1928
MC 14-1 Williams, J. C., Owner - Camp at Wellesley Island October 5, 1925
Unidentified Plans
MC 14-1 First and Second Floors undated
MC 14-1 House undated
MC 14-1 House ca. 1937
MC 14-1 Lot undated
MC 14-1 Stairway undated

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