The Santa Monica Public Library is proud to present Gonzales on Architects of Southern California on Sunday, May 19, at 2 p.m. in the Main Library’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Join the Society of Architectural Historians, Southern California Chapter (SAH/SCC) and author Antonio Gonzales for a look at the work of some of Los Angeles’ forgotten architects. Gonzales discusses his recent book Architects Who Built Southern California (The History Press, 2019) which highlights how in the early 1900s the Southern California population grew at such a rapid pace that builders could hardly keep up. A book sale and signing of Gonzales’ book follows.
Gonzales takes readers on a tour of the works of ten architects. They include Harrison Albright, John Austin, Claud Beelman, Elmer Grey, Hudson & Munsell, A. C. Martin and Alfred Rosenheim. Beelman, a man who never received a college degree, would go on to design the Elks Lodge in Los Angeles among dozens of other commissions. Albert C. Martin, architect of Grauman’s Million Dollar Theater, founded an architectural firm that is still going strong more than one hundred years later. Well researched and well-illustrated, the book shines a light on the people behind some of Southern California’s most iconic buildings.
Gonzales, long-time librarian at the Architecture and Fine Arts (AFA) library at the University of Southern California, also holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Iowa and a MLIS from San Jose State University.
This program is free and all ages are welcome. Space is limited and on a first-arrival basis. For more information, visit smpl.org or contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600. The Santa Monica Public Library is wheelchair-accessible. For disability-related accommodations, call Library Administration (310) 458-8606one week prior to the event. The Main Library is directly served by Big Blue Bus routes 1, R10 and 18. The Expo Line and other bus routes stop nearby. Ride your bike. Bicycle parking racks are available at the library.
Submitted by Judith S. Graham, Public Services Librarian
