National Park Service MISSION 66 VISITOR CENTERS The History of a Building Type

Endnotes

¹ Richard J. Neutra, Life and Shape (New York: Van Rees Press, 1962), 313.

² A cyclorama of the Siege of Paris created by Henri Philippoteaux, father of Paul, included objects in the foreground. See entry on "panorama," Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 17 (Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1973). This entry is illustrated by a photograph of the Gettysburg Cyclorama.

³ The painting has suffered extensive damage over the years. It originally measured approximately 400 by 50 feet. See "The Gettysburg Cyclorama," National Park Service brochure; park archives photos, #3c-3033, #3c-3042.

⁴ If not technically associated with the park, the guides were required to pass a licensing examination and to wear an official uniform.

⁵ Harlan Unrau, "Administrative History, Gettysburg" (United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, July 1991), 199.

⁶ Roy E. Appleman to Acting Regional Director, September 28, 1942, as quoted in Unrau, "Administrative History," 225.

⁷ Superintendent Coleman to Regional Director, Region One, February 19, 1945, as quoted in Unrau, "Administrative History."

⁸ Unrau, "Administrative History."

⁹ "Cyclorama-Museum-Adm. Bldg." drawing #NMP-GET 2040, September 1945; #2041, September 1945; #2042, 1945; #2043, November 16, 1945; #1130, December 14, 1945; microfiche, Technical Information Center (TIC), Denver Service Center (DSC).

¹⁰ This project took place in 1947-1948. Panzironi's work included applying horizontal sections of cloth to the back of the canvas, a technique that may have influenced later restoration. See Unrau, "Administrative History," 247.

¹¹ Arthur E. Demaray to Pickett, August 4, 1948, Washington Office (WASO) archives, as quoted in Unrau, "Administrative History," 247.

¹² Edward S. Zimmer to Superintendent, memorandum, "Reconnaissance of Visitor Center Location and to Observe Road Construction Projects, Gettysburg National Military Park," October 4, 1956, Box 32, EODC records, Regional National Archives (RNA), Philadelphia.

¹³ "Visitors Center, Cemetery Ridge, South of Zieglers Grove, Eastern Office of Design and Construction," drawing #3012, February 13, 1957. The drawing is signed by John Cabot.

¹⁴ "Mission 66 for Gettysburg National Military Park" (Washington, D. C.: National Park Service, ca. 1957), 2. National Park Service History Collection, Harpers Ferry Center.

¹⁵ Hines, Richard Neutra, 65.

¹⁶ Hines, Richard Neutra, 89.

¹⁷ John Peter called the Experimental School "one of the most influential school buildings in the United States." See Peter, Masters of Modern Architecture (New York: Bonanza Books, 1958), 205.

¹⁸ Hines, Richard Neutra, 224.

¹⁹ Richard Neutra to Thomas J. Allen, regional director, January 25, 1963, "Rough Draft."

²⁰ "West Coast Architects I, Richard J. Neutra," Arts and Architecture 81 (March 1964): 14-18, 34. The article includes a photograph of the "Lincoln Memorial, Gettysburg Visitors Center, 1963."

²¹ Richard Neutra, Life and Shape, 311.

²² Richard Neutra, Survival Through Design (New York: Oxford University Press, 1954).

²³ Ziegler's Tower was removed by the Park Service July 19, 1961.

²⁴ This set of drawings was signed by Conrad Wirth, January 22, 1959.

²⁵ Dion Neutra, "Gettysburg Revisited: Memories of an Architect Son," AIArchitect (April 1998), 20.

²⁶ See Eugene R. DeSilets, acting chief to James B. Myers, superintendent, December 1, 1959, Orndorff #2, Box 2, folder 7, park archives, Gettysburg. Neutra and Alexander produced at least four pastel or watercolor renderings of the visitor center in 1959, including two labeled "view from the east" and one entitled "Gettysburg Visitor Center and Lincoln Memorial Group." See TIC, photo archives.

²⁷ Brickley S. Orndorff to Dion Neutra, December 10, 1959, Orndorff #2, Box 2, folder 7, park archives, Gettysburg.

²⁸ "Master Plan for the Preservation and Use of Gettysburg National Military Park," Mission 66 Edition (National Park Service, August 1960), 1. TIC, DSC.

²⁹ "Master Plan, Vol. 1, Chapter 2, Visitor Use Brief," February 1962, 4.

³⁰ In early August 1960, the Orndorff Company realized that its estimator had made a mistake in computing the overall square footage of the project; the bid was based on a total square footage of 1,910, not the actual 19,116. As a result, the company bid much lower than was realistic. See James B. Myers to Joseph Campbell, Comptroller General of the United States, November 28, 1961, Orndorff #25, Box 4, folder 11.

³¹ "Director's Squad," October 1, 1959, Box 6, EODC general correspondence, RNA; "Directors Staff Meeting," minutes, August 27, 1959, Box 6, RNA.

³² Along with Orndorff, the other contractors were Hirsch, Arkin, Pineherst, Inc., plumbers from Philadelphia; Yorkaire Cooling and Ventilating Company of York, Pennsylvania; and Keystone Engineering Corporation of Philadelphia, responsible for architectural metal and electrical work. David O. Smith, project supervisor, to Neutra and Alexander, November 27, 1959, Orndorff #1, Box 2, folder 5. According to Thomas Vint, the low bids totaled $893,915, "well within the money available." The Park Service received forty-one bids, about ten for each contract. See "Director's Squad," October 1, 1959, EODC General Correspondence, Box 6, RNA.

³³ Dion Neutra to Orndorff, December 4, 1959, Orndorff #2, Box 2, folder 2.

³⁴ "Gettysburg Visitor Center—Cyclorama," Robert J. Stickel to Dion Neutra, January 8, 1960. Orndorff #3, Box 1, folder 1.

³⁵ Brickley S. Orndorff to James B. Myers, January 6, 1960, Orndorff #3, Box 1, folder 8.

³⁶ Dion Neutra to Brickley S. Orndorff, December 4, 1959, Orndorff #2, Box 2, folder 7.

³⁷ Contract between the EODC and Neutra and Alexander, "Change Order no. 1," October 20, 1959.

³⁸ Richard Neutra began training his second son (b. 1926) for a career in architecture during his youth. Dion graduated from the architectural school of the University of Southern California and spent a year studying in Switzerland before joining his father's firm. After 1955, Dion worked from the office on Glendale Boulevard headed by Robert Alexander. He remained with Alexander after the dissolution of the partnership. See Hines, Richard Neutra, 293-4.

³⁹ "Gettysburg Visitor Center and Cyclorama," November 20, 1959, Orndorff #1, Box 2, folder 5.

⁴⁰ Neutra and Alexander, "Specifications." Under the heading "general joint pattern and workmanship," the architects provided the following description: "The general effect shall be to emphasize horizontal joints rather than a rubble wall effect. The stone shall be laid . . . in courses on their natural beds breaking vertical joints by at least 6". Some chipping, tooling and shaping will be required to produce the effect desired. No triangular pieces shall be used, include no uninterrupted horizontal joints over 6' to 8' in length. These joints shall not continue at the same level after being broken. About 20% of the stones may be as high as 12" to 18" to allow for variety and these shall be spaced in a random pattern throughout the wall. The rest of the stones shall range from 2" to 10" in height with about 50% falling in the 4" to 8" range. Stones shall rest on at least three points upon the underlying course. Variation in plane on the front face shall not exceed 2" maximum. Joints shall generally be between 1/2" and 1" and shall be tooled flush and tight and then immediately sacked to remove the tooled appearance. Joints shall present an informal appearance. Where stone is installed against concrete backing, the space between stone and concrete shall be completely filled with fluid mortar, puddled into place."

⁴¹ Dion Neutra to Orndorff Construction, January 19, 1960, Orndorff #3, Box 1, folder 8.

⁴² "Record of Supervision Visits," Thaddeus Longstreth, April 1, 1960.

⁴³ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, March 31, 1960.

⁴⁴ Dion Neutra to Mr. Bordner, Orndorff Construction, March 4, 1960, Orndorff #5, Box 2, folder 10. By March the panel had still not been completed.

⁴⁵ Neutra and Alexander to Orndorff Construction, Christmas Eve, 1959, Orndorff #2, Box 2, folder 6.

⁴⁶ Dion Neutra to John J. Bordner, Orndorff, April 15, 1960, Orndorff #6, Box 3, folder 2.

⁴⁷ Dion Neutra to John B. Cabot, April 15, 1960. A year later, when the building was still very much under construction, Senator Hugh Scott complained that purchasing Japanese tile violated the effort to buy American. During this discussion, it was noted that the linen used for backing on the cyclorama painting was imported from Belgium. In both cases, the desired products were not available in the United States. See Gettysburg National Military Park Association, minutes, June 1, 1961, park archives.

⁴⁸ David O. Smith to Thaddeus Longstreth, March 3, 1960, Orndorff #5, Box 3, folder 1.

⁴⁹ The UNESCO building, the headquarters for the United Nations in Paris, was designed by an international team of architects including Marcel Breuer, Pier Luigi Nervi, and Bernard Zehrfuss in 1958. The eight-story building featured a curved facade with tapered concrete columns that required considerable form work.

⁵⁰ Dion Neutra to Bordner, Orndorff Construction, March 4, 1960, Orndorff #5, Box 3, folder 1.

⁵¹ Dion Neutra to Orndorff Construction Company, March 18, 1960, Orndorff #5, Box 3, folder 1.

⁵² Dion Neutra to David O. Smith, March 25, 1960, Orndorff #5, Box 2, folder 10.

⁵³ David O. Smith to Neutra & Alexander, April 8, 1960, Orndorff #6, Box 3, folder 2; "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, April 7, 1960.

⁵⁴ Dion Neutra to David O. Smith, April 12, 1960, Orndorff #6, Box 3, folder 2.

⁵⁵ David O. Smith to Neutra and Alexander, April 20, 1960, Orndorff #6, Box 3, folder 2.

⁵⁶ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, April 28, 1960.

⁵⁷ "PA & B Profile: Richard J. Neutra," Pacific Architect and Builder (May 1960).

⁵⁸ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, April 20, 1960.

⁵⁹ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, April 20, 1960, and May 12, 13, 1960.

⁶⁰ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, June 21, 1960.

⁶¹ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, June 23, 1960.

⁶² "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, November 4, 1960.

⁶³ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, November 4 & 9, 1960.

⁶⁴ Cabot wrote, "I am entirely confident that, if the stonework is pleasing to you, it will be more than satisfactory to me." Cabot to Longstreth, November 9, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

⁶⁵ Neutra and Alexander to Bordner, October 6, 1960, Orndorff #12, Box 3, folder 8.

⁶⁶ John J. Bordner to Neutra and Alexander, November 2, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

⁶⁷ Dion Neutra to David Smith, November 7, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

⁶⁸ Cabot to Bordner, December 6, 1960, Orndorff #14, Box 3, folder 10.

⁶⁹ Bordner to Neutra and Alexander, November 30, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

⁷⁰ David O. Smith to Neutra and Alexander, November 10, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

⁷¹ David O. Smith to Richard J. Neutra, December 27, 1960, Orndorff #14, Box 3, folder 10.

⁷² "Cable Roof Structures," Bethlehem Steel brochure, October 1963.

⁷³ Smith to Myers, August 24, 1961, Orndorff #22, Box 4, folder 8.

⁷⁴ Glen Philpot, Supervision Report, December 5 & 6, 1960, Orndorff #14, Box 3, folder 10.

⁷⁵

⁷⁶ Change Order no. 8, March 9, 1961, Change Orders/General 1960-1962, Box 1, folder 3.

⁷⁷ Dion Neutra to Cabot, January 25, 1961, Orndorff #15, Box 4, folder 1.

⁷⁸ The Kaufmann Residence (1948) in Palm Springs, California, and Alexander's Orange Coast College (1946) in Costa Mesa were also featured in the book. See John Peter, Aluminum in Modern Architecture, vol. 1 (Louisville, Kentucky: Reynolds Metals Company, 1956).

⁷⁹ Hines, Richard Neutra, 241, 245.

⁸⁰ Dion Neutra to Lee Miller, Lemlar Manufacturing Company, August 16, 1960, Orndorff #10, Box 3, folder 6.

⁸¹ Cabot to Neutra, September 1, 1960, Orndorff #11, Box 3, folder 7; see also Change Order no. 6, November 28, 1960; Change Orders/General 1960-1962, Box 1, folder 3.

⁸² Neutra and Alexander to Orndorff, August 12, 1960. Orndorff #10, Box 3, folder 6.

⁸³ David O. Smith to Orndorff, April 13, 1961, Orndorff #18, Box 4, folder 4.

⁸⁴ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, August 4, 1961. The doors were not actually shipped from Los Angeles until August 17.

⁸⁵ Neutra and Alexander, Specifications, C-6.

⁸⁶ Change Order, June 27, 1961.

⁸⁷ Change Order #19, September 18, 1961.

⁸⁸ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, November 21, 1960.

⁸⁹ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, February 27, March 7, March 15, and April 11, 1961.

⁹⁰ Richard Neutra made a personal call to the president of Standard Dry Wall Products Inc., S. C. Begg, to emphasize the importance of the work, suggest consultation with a chemist if necessary, and inform the company of an opportunity for "excellent advertising on a national scale." Memorandum, April 1, 1960, Orndorff #6, Box 3, folder 2.

⁹¹ Dion Neutra to Cabot, February 22, 1961, Orndorff #16, Box 4, folder 2.

⁹² The construction company complained about delays during a lengthy attempt to locate the special plaster gun required to properly apply Thoroseal; it was finally ordered from Van Nuys, California, at considerable expense. Orndorff to James B. Myers, September 13, 1961, Orndorff #23, Box 4, folder 9.

⁹³ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, May 10, 1961.

⁹⁴ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, May 16, 1961.

⁹⁵ Superintendent Myers to Orndorff, November 2, 1961, Orndorff #25, Box 4, folder 11.

⁹⁶ Smith to Myers, "Special Report on Thoroseal," November 17, 1961, Orndorff #25, Box 4, folder 11.

⁹⁷ The Gettysburg Visitor Center was featured in an advertisement for Thoroseal during the 1970s with the headline "16 year old surface looks great! . . . and still will l6 years from now."

⁹⁸ Neutra to Robert Smith, chief EODC, December 7, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4, folder 12.

⁹⁹ Dion Neutra to Cabot, January 24, 1961, Orndorff #15, Box 4, folder 1.

¹⁰⁰ Neutra and Alexander to Cabot, November 16, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

¹⁰¹ John B. Cabot to David O. Smith, November 9, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

¹⁰² Donald S. Nutt, acting supervising architect, to Neutra and Alexander, November 28, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

¹⁰³ Dion Neutra to Cabot, December 8, 1960, Orndorff #14, Box 3, folder 10.

¹⁰⁴ Dion Neutra to Nutt, January 24, 1961, Orndorff #15, Box 4, folder 1.

¹⁰⁵ The architects were responding to a letter of January 4, 1961, from Donald Nutt, acting supervising architect. Nutt wrote, "it is most important that the principal entrance to the toilet rooms be from the exterior, as the interior corridor leading to these rooms is not large enough to successfully handle entrance and exit crowds."

¹⁰⁶ Dion Neutra to Nutt, January 24, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4.

¹⁰⁷ Neutra also made several visits to the site for which he did not charge the government.

¹⁰⁸ John B. Cabot to Dion Neutra, May 10, 1961, Orndorff #19, Box 4, folder 5.

¹⁰⁹ Cabot to Neutra and Alexander, May 5, 1961, Orndorff #19, Box 4, folder 5.

¹¹⁰ Dion Neutra to Nutt, January 24, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4.

¹¹¹ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, December 8, 1960.

¹¹² Cabot to Neutra, March 6, 1961, Orndorff #17, Box 4, folder 3.

¹¹³ Cabot to Myers, March 6, 1961, Orndorff #17, Box 4, folder 3.

¹¹⁴ Dion Neutra to Myers, August 4, 1961, Orndorff #22, Box 4, folder 8.

¹¹⁵ Drawings of "rostrum museum details" dated September 11, 1959, were revised in June, 1960. See TIC, DSC.

¹¹⁶ Neutra and Alexander to Orndorff, December 14, 1960, Orndorff #14, Box 3, folder 10.

¹¹⁷ Donald S. Nutt, acting supervising architect EODC, to Neutra, April 26, 1960, Orndorff #6, Box 3, folder 2.

¹¹⁸ Dion Neutra to John Cabot, November 16, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

¹¹⁹ "Record of Supervision Visits," August 12, 1960, Orndorff #10, Box 3, folder 6.

¹²⁰ "Record of Supervision Visits," Longstreth, ca. April 4, 1960 (visit #57).

¹²¹ Lewis, Museum Curatorship, 349-50.

¹²² Walter J. Nitkiewicz, "Treatment of the Gettysburg Cyclorama," Studies in Conservation 10, no. 3 (August 1965): 91-118.

¹²³ Nitkiewicz to David Smith, November 4, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

¹²⁴ Donald F. Benson, acting supervising architect EODC, to Project Supervisor David O. Smith, December 23, 1960, Orndorff #14, Box 3, folder 10.

¹²⁵ June 22, 1961, Orndorff #20, Box 4, folder 6.

¹²⁶ John Cabot to Neutra and Alexander, teletype, June 9, 1960, Orndorff #8, Box 3, folder 4.

¹²⁷ Eugene DeSilets to Neutra, June 19, 1961, Orndorff #20, Box 4, folder 6.

¹²⁸ Robert A. Hope to Chief, EODC, November 4, 1960, Orndorff #13, Box 3, folder 9.

¹²⁹ Dion Neutra to Eugene DeSilets, December 20, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4, folder 12.

¹³⁰ Cabot to Alexander, July 3, 1961, Orndorff #21, Box 4, folder 7.

¹³¹ David Smith to Chief, EODC, "Report on Orndorff's Claim dated June 12, 1962," July 10, 1961, Thaddeus Longstreth Collection, Architectural Archives, University of Pennsylvania.

¹³² Dion Neutra to Smith, July 12, 1961, Orndorff #21, Box 4, folder 7.

¹³³ Orndorff to Myers, July 20, 1961, Orndorff #21, Box 4, folder 7.

¹³⁴ Dion Neutra to Myers, August 4, 1961, Orndorff #21, Box 4, folder 8.

¹³⁵ Myers to Regional Director (Ronald F. Lee), January 10, 1961, Orndorff #15, Box 4, folder 1.

¹³⁶ Ronald F. Lee, "Certification to Support Purchase Order Issued by Region Five Office for Furniture for Gettysburg National Military Park," draft, May 4, 1961, Orndorff #15, Box 4, folder 1.

¹³⁷ Dion Neutra to Eugene DeSilets, December 20, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4, folder 12.

¹³⁸ Myers to Donald Benson, EODC, December 22, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4, folder 12.

¹³⁹ Myers to Orndorff, December 13, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4, folder 12.

¹⁴⁰ "The Philippoteaux Cyclorama, a Huge and Famous Old Painting, Now Has a New Home at Gettysburg," Philadelphia Inquirer (July 1, 1962); Dorothy B. Huyck, "Gettysburg's Gain, New $1 Million Visitor Center to Give Tourists Clearer Picture of Battle," The New York Times (May 6, 1962).

¹⁴¹ Richard Neutra, Life and Shape, 311-312.

¹⁴² Wirth also announced that Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall shared "the pride which we all feel in the completion of this distinctive interpretive center which tells so effectively the story of the event that took place on this battlefield 99 years ago." Conrad L. Wirth, "Remarks at the dedication of the visitor center, Gettysburg National Military Park, November 19, 1962," Box 4, CWP, AHC. A complete transcription of the speech was printed in the Gettysburg Times (November 19, 1962).

¹⁴³ Dion Neutra to Donald Benson, December 22, 1961, Orndorff #26, Box 4, folder 12.

¹⁴⁴ John Heiser, facility management specialist, to Safety Officer, memorandum, August 21, 1991, maintenance files, park archives.

¹⁴⁵ Building Maintenance Files, park archives.

¹⁴⁶ "The Second Battle of Gettysburg," U. S. News and World Report (October 18, 1971): 66-67.

¹⁴⁷ Robert E. Koehler, "Our Park Service Serves Architecture Well," AIA Journal 1 (January 1971): 18-25.

¹⁴⁸ Director to Chief, Mission 66 staff, "100th Anniversary of the Civil War," June 12, 1965, National Park Service History Collection, Harpers Ferry.

¹⁴⁹ "Now Your Contributions Can Help to Save Gettysburg," Washington Post (February 7, 1960); "Gettysburg Battlefield, Portion is Reported Desecrated by Commercial Encroachments," The New York Times (January 21, 1962).

¹⁵⁰ Wolf Von Eckardt, The Park Service Dares to Build Well," Washington Post (March 29, 1964).