University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html



Guide to the Percy Dwight Bentley Papers, 1951-1962


Coll. 145





Finding aid prepared by processing staff

Finding aid encoded by ArchProteus, June 2006
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


Overview of the Collection

 
Repository Name:
 

University of Oregon Libraries
Special Collections & University Archives

1299 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1299
URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/speccoll/index.html

 
Collection Number:
 

Coll. 145

 
Creator:
 

Bentley, Percy Dwight, 1885-1968

 
Title:
 

Percy Dwight Bentley Papers

 
Dates:
 

1951-1962 (inclusive)

 
Quantity:
 

4.25 linear feet
12 containers

 
Languages:
 

Collection materials in English. 

 
Summary:
 

Percy Dwight Bentley (1885-1968) was an architect from the Midwest who practiced in Lane County, Oregon from 1939-1961. His early work shows the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. The collection documents his work from 1951-1962 and includes churches, residences, and commercial structures.

 

Biographical Note

Percy Dwight Bentley was born January 30, 1885 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He attended school in La Crosse before entering Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was a non-graduating member of the class of 1907. Later, he enrolled on two different occasions at the Armour Institute (now Illinois Institute of Technology) but never completed a year there. Bentley maintained an architectural office in La Crosse from 1910 until 1921, when he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1936 he moved from the Midwest to Hood River, Oregon. Bentley settled finally in Eugene in 1939 where he practiced until 1961.

The strong influence of Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan is evident in Bentley's early, primarily residential, work. Of his later work he was most proud of the Village Green Motor Hotel in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Bentley died February 2, 1968.

Content Description

The Percy Dwight Bentley Papers document only the last ten years of his career. Projects include several churches, office buildings and other minor works. Also included are design proposals used as working drawings. Additional materials, shelved as PH272, consist of photographs of projects, specifications, and articles and advertisements about Bentley and his work.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information 

Gift of Mrs. J.A. Baxter in 1968.

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Access 

Collection is open to the public.

Collection must be used in Special Collections & University Archives Reading Room.

Restrictions on Use 

Property rights reside with Special Collections & University Archives. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Special Collections & University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation 

[Identification of item], Percy Dwight Bentley Papers, Coll. 145, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, Eugene, Oregon.

Subjects

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

 
Architects--Oregon
Architecture--Oregon--Designs and plans
Buildings--Oregon--Lane County
Architectural drawings
Photoprints

Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Papers

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1
folder
1

Biographical article, "Percy Dwight Bentley at La Crosse," from the Prairie School Review, v. ix no. 3
  1972
 
2
Specifications: Babb, Mrs. R.A., store building, Eugene, Oregon
  1956
 
3
Specifications, electrical: Woodard Hotels, Inc., Cottage Grove, Oregon
  1959
 

Specifications, general: Woodard Hotels, Inc., Cottage Grove, Oregon
  1959
 

Specifications, plumbing and heating: Woodard Hotels, Inc., Cottage Grove, Oregon
  1959
 
4
Newspaper ads and clippings about the Village Green Motor Hotel (Woodard Hotels, Inc.), Cottage Grove, Oregon
 

 

Drawings

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1
folder
1

Booth, Robert P. Residence. Eugene, Oregon. One sheet
  undated
 
2
Booth-Kelly. Office building. Springfield, Oregon. Oversized, 15 sheets
  1952-1953
 
3
DiPaolo, Peter. Residence. Santa Clara, Oregon. 2 sheets
  May 1962
 
4
Elizabeth C. Page Grade School. Springfield, Oregon. Oversized, 19 sheets
  July 1955
 

Harold R. Jones, Inc. Office building. Eugene, Oregon. Oversized, 1 sheet
  October 1958
 
5
J.C. Penney. Office building. Eugene, Oregon. Oversized, 41 sheets
  October 1956
 
6
St. Andrew's Episcopal Mission. Springfield, Oregon. Oversized, 3 sheets
  May 1951
 
7
St. John's Episcopal Church. Springfield, Oregon. Oversized, 10 sheets
  1958
 
8
St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Eugene, Oregon. Oversized, 3 sheets
  September 1954
 
9
Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Eugene, Oregon. Oversized, 6 sheets
  September 1958
 
10
Woodard Hotels, Inc. Service station. Cottage Grove, Oregon. 9 sheets
  September 1960

 

Photographs, shelved as PH272

 
Container(s)
Description
Dates
 
box
1


PH272-01:  [Interior view of flying staircase, carpet and wall treatment at Village Green resort.] By: Chris' Studio of Roseburg, Oregon. Loc: Oregon--Cottage Grove, Lane County
  1959
 


PH272-02:  [Exterior view of Ford dealership building.] By: Kennell-Ellis of Eugene, Oregon. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1950s-1961
 


PH272-03:  [Exterior view of J.C. Penney building before addition.] By: Fehly of Oregon. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1956
 


PH272-04:  [Exterior view of J.C. Penney building during construction of two-story addition.] By: Fehly of Oregon. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1956
 


PH272-05:  [Exterior view of church.] By: Unknown. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1950s-1961
 


PH27206:  [Exterior view of Davidson's bakery, including facade.] By: Unknown. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1950s-1961
 


PH272-07:  [Exterior view of Davidson's bakery, rear portion.] By: Unknown. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1950s-1961
 


PH272-08:  [Exterior view of C.P. Tillman Co., wholesaler of heating, plumbing and electrical supplies. Trolley tracks in foreground.] By: Unknown. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1950s-1961
 


PH272-09:  [Exterior view of Booth Kelly Lumber Co. general office.] By: Northwest Photographic Illustrators of Eugene, Oregon. Loc: Oregon--Springfield, Lane County
  1952-1953
 


PH272-09:  [Exterior view of Wyatt's US Royal tire shop.] By: Northwest Photographic Illustrators of Eugene, Oregon. Loc: Oregon--Eugene, Lane County
  1950s-1961