Biographical Note

Born in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania in 1913, Marion Dean Ross was educated at Pennsylvania State and Harvard University. He received a B.S. in architecture in 1935 at Penn State, studied at the Universidad Nacional in Mexico, and earned a Master of Architecture degree at Harvard in 1937. Ross studied later at Harvard during summer sessions of 1938, 1940, and 1948.

Starting in 1937, Ross taught architectural history and design at Tulane University. In 1946, Ross taught at Pennsylvania State College. In 1947, Ross started teaching in the Art History department at the University of Oregon. When the art history department was established in 1963, Ross became the first chairman of the department. In 1962-63, Ross filled the position of acting Dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. He retired from the University of Oregon in 1978.

Teaching the history of architecture, Ross taught a variety of classes including Latin American architecture, Islamic architecture, modern architecture, along with other subjects. His interests ranged from Victorian objects to landscape architecture. He was one of the first to critically study Oregon architecture and also taught a class on the subject.

Outside of the university, Ross participated in architectural and historic preservation organizations. His study of Oregon architecture helped in the creation of stylistic guidelines for the Oregon State Inventory of Historic Properties for the state preservation office. He was a founding member of the Society for Architectural Historians. For thirteen years, Ross served on the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation.

Influential in architectural history at the university, around the state and the nation, Ross’ was remembered after his death in April 2, 1991 as an important figure in the study of architectural history and historic preservation. He left a one million dollar endowment for library material acquisitions and the construction of the Architectural and Allied Arts Library at the University of Oregon. The AAA library reading room was named the “Marion D. Ross Reading Room” on April 27, 1991 during the dedication of completed renovation of Lawrence Hall.

Sources: “Marion Ross.” Biographical Information Files, UA Ref 2, Box 6, University Archives, Special Collections and University Archives.

Sources: “Review,” School of Architecture and Allied Arts, Spring, 1991. University Publications Files, Box 2, University Archives, Special Collections and University Archives.