Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

Milton LaTour Grigg Papers, Accession #6478-a, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Grigg Papers were a gift to the Library from Mrs. Milton L. Grigg of Charlottesville, Virginia, through Mr. K. Edward Lay, Jr., University of Virginia School of Architecture, on December 6, 1983.

Biographical/Historical Information

Milton LaTour Grigg was born on April 18, 1905, in Alexandria, Virginia, the son of Jams Fossett and Mary Emily (Glascor) Grigg. He graduated from Alexandria High School in 1924 and attended the University of Virginia as a special student in the Department of Engineering and School of Architecture from 1924 to 1929.

After completing his studies, he was employed by the architectural firm of Perry, Shaw and Hepburn, Boston, Massachusetts, as a draftsman and designer for the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. In 1933, Grigg started his private practice in Charlottesville, and eventually established an office in Alexandria; he became a senor partner in the firm of Grigg, Wood, and Browne. Grigg's firm specialized in churches, estates, and restoration. He served as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation's architect and supervised the 1953 restoratoin of "Monticello." Grigg was responsible for the design of the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, Australia, and the notable St. John's Lutheran Church, Emporia, Virginia; and was a medallist in a competition sponsored by Better Homes in America.

During 1942-1945, Grigg served as the civilian head of the Design Section for the Army Corps of Engineers in Washington, chiefly designing military hospitals and other structures. He also served on commissions and boards in the city of Charlottesville; these included the Planning Commission, the Building Code Commission, aht the Building Code Appeal Board. He was also a member of the Rotary Club.

Grigg was a fellow of the American Institute of Architects (three-time president   of the Virginia chapter), and also served as its director for the Middle Atlantic Region. He was twice president   of the Church Architectural Guild of America, 1963-1964; president of the Interfaith Research Center in New York, and a comptroller of the International Congress on Religious Architecture.

Grigg died on March 23, 1982, aged seventy-six.

Scope and Content Information

This collection contains ca. 1,800 items (4 Hollinger boxes, ca. 1.5 linear feet), ca. 1930-1981, papers of Milton LaTour Girgg, a Charlottesville, Virginia, architect. It consists primarily of newsclippings from various newspapers and periodicals about Grigg's projects and designs, including the 1953 restoration of "Monticello." There are a large number of bulletins from various churches he designed or restored. The collection also includes letters, photographs, printed material, and memorabilia.

The newsclippings and church bulletins provide information on Grigg-designed churches as publicized by news media and their respective congregations. Other newsclippings pertain to his designs for residential, public, and commercial buildings. Also included among the newsclippings are articles regarding his involvement in professional organizations.

The collection encompasses his fifty-year career as an architect, beginning with his involvement in the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.

Arrangement

Folder Heading have been preserved with some modifications; the folders are arranged alphabetically.