Research and Book by Inge S. Horton

I compiled the following list of northern California women in architecture, based on the availability of biographical information and records of their work. However, not all women were included in the book.

I welcome information about these and any other historic women in architecture in Northern California who started their practice before 1950. If you have historical information or photos to share, please contact me.

—Inge Horton

Many of these women studied architecture at the University of California at Berkeley. Others chose alternative paths to become architects, residential designers, or to venture into related fields such as city planning, teaching, or modelmaking. The lifestyle and employment opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area also attracted women architects from other parts of the country and even Europe.

Note: Married, widowed, and divorced women are listed by married names first and include maiden names and names from previous marriages. In a few cases, when a woman mainly used her maiden name, the married name is added in parentheses. Nicknames are indicated by quotation marks.

Austin, Elizabeth

Bassett, Helen Rearwin

Benbow, Helen

Bird, Grace

Born, Esther Baum

Boyter, Elizabeth "Bess"

Bridgman, Lillie Belle or Lilian

Brown, Phoebe Hearst

Bruckman, Bettina (Cohen)

Buckingham, Adah Dibble

Castelhun, Ella 

Chadeayne, Olive

Clever, Louise Harriet Russell

Coblentz, Dorothy Wormser

Deakin, Edna

Diment, Constance Shirley

Dodge, Ola Mae Putnam

Ehrenfels, Camille Johnston

Eller, Armena Morse

Emmons, Audrey

Fawcett, Marguerite

Findlay, Helen (Aycrigg)

Fowler, Matilda Newsom

French, Helen Douglass

Fricke, Geraldine Colby

Gannon, Mary

Gauen, Eileen Claudia Watkins

Hall, Leola (Coggins)

Hands, Alice

Hass, Myrtle Henrici

Hufbauer, Arabelle "Trixie" McKee

Jackson, Minnie

Jewett, Grace

Jory, Grace Weeks

Karp, Eleanor

Kartwold, Lois Goetz

Kavin, Eda      please see http://edakavin.com/

Knapp, Charlotte

Kosmak, Evelyn Hall Gilcrest

Langhorst, Lois

Lindheim, Roslyn

Luis, Rose or Rosanna

Magee, Louisabelle Whyte

McAfee, Lucy Page Brown

McCain, Ida F

McKinnon, Mary Kilgore

Mesic, Julian C

Meyers, Mildred 

Morgan, Julia

Morrow, Gertrude Comfort

Nevins, Kate Lockwood French Squire

Nichols, Minerva Parker

Northman, Edith Mortensen

Parug, Jane Moorhead

Reiss, Hilde (Friedman)

Rowe, Ruth

Russ, Helen Cummings

Sanford, Florence "Sanchia" Hincks

Steinmesch, Henrietta May

Sutherland, Helen

Stan, Sara "Sally" Waldner Bould

Watkin, Rebecca Wood Esherick

Wells, Mary Frances Knee

Williams, Emily

Witkin, Elizabeth "Betty" Hillier (Tarris)

Younger, Margaret Chase