The collection is open and available to the public. Advance notice is requested.
There are no restrictions on the use of materials in this collection. Copies can be requested if the condition of the originals warrants it.
Clarence H. Johnston papers (N 46), Northwest Architectural Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.
Donated by C. Warren Durr in 1977.
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Archives staff.
The collection is organized in three series. Within each series materials are arranged alphabetically by commission name.
Clarence Johnston was born in Waseca County, MN, on August 28, 1859. He was educated in the public schools of St. Paul and received an apprenticeship training in architecture in the offices of Abraham Radcliffe and Edward P. Bassford in St. Paul after completing high school. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received formal architectural education, but left after one year because of financial stringencies. He returned to St. Paul for a brief time, then moved to New York City and worked for Herter Brothers and C.B. Atwood. Johnston helped found the New York Sketch Club, which later became the Architectural League of New York. He came back to St. Paul in 1882 and opened his own office.
In 1885 Johnston entered partnership with William H. Willcox (1832-1929) until 1889. The firm produced many notable buildings, including Summit Terrace (St. Paul), the residence of F. Scott Fitzgerald; First Baptist Church (Chicago); the main building of Macalester College (St. Paul); the Mercantile Library (Peoria, IL); Shattuck School and St. Mary's Hall (Faribault, MN); and residences for W.R. Merriam, F. Driscoll, C.W. Griggs, and A.G. Foster, all in St. Paul. He was elected a fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1889. In 1901, Johnston was retained as architect to the State Board of Control and later by the Commission of Administration & Finance of Minnesota, in which capacity he designed literally dozens of state-owned office buildings, schools and institutional facilities, and the state prison. He also was appointed architect to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota at about the same time, and many of the buildings on the Twin Cities campuses dating from the period between 1904 and 1936 are from his firm. In addition to this enormous volume of business, Johnston carried on a lucrative private practice in the course of which he designed many commercial structures, institutional buildings, and residences. He died in St. Paul on December 31, 1936.
The papers contain original drawings and prints for a number of Johnston's buildings, including Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority House, University of Minnesota (1930); Ancker Hospital, St. Paul (1889); Chapel for the College of St. Theresa, Winona, MN (1924-26); the Manhattan Office Building, St. Paul (1890); the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company building, St. Paul (1930); and the YMCA, St. Paul (1906-07). In addition, the collection includes photographs of 25 buildings and specifications for 6 others plus 5 volumes of account ledgers detailing costs of construction for several hundred projects carried out by the firm between 1905 and 1959.
Johnston's son, Clarence Howard ("Howie"), Jr., succeeded his father in the firm and maintained it until his death in 1959. Many designs executed after about 1920 are attributable to Howie.
See also: Grover Dimond Papers and the C.F. Haglin Company Papers in the Northwest Architectural Archives.
Plans of University buildings designed by Johnston may be found in the University Archives and in the Records section of the Facilities and Operations Management department of the University.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The following section contains a detailed list of the materials in the collection.
Sorority House
Minneapolis, MN
pencil on paper 14x25
Tube # 11, 12, 52
East Wing Building
n.l.
blueprints 1/8 = 1'0
Tube # 25
Residence
Dellwood, White Bear Lake, MN
ink on linen 22 1/2x26
Tube # 2
Residence
Dellwood, White Bear Lake, MN
pencil on paper 20 1/2x31
Tube # 3, 4
Residence
Johnston, C.H. Jr.
St. Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 38
Residence
River Boulevard
Johnston, C.H.
St. Paul, MN
blueline
Tube # 44
176 Mississippi River Blvd.
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
blueprints
Tube # 43
Nash Coffee Building
St. Paul, MN
ink on linen 1/8 = 1 foot
Tube # 35
Church
Johnston, C.H.
Faribault, MN
pencil on paper
Tube # 37
Residence
Kenwood Parkway
Minneapolis, MN
original linens
Tube # 28
Church
Johnston, C.H. Jr.
St.Paul, MN
pencil preliminary perspective sketch 13x20 1/4
Tube # Flat File
Lourdes Hall [Dormitory]
Winona, MN
ink on linen 23 1/2 x 38 1/4
Tube # 21,23,24, Portfolio
Alverna Hall [Sister's Home]
Winona, MN
ink on linen 18x23 1/2
Tube # 20, 21, Portfolio I
Chapel
Winona, MN
pencil & pastel on paper
Tube # 22 & Portfolio III
Gymnasium
Winona, MN
ink on linen 17 1/2 x 22 1/2
Tube # 5
Residence
White Bear Lake, MN
ink on linen 19x22
Tube # 6
Residence
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen 18x29
Tube # 1
Faribault, MN
blueprints
Tube # 53
Marquis over Robert St. Entrance
Johnston, C.H.
n.l.
ink on linen
Tube # 41
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
blueprint
Tube # 36
North East Demonstration Farm
Duluth, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 50
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
blueprint
Tube # 39
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen 27x37; blueprint
Tube # 10, 40, 40A
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen 22 1/2 x 29 1/2; 21 1/2 x 20
Tube # 13, 14, 15, 16
Steam Power Plant
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 47
The Wilder Dispensary
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 47
Service Building
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 47
Radiological Wing
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 47
Cadet Nurses Home and Training School
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 45, 46
Zimmerman Wing
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
blueprints
Tube # 48
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
blueline prints
Tube # 51
St.Paul, MN
blueprint copy 8 1/2 x11
Tube #
Johnston, C.H.
Ah Gwah Ching, MN [Walker, MN]
photocopies, blueprint
Tube # 56
Children's Cottage
Johnston, C.H.
Ah Gwah Ching, MN [Walker, MN]
photocopies
Tube # 57
Noyes Hall [Auditorium]
Johnston, C.H.
Faribault, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 49
School Building
Johnston, C.H.
Faribault, MN
ink on linen, blacklines
Tube # 49
Tate Hall [Administration Building]
Johnston, C.H.
Faribault, MN
bluelines
Tube # 49
Service Building
Johnston, C.H.
Faribault, MN
ink on linen, reverse blacklines
Tube # 49
Johnston, C.H. Jr.
St.Paul, MN
pastel perspective sketch 13 1/4 x 14 1/4
Tube # Flat File
Hyde St. & Fairfield
Wheeler, Alfred H.
St.Paul, MN
blueprint
Tube #
Johnston, C.H. & J.A. McLeod
St.Paul, MN
ink on linen
Tube # 42
Residence
St.Paul, MN
blueline prints
Tube # 27
Estate
Dellwood, White Bear Lake, MN
ink on linen 18 1/2 x27, pencil on paper
Tube # 8, 9
Heating Plant
LaCrosse, WI
ink on linen 14x28 1/2
Tube # 7
Dormitory & Gymnasium
Winona, MN
ink on linen 29 1/2 x36
Tube # 17, 18, 19
Surgical Pavilion
Johnston, C.H.
Rochester, MN
photographic prints, pen & ink perspective sketch [reproduction] 7 1/2 x13
Tube # 1, Flat File
Storm Sewers
Druar & Milinowski
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #18
Laundry Building and Engineers Shop Building
Johnston, C.H., G.M. Orr consulting engineer
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #17
Johnston, C.H., G.M. Orr consulting engineer
Owatonna, MN
blueline with colored pencil
Tube # roll #18
Morell & Nichols, Landscape Architects
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #18
Owatonna Sewage Treatment Plant
Hosfield, P.C., M.E. Chamberlin
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #18
Gymnasium
Nelson, A.J.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #15
Relighting of State Public School and Office Building
Roche, T.E.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #18
Power House
Johnston, C.H., Armstron & Schlichting, Inc.
Owatonna, MN
ink on linen, sepia
Tube # roll #16
Fire Alarm System
Roche, T.E., Kline & Clark
Owatonna, MN
blueprints and blackline
Tube # roll #18
Two Cottages
Haxby, Bissel & Belair
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #4
Main Building
Johnston, C.H.
Owatonna, MN
ink on linen, blueprints
Tube # roll #1
Nursery Building Cottage #10
Zelzer, R.G.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #18
Dormitory
Johnston, C.H.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #3
Gymnasium and Power Plant Relighting
Nelson, A.J.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #14
School Building
Larson & McLaren
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #5
Babies Cottage
Johnston, C.H.
Owatonna, MN
ink on linen
Tube # roll #6
Cottage for Boys
Johnston, C.H., Armstrong & Schlichting Inc.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints and sepia on paper
Tube # roll #7
Remodeling of Old School
Larson & McLaren
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #8 & 10
Cemetery
Larson & McLaren
Owatonna, MN
Tube # roll #9
Main Dining Room Additions
Johnston, C.H.
Owatonna, MN
ink on linen
Tube # roll #11
Service Building
Johnston, C.H.
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #12
Various Buildings
Patch & Erickson
Owatonna, MN
blueprints
Tube # roll #13
Recreation Building
Johnston, C.H.
Owatonna, MN
ink on linen
Tube # roll #2
Main Building Alterations
Johnston, C.H.
Moorhead, MN
blueprint
Tube # 54, 55
Warming House; Mechanical Equipment Changes
St.Paul, MN
pencil on paper
Tube # 34
Main & Gymnasium Building
Johnston, C.H.
St.Paul, MN
blueprint
Tube # 34a
Concrete Reinforcement
Trussed Concrete Steel Co.
St.Paul, MN
blueprints 23 1/2 x36
Tube # 33
Cedar & 9th St.
St.Paul, MN
originals on linen, 1/8" unless otherwise noted
Tube # 29, 30
Heating, Ventilating & Lighting Systems
Pillsbury, Charles L. [consulting engineer]
St.Paul, MN
original linens 18 1/2 x 31 1/2
Tube # 31
Structural & Framing
St.Paul, MN
original linens 20x29, 20x30, 20x31
Tube # 32
no location undated
1 4x6 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
1 3 3/4 x 9 1/2 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
1 8x10 b&w
Minneapolis, MN 1939
1 8x10 b&w
Winona, MN undated
3 8x10 b&w
Minneapolis, MN 1929
1 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
7 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1934,
9 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1951
5 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
2 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1951-19
29 8x10 b&w
Winona, MN undated
4 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1951
29 8x10 b&w
Minneapolis, MN 1931
2 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1929
1 8x10 b&w
Owatonna, MN 1948
22 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
1 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
1 8x10 b&w
Faribault, MN undated
7 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1955
10 8x10 b&w
Winona, MN undated
1 8x10 b&w
Faribault, MN undated
6 8x10 b&w
Rochester, MN undated
5 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1949
19 8x10 b&w
Winona, MN undated
47 8x10 b&w
St. Cloud, MN undated
1 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
16 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN undated
2 8x10 b&w
St. Paul, MN 1937
4 8x10 b&w
These ledgers contain details regarding all of the projects with which the C. H. Johnston architectural office was involved. The collection, however, does not contain drawings for all the commissions on this list. A transcription derived from the ledgers is available in the Archives. Please contact Archives staff for information.