Rice University

Overview The collection consists of the personal papers of Houston philanthropist Ray Watkin Hoagland Strange (1915-2011). The collection includes correspondence, financial, business and estate records and personal memorabilia of Ray Strange. Her father, William Ward Watkin, was Supervising Architect during the construction of the original Rice Institute campus and later the Dean of Architecture at Rice. Mrs. Strange was a friend and generous donor to Rice University for many years. The papers and...

Overview This material covers the architectural career of the Ms. Strange's father, William Ward Watkin, including his private architecture practice and well as his relationship with Rice Institute as Supervising Architect, touching briefly on his personal life. The material was gathered by Ms. Strange and much of it served as research for the book: William Ward Watkin and The Rice Institute by Patrick James Nicholson (published 1991 by Gulf Pub. Co.).

Overview The papers detail the academic and architectural career of William Ward Watkin. Included in the collection are personal information, business correspondence, construction photographs and architectural drawings of the early Rice Institute, and drawings of projects from his private architectural career.