Identity elements
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Robert Fitch Smith Papers
Date(s)
- 1894 - 1988 (Record-keeping activity)
Extent
Folders
Name of creator
Biographical history
Robert Fitch Smith was born in Fremont, Ohio, July 1, 1894. He attended Columbia University, Carnegie Institute of Technology, The University of Michigan, and the University of Miami, where he obtained his BA degree in 1931 and where he began his architectural practice shortly thereafter. He is credited with the design of civic and residential architecture, churches, schools, industrial and recreational projects. His civic engagement roster includes charter member of the Miami City Planning Board; Director of Coordinating & Planning Committee of Dade County; Chairman of Regional Planning Board of Dade County; Chair of the Miami Fine Arts Commission; Board member of the Inter-American Cultural Trade Center (Interama); member of the American Institute of Architects; member of the Beaux-Arts Institute of New York, He was the Vice-Chairman of the Urban Planning Committee of the America Institute of Architects for the Sourthern area, and a member of the Architectural League of New York.
He died in Miami on June 16, 1964 at the age of 69.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
Drawings, watercolors, sketchbooks, photographs, personal papers, scrapbooks
System of arrangement
The Robert Fitch Smith papers are arranged in boxes, folders, and flat files. Content was kept in original folders whenever possible and named accordingly. Scrapbooks were kept intact as were the majority of Mr. Smith's sketchbooks. Some folder contents such as lindividual letters, photographs, and clippings have been housed in protective sheets.
Collection is divided into series: Personal Papers; Residential Projects; Journals and Serials; and Drawings. Boxes in Personal Papers are numbered.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is open for research
Physical access
This collection is housed in the Architecture Research Center (ARC), University of Miami.
Viewing is by appointment for Room Use Only.
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Requests to publish or display materials from this collection require written permission from the rights owner. Please, contact um.arc@miami.edu for more information.
Languages of the material
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Generated finding aid
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
The Robert Fitch Smith Collections were in the posession of his son, Donald Smtih of Coral Gables, Florida, who donated it to the School of Architecture.
Immediate source of acquisition
Gift of Donald Smith, Son of Robert F. Smith
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
- Citation: Robert Fitch Smith Papers. Architecture Research Center, University of Miami Libraries, Coral Gables, Florida. [Date of access].