Drawings, plans, photographs, writing

Exterior and Interior view of Grace Episcopal Church

Photographs of Yacht Club Architectural Model, Slides of Moorings Yacht Club

Joseph L. Herndon (1948-2021) was a historical preservationist who aided in several global restoration projects, including the Old Spanish Fort (1730) in Pascagoula, Mississippi; Qasr Ibrihim (1600's) in Hoffuf, Saudi Arabia; the Old Post Office (1897) in Washington, D.C.; The Rugby Colony (1880's) in Rugby, Tennessee; Union Station (1900) in Nashville, Tennessee; The Germantown neighborhood revitalization (1840's) in Nashville, Tennessee; The Biltmore Hotel (1926) in Miami, Florida. His papers include a large breadth of information and research pertaining to the Biltmore Hotel, the Panama Canal, Turkey, the Deering Estate, resorts, and other areas of interest to Joseph Herndon. Material types represented within include audio-visual materials (CD-ROMS, VHS, photographs, slides), print-outs, administrative files, financial files, travel brochures, ephemera, architectural plans, interior design samples, research files, reports, proposals, periodicals, and 3D objects.

Originally born in West Virginia, Jefferson attended Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania and studied architecture and industrial design at the University of Michigan. Afterwards, he worked with the Army Corps where he taught aerial photography then supported himself by working as a laborer on various construction sites. He eventually came to Miami in 1954 where he apprenticed under architects, Thomas Madden and Alfred Browning Parker. He ended up establishing his own private architecture firm in Miami in 1959 and dedicated himself to creating plans for residential, commercial, and public buildings. Later, he moved his firm to Stuart, Florida in 1968 and continued to provide the same services.

He also served as a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects and was certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and was registered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. His accolades include several architecture awards and international exhibits as well as having his works featured in magazines, such as Architectural Record, House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living, Sports Illustrated, Palm Beach Life, American Homes, and L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui.

This collection contains approximately 191 large format architectural plans and renderings from noted Florida architect, Peter Jefferson. The first 34 plans of his collection have been flattened and placed into map cases while the others remain in their original rolled up state.