George Washington Smith: Architect of the Spanish-Colonial Revival

Massive white stucco walls, rolling red-tile roofs, dark wrought-iron window grilles, and lush vegetation are hallmarks of George Washington Smith’s work and have come to represent the essence of Southern California architecture. Author Patricia Gebhard accessed the notes of her late husband, architectural historian David Gebhard (author of An Architectural Guide to Los Angeles), and continued researching the archives at the Architecture and Design Collection of the Art Museum at the University of California, Santa Barbara, which houses almost all of Smith’s drawings and sketches, correspondence, and original photographs. The result is a groundbreaking volume that brings George Washington Smith and his work to a wide audience for the first time. Handsomely illustrated with color photographs and detailed drawings, the book contains a complete catalog of Smith’s work and an extensive bibliography. Patricia Gebhard grew up in Minneapolis and has lived in New York, New Mexico, and California. She obtained degrees in Art History and Library Science from Oberlin College, Mills College and the University of Minnesota. She worked in the Reference Department of the University of California Library, and has traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. She has coauthored a book on Santa Barbara County.