Pond and Pond Collection, c.1895-1938

Brothers Irving Kane Pond (05/01/1857-09/27/1939) and Allen Bartlit Pond (11/21/1858-03/17/1929) were born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and educated at the University of Michigan campus. Irving received his degree in civil engineering in 1879 and obtained his architectural training in the Chicago offices of William Le Baron Jenney and Solon S. Beman and through travel in Europe. After graduating in 1880, Allen taught at Ann Arbor High School and worked with his father at the State Prison in Jackson, Michigan, before joining his brother in Beman's office. Irving and Allen then established their own firm, Pond and Pond, in 1886. Allen's work in the state prison sparked an interest in social reform, exemplified by his strong ties to Jane Addams's Hull House settlement house in Chicago. Pond and Pond designed the Hull House building group (c.1895-1907) and Allen served as secretary of the institution from 1895 until his death. While Pond and Pond were best known through their work for social service organizations, they designed a wide range of buildings--social, religious, educational/academic, residential, governmental, and civic--mainly in the Chicago area and the Midwest. They were known for detailed brickwork, asymmetrical massing, and distinctive decorative detail, producing fine examples of Arts and Crafts and early modern architecture. Irving was also a nationally recognized essayist and critic, most notably for his book The Meaning of Architecture (1918). In recognition of their significant contributions to the profession, both men were elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. The firm Pond and Pond existed until 1925 when it was renamed Pond and Pond, [Edgar] Martin and [Alfred L.] Lloyd.

The Pond and Pond Collection consists of a small group of Irving K. Pond's papers; a portrait of Irving K. Pond; four albums documenting the brothers' architectural career (buildings represented in the albums are from Illinois, Wisconsin, or Michigan, with the exception of one building in New York and one in California; all are black and white and undated unless otherwise noted.); and architectural drawings, architectural reprographic prints, and holograph notes documenting their work on the Frank O. Lowden Residence and Estate (aka Sinnissippi Farm).

SERIES I: IRVING KANE POND PAPERS. This series consists of a bookplate and three letters to or from Irving Kane Pond. Materials are listed in chronological order.

SERIES II: PHOTOGRAPHS. This series is divided into two subseries: Portraits, and Projects. Projects are listed alphabetically with unidentified buildings at the end of the series.

SERIES III: PROJECT FILES. This series consists of holograph notes pertaining to the Frank O. Lowden Residence (aka Sinnissippi Farm) in Oregon, Illinois.

SERIES IV: ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS. This series consists of architectural drawings and architectural reprographic prints pertaining to the Frank O. Lowden and C. Phillip Miller Residences (aka Sinnissippi Farm) in Oregon, Illinois and a moving picture house for Frank O. Lowden in South Bend, Arkansas. Projects are listed alphabetically.

• Names
  • Pond, Irving Kane, 1857-1939.
  • Pond and Pond--Archives.
• Subject
  • Architecture--Illinois--Chicago--20th century--Photographs.
  • Architectural firms--Illinois--Chicago--Archives.
  • Architects--Illinois--Chicago--Archives.
  • Architectural photography--Illinois--Chicago.

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Pond family papers, 1841-1939 (University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library).

Pond family papers, 1841-1939 (University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library).

Pond family papers, 1841-1939 (University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library).

This collection may be accessed by users in the Reading Room of the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries at The Art Institute of Chicago. Collections maintained on-site are available for patron use without prior arrangement or appointment. Collections maintained in off-site storage will be retrieved with advance notification; please consult the Archivist for the current retrieval schedule. For further information, consult https://www.artic.edu/archival-collections/contact-usage-and-faq.

The Art Institute of Chicago is providing access to the materials in the Archives’ collections solely for noncommercial educational and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of the Art Institute is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, Art Institute of Chicago Archives. In addition to permission from the Art Institute, permission of the copyright owner (if not the Art Institute) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distribution, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. The Art Institute makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.

Pond and Pond Collection, Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives, The Art Institute of Chicago.

Several items are the gift of Irving K. Pond to the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, as noted. Photographs of the University of Michigan, located at the end of Series II were likely gifts to the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries from Pond and Pond. The project files, architectural drawings, and architectural reprographic prints pertaining to the Frank O. Lowden and the C. Phillip Miller Residences (aka Sinnissippi Farm) and the moving picture house for Frank O. Lowden were a gift of Phillip Miller in 2009. The source of acquisition for the remainder of the items is unknown.

The collection was processed by Natasha Derrickson of the Ryerson and Burnham Archives in 2001. This finding aid was revised and expanded by Annemarie van Roessel in 2002. The finding aid was again revised and expanded by Valerie Higgins in 2011 and Heather Tennison in 2013.

The Irving Kane Pond papers were transferred from Architects' and Designers' Papers; the photographic portrait of Irving K. Pond was transferred from Architects Portraits; and the albums of photographs documenting the work of Pond and Pond were transferred from the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries. These materials were transferred in Spring 2001. The interior view of University of Michigan buildings located at the end of Series II were transferred from the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries' pamphlet files.

New materials may be added to this collection on an irregular basis.

The portrait of Irving Pond has an existing AIC copy negative, as indicated in the inventory listing. Copies of this image may be ordered through the Ryerson and Burnham Archives.