Finding aid for the Alexander Cochran Robinson III Papers

Biography of Alexander Cochran Robinson III

Alexander Robinson III (1891-1985) was known as the dean of Cleveland, Ohio architects. He was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania and received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1914 and a bachelor's degree in architecture in 1917 from Columbia University. He worked briefly for the adjutant general's office in Washington, D. C. and as an architect in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1920 to work with Abram Garfield.

Robinson and Garfield later formed the architectural firm of Garfield, Harris, Robinson, and Schafer, a forerunner to vanDijk, Johnson, and Partners. Robinson was a fellow of the American Institute of Architects and served as the national secretary from 1943-1947. He was the president of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects from 1935-1937 and president of the American Architectural Foundation from 1959-1960. He was a member of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission from 1934-1946 and a member of the Joint Committee on Landmarks in Washington, D. C. from 1964-1973. Robinson retired from his architectural firm in 1957 and was appointed to the National Capital Planning Commission by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Robinson was served as a trustee of the Cleveland institute of Art, the Musical Arts Association, the Cleveland Music School Settlement, and the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra. Additionally, he served as president of the Children's Services and Youth Services of the Welfare Federation of Cleveland, the Princeton University Alumni Association of Northern Ohio, and the Cleveland Humane Society.

Scope and Content

The Alexander Cochran Robinson III Papers, 1922-1968 and undated, consist of correspondence, articles, papers, note cards, and photocopies of newspaper clippings and photographs.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of architecture in Cleveland, Ohio, in the twentieth century.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 5211 Alexander Cochran Robinson II Papers

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 3714 Alexander Cochran Robinson III Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of Alexander Cochran Robinson III in 1976.

Detailed Description of The Collection