THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
History
The ornamental Dads' Gates were placed at the intersection of 11th St.
and Franklin and dedicated in January 1941. The UO Dads Club was the
sponsor and underwriter of the project. The Dads Club was a
patron-parent organization established in 1927. The concept for the
gates began in 1938 and was supported with funding from the Dads Club
with additional support from a PWA program. Designed collaboratively,
Ellis F. Lawrence and architecture students supplied the concept and
working drawings, and metalsmith O. B. Dawson crafted the final work.
According to Dawson, Lawrence's son, Henry Abbot (Ab) Lawrence created the design that was adopted.
Orion Benjamin Dawson was a master blacksmith who produced numerous
iron works as an employee with the Depression-era Federal Art Project
of the Works Progress Administration. Dawson's work in Oregon can be
seen at the University of Oregon's Knight Library and Howe Field,
Oregon State University, and Timberline Lodge.
Bibliography
Books and Parts of Books
- Dawson, O. B. (Orion Benjamin). The Old Blacksmiths. Reproduction: Photocopy. [Eugene, Or. : University of Oregon Library, 1987].
- Force, Rachel Gwen. "Blacksmith: The Significance and Preservation of O.B. Dawson's Ironwork for the WPA." Thesis, Historic Preservation Program. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon, 2004.
- Sheldon, Henry D. History of University of Oregon (Binford & Mort, 1940), p. 235.
Archives
- The UO Libraries' Special Collections & University Archives department holds some of Dawson's original writings and drawings.
Newspaper Articles (Arranged by Date)
1930s
- "Campus gate fund gains, say dads. University agrees to construct wall from gate to libe if completed." Daily Emerald 10 Jan. 1939: 4
- "Dad's club to install iron gate. Artistic structure will cost $25,000; location unknown." Daily Emerald 6 Oct. 1939: 1
1940s
- "UO dads plan gate dedication; Saturday will see parade, banquet as festival climax." Daily Emerald 9 Jan. 1941: 1
- "Gates to campus remain as token from fathers." Daily Emerald 2 Feb. 1946: 6
- "Dad's Gates." Daily Emerald 2 Feb. 1946: 1
- "Dads gates to be part of cloverleaf." Daily Emerald 31 Mar. 1949: 8
- "Dad's gates." Daily Emerald 4 Nov. 1949: 6.
1950s
- "Dad's gates product of depression period." Daily Emerald 23 Jan. 1954: 1
1960s
- "Dad's Gates." Daily Emerald 7 Feb. 1969: 6
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