Groundbreaking Ceremony (July 27, 1965)
1 2017-11-15T22:07:02-08:00 Carly Boerrigter becbe4e9b2682603b83278eafeb0fe1daeb2928b 24015 2 The Beaver Meadows groundbreaking ceremony from Charles Gordon Lee's personal collection, July 27, 1965. Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library. plain 2017-12-07T10:25:50-08:00 Jordan EK 5ee5cb1f8ac73cc6263a0885cedd14b212f95885This page is referenced by:
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Charles Gordon Lee
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b. 11 July 1918 - d. 1966
RoleTaliesin's on-site representative; architect with Kunz Construction Company
Dates of Involvement
1965 - 1966
Context
Charles Gordon Lee was the head of the Kunz Construction Company, a Denver architectural firm, in the 1950s and 1960s. As a previous student under Frank Lloyd Wright, Lee’s firm was a part of the Taliesin West network of architects. In this capacity, Lee was the primary on-site representative and architect for Taliesin on the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center project, where he interacted regularly with park officials, construction firms, and vendors. He was also in regular contact with Tom Casey, the project’s lead architect at Taliesin West, to coordinate and gain approval for any needed modifications to the original plans and contracts. Unfortunately, he died in 1966 just as the project was nearing completion.
However, he was present at the groundbreaking ceremony for the visitor center in July of 1965. He can be seen in the photo below.
Education
In 1940, Lee graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree. Directly after college, he studied at Taliesin East in Spring Green, Wisconsin. He transferred to Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona where he worked for a year in 1947. While at Taliesin, Lee studied under Frank Lloyd Wright.Career
Throughout his career, Lee designed various types of buildings. These projects included St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Knapp Elementary School, Denison Elementary School, and the Capitol Mortuary Office Building in the Denver area, along with the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center (Lee Collection, 2010).Related Objects to Explore
Brass-Finished Doorstop; Brass Floor Ashtray; Ceramic Planter; Drape; Krueger Stackable Folding Metal Chair; Oak Arm Chair; Oak Bench; Standing Floor Ashtray; Table-top Ashtray; Trash Can; Two-Seat Oak Bench
