In the early years of the 20th Century, the man who would become one of America’s most renowned architects received his initial training by mail. Denton, Texas, native O’Neil Ford earned an “architectural certificate” from the mail-order program of the “International Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Pennsylvania.” From this inauspicious beginning, Ford built an unprecedented career. He also became a champion for design and construction of remarkably diverse commercial, public and residential projects.
What This Means for You — Brick has been an important component of construction since early civilization due to its durability, natural availability and almost limitless options for color. Brilliant architects like O’Neil Ford recognized these attributes and literally built a legacy on these rectangular chunks of clay and shale.
Contemporary architects who have studied the timeless designs – the form and function – of savants like Ford, continue this evolution of structures constructed from this ancient building material. If you are considering building a new home or commercial building and want it to be timeless, ask your architect about brick. Click here to speak with a brick professional at Acme Brick.
According to several sources, including this one, O’Neil Ford’s birthplace had a life-long impact on his career in architecture.
“Born Otha Neil Ford in Pink Hill, Texas in 1905, he moved to Denton in 1917 after the death of his father. His mother, Mrs. L.B. Ford kept boarders in their home at 304 W. Avenue “D”, just west of the campus of North Texas State Teachers College (now the University of North Texas). A graduate of Denton High School, Ford attended N.T.S.T.C. for two years, studying English and physics. Financial problems forced him to withdraw from college, but he continued his studies through a correspondence course while working at Dyche’s Corner, a hamburger stand at the corner of Avenue “A” and Hickory Streets.”
It was during these early childhood years that Ford developed a strong affinity for brick. In fact, he and his brother were early contractors to what became the Acme Brick Company. By collecting used brick from demolished buildings and unloading them at the Bridgeport Brick Company, about 40 miles west of Denton, for recycling, the Ford brothers earned a whopping penny per brick!
Bridgeport Brick was later purchased by Acme Brick in part because of the plant’s popular “Bridgeport Pink” brick. The website of Trinity University in San Antonio, where Ford later developed many of his most innovative designs notes, “Bridgeport pink – a color with a distinct, unpatterned mixture of pinks and whites – is due to the type of shale found in North Texas. Miners dug through up to 60 feet of shale sitting on top of coal veins; this shale was then turned into brick at the Bridgeport factory.”
In all, 26 structures on the Trinity campus were constructed with this iconic shade of brick. Decades after designing these Trinity University projects, Ford noted, “The beauty of brick is that you can hold one in the palm of your hand. You have to lay brick by hand, so that when you’ve finished, you know how a wall is built because you can feel it.”
The 166-foot tall Murchison Tower, as pictured in 1973, is the most dominant landmark on the campus of Trinity University. Photo credit: Jim Evans / Wikipedia
The “History of Denton” notes, “In 1926, Ford took a position as an assistant to Dallas architect David Williams. His first work with Williams was drafting for the old First Presbyterian Church on South Elm Street in Denton. The first residence he designed was built in 1929 on North Bell Avenue (in the city). In this period, Ford designed an open-air theater for the campus of N.T.S.T.C., and two structures that were never built, a 130-foot memorial tower and a student center.
“During this active period Ford had developed an appreciation for handmade Mexican brick. He liked the organic quality of it, but Acme Brick did not appreciate this and publicly called on Ford to use their product. Ford in turned challenged Acme to come up with a brick which had the qualities he admired in Mexican brick and their answer was the ‘El Fordo.’ This was the brick used on the Denton municipal structures among many others.”
According to current Acme Brick Director of Marketing, Britt Stokes, “This story makes me smile. Ford would be happy to know that Acme still works with architects to ensure they are happy with the color of our brick!”
The History of Denton concludes, “Ford and his partner Arch Swank designed several residences in Denton in the late 1930s, but the high point of their Denton work in this period was the design and construction of The Little Chapel in the Woods on the campus of the College of Industrial Arts (now Texas Woman’s University). It was the Chapel, completed in 1939, which would propel Ford into a position of national prominence. Eleanor Roosevelt spoke to a crowd of 4,000 at the dedication on November 1, 1939.”
View more photos of The Little Chapel in the Woods at The Portal to Texas History.
From the early years of his practice and continuing until his death, Ford designed projects that exuded a sense of place. He excelled in his chosen “place” – Texas. Whether he was designing award-winning residences in Dallas and other Southwestern cities or many of the beloved buildings on the Trinity University campus in San Antonio, his influences were consistent.
According to several sources, “Ford was influenced by the tradition of the English Arts and Crafts movement and its attempt to combine architecture and visual arts. A strong preservationist, he helped launch Texas architecture on a new path by showing that its roots were deep and often beautiful. His well-crafted structures were composed of brick, glass, and wood, and were intimately tied to their settings. He enlisted his brother Lynn, a master carver and sculptor, to create custom doors, screens, and louvered grates. Ford contracted with San Antonio artist Martha Mood to produce light fixtures, fountains and wall hangings.
In 1960 Ford was made a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He was appointed to the National Council of the Arts by President Johnson and in 1974 would be declared a “National Historic Landmark” by the Council, the only individual ever so honored.
As the Denton website notes, “This correspondence school architect from Denton would lecture at Harvard, become a Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia and have a chair in architecture named after him at the University of Texas at Austin.”
O’Neil Ford’s resume of architectural design is nothing short of stunning. Interestingly, throughout his career, he remained a staunch proponent of the aesthetic and functional appeal of clay brick.
Observers of historically significant architectural achievements in Dallas cite many contributions by this architectural visionary. These include much of the University of Dallas campus in Irving, Texas. He designed the Braniff Memorial Tower, the Braniff Graduate Center, the Gorman Lecture Center, parts of the art village, the Haggar University Center, and the Haggerty Science Building. Ford was awarded an honorary doctorate by the university in 1976.
Many of Ford’s works are found in the quintessential Texas city of San Antonio, where he lived most of his life. They include the renovation of La Villita, which is one of the city’s most popular sites for visitors. Ford also designed Saint Mary’s Hall on that campus in the city, the University of Texas at San Antonio main campus, and the Tower of the Americas for the World’s Fair in 1968.
Tower of the Americas in San Antonio, Texas. Photo credit: f11photo / Adobe Stock
The front steps of Saint Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas. Photo credit: Smhbarons / Wikipedia
In June 2018, the campus of Trinity University was added to the National Register of Historic Places to highlight the architectural legacy of O’Neil Ford.
Other significant works include buildings at Skidmore College and several facilities around the world designed for Texas Instruments. Shortly before his death in 1982, he completed the design of the building of the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas.
As with many professions, contemporary architects stand on the shoulders of those who came before them. Fortunately, O’Neil Ford had some very strong shoulders!
In a time when there are many knockoffs and me-too, Ford was the “real deal” of originality, and his vision has met the most important criteria: timeless functionality and beauty. It is ironic, but not surprising, that this genius who learned about construction materials from picking up brick for a penny-a-piece, and then received his initial training from a mail-order study program became one of the giants in architecture.
The lessons of architect O’Neil Ford are many, but none are more important than his dedication to brick as the ultimate construction material. If your project could use a shot of inspiration, consider using Acme Brick. The results could be epic.
