Julia Morgan Papers

On October 12th, 1897 Julia Morgan wrote to her cousins Lucy and Pierre Le Burn. She describes how she has moved four times since her last letter in April. She is now settled in an apartment in the same building as the Maybecks with a young sculptor Sara Whitney. She tells of the praise she received for some of her drawings ahead of her examinations. She writes about her meeting a Miss Hasbruck and the sculptor MacMonnies. She ends the letter with pleasantries and a note that she has bought her "first expensive book" on architecture.

On August 15th, 1897, Julia Morgan wrote to her cousins Lucy and Pierre Le Burn from Luzarches, France. She tells of the Grand Prix de Rome. She updates her cousins on her family and her friends in Paris. She notes that the next examination date for the L'École des Beaux Arts is October 15th. She describes the petit chateau she is staying in Bellefontaine with a frenchwoman and the village. She closes the letter by thanking them for the "Architect" and with pleasantries.

On April 29th, 1897 Julia Morgan wrote to her cousins Lucy and Pierre Le Burn with updates from her time in Paris. She tells them she is happy with the architectural magazine she received in the mail and there is no need to keep forwarding the letters she gets sent to their house. She describes the Calonne concert series she attended and the sightseeing she did with a friend who was visiting. She tells of a trip she took to Chateau St. Chantilly and later the Champs Élysées Salon. She provides updates on her friends in Paris and her family's plans to visit. She adds a N.B. for Cousin Lucy about her clothing.

Julia Morgan informs William Randolph Hearst of the painting and progress on Houses A and B, and the construction of the road and the court for House A

Julia Morgan explains the types and color schemes of plants for Houses A, B, and C

Julia Morgan discusses the plan for the type and color scheme of the plants around Houses A, B, and C

William Randolph Hearst describes his plans for the road, Houses A, B, and C, and the impending arrival of a car filled with his recent purchases

William Randolph Hearst goes into an extensive description of his plans for the use and transport of water on the hill.

William Randolph Hearst proposes more plants and trees for the property, and discusses plan for statues and figures he is sending West

William Randolph Hearst proposes his plans for the flowers and trees on the property, as well as the stairway near House C

Julia Morgan updates William Randolph Hearst on the progress that has been made on Houses A, B, and C

William Randolph Hearst explains and draws his ideas for the terraces around House C and B

Julia Morgan discusses the plans for the main building and the movement of trees, as well as Steamer Nicholson's latest leak and the need for a new ship

William Randolph Hearst proposes that a wall be built around the hill, a terrace around house B, and asks when he can move into the guest house

William Randolph Hearst describes the Italian velvet, Renaissance tapestries, and Renaissance stalls he plans to have used in House C and the main building

William Randolph Hearst compliments Julia Morgan's tile design, and discusses the plans for the interior walls of House C and the pergola

William Randolph Hearst describes his idea for the terrace near House A

On January 24, 1897, Julia Morgan wrote to her cousin Lucy and cousin Pierre Le Brun regarding her time in Paris. She describes that the weather is cold, and that they are having trouble staying warm. She recounts how she spent her holidays and the churches that she visited. She describes a competition she participated in with the atelier. She describes some family health updates to her cousins.

On July 19, 1897, Julia Morgan wrote to her cousins Lucy and Pierre Le Brun regarding her Ecole des Beaux Arts examinations. She recounts the difficulty of the examinations and her results. She tells of living with a girl from San Francisco and Paris beginning to feel like home. She tells of her travels with the Maybecks and Browns and her plans to board in Luzarches and study for the upcoming architectural examination.