Bannister, Turpin C. (Turpin Chambers), 1904-1982

Architectural historian and educator.

Bannister held degrees from Denison, Columbia, and Harvard. He served as architecture dean at Alabama Polytechnic Institute and at the University of Florida. He received numerous awards and honors, and was a noted historian of architecture.

Architect, educator, and academic administrator.

Born in Lima, Ohio in 1904. Received a bachelor's degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1925, and a master's from Columbia University in 1928. From 1932 to 1944 Bannister taught at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, first as a design instructor and later as an architectural historian. During this time period he was hired by the Federal Writers Project of the WPA to assist in the preparation of the Federal Guide Series book on New York State. From December 1938 to August 1939 and again in February 1940 he was employed as an editor and writer and is credited with writing the Guide's introductory essay on architecture.

Bannister served as the first president of the Society of Architectural Historians and was also editor of its journal. He completed his studies at Harvard's School of Architecture where he received his Ph.D. in 1944. The same year he left Rensselaer and became dean of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute's School of Architecture and Arts in Auburn. In 1948, he moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana and was professor of architecture for ten years, seven of which he served as head of the Department of Architecture. In 1958 he came to the University of Florida and served as dean until 1965 when he suffered a stroke. He died March 15, 1982, in Williston, Florida.

Dean Bannister also served on the advisory boards of the National Park Service and the Historical America Buildings Survey. He was a member of the Medieval Academy, New York Historical Association, Thornton Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, Sigma Chi, and Phi Mu Alpha.

Turpin Chambers Bannister was the Dean of the University of Florida's College of Architecture and Fine Arts from 1957 through 1965. He was born in Lima, Ohio and received his Bachelor's degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1925 and a Master's from Columbia in 1928. From 1932 to 1944 he taught at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, first as a design instructor and later as an architectural historian. During this time period he was hired by the Federal Writers Project of the WPA to assist in the preparation of the Federal Guide Series book on New York State. From December 1938 to August 1939, and in February 1940, he was employed as an editor and writer. The guide's introductory essay on architecture was written by Bannister.

While at Rensselaer he served as the first president of the Society of Architectural Historians and was also editor of its journal. He completed his studies at Harvard's School of Architecture where he received his Ph.D. in 1944. That year he left Rensselaer and became dean of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute's School of Architecture and Arts in Auburn. In 1948, he moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana and was Professor of Architecture for ten years, seven of which he served as head of the Department of Architecture. In 1958 he came to the University of Florida and served as dean until 1965, when he suffered a stroke. He died March 15, 1982, in Williston, Florida.

Dean Bannister also served on the advisory boards of the National Park Service and the Historic America Buildings Survey, and was a member of the Medieval Academy, New York Historical Association, Thornton Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, Sigma Chi, and Phi Mu Alpha.