Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977

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American illustrator and author of children's picture books.

From the description of Herodia the lovely puppet : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685286

American illustrator and author of children's books.

From the description of Wings around South America : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436313

From the description of Happily ever after : fairy tales : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62423760

From the description of Through these arches : the story of Independence Hall : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62423762

From the description of The silver pencil : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62489397

From the description of The first Christmas crib : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436311

From the description of A book for Jennifer : a story of London children in the eighteenth century and of Mr. Newbery's juvenile library : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436314

From the description of Patrick and the golden slippers : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62423761

From the description of Corporal Keeperupper : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436309

From the description of Appolonia's valentine : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62489394

From the description of The brownies : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731962

From the description of Lovina, a story of the Pennsylvania country : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731964

From the description of Peter Piper's pickled peppers : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731966

From the description of Billy Button's butter'd biscuit : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731961

From the description of They live in South America : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731967

From the description of "Old Abe," American eagle : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731965

From the description of Snow over Bethlehem : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685287

From the description of With bells on : a Christmas story : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685288

From the description of Once on a time : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62489396

Katherine Milhous was born in Philadelphia on November 27, 1894. She grew up in Pitman, New Jersey, a small camp meeting town. She returned to Philadelphia to attend the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, from which she won a Cresson Traveling Scholarship in 1934. She supported herself as a newspaper illustrator while in school. From 1935-1940, she was a supervisor for the Federal Art Project (FAP), for which she also made model houses and many striking posters celebrating rural life in Pennsylvania. Her poster art for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) caught the eye of Scribner's juvenile editor, Alice Dalgliesh, who encouraged her to illustrate for children. Once on a Time (1938) and Happily Ever After (1939) by Dalgliesh featured Milhous's first illustrations. She soon moved on to writing her own text, and in 1940 Milhous published Lovina: a Story of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. She drew on her Pennsylvania Dutch background for her books Herodia, the Lovely Puppet (1942) and the Caldecott Medal-winning The Egg Tree (1951). Her hometown Philadelphia inspired Patrick and the Golden Slippers (1951), about the Mummers' Parade, and Through These Arches: The Story of Independence Hall (1964). Milhous considered Through These Arches her most important book, embodying her love for Philadelphia and its history. Milhous illustrated many books, both of her own and of others, and worked as staff designer at Scribner's from 1944-1946. The Silver Pencil, which she illustrated for Alice Dalgliesh, was a Newbery Honor book in 1945. She died in Philadelphia on December 5, 1977. Frances Lichten was an artist, illustrator, and specialist on Pennsylvanian folk art who met Milhous in art school and became her lifelong friend. Born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in 1889, Lichten evinced an interest in art as a child, and like Milhous studied at Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. She worked as a commercial artist for many years before becoming the State Supervisor for the Index of American Design from 1936-1941. This project was a WPA initiative that hired artists to document American folk arts and crafts. As an expert on Pennsylvania folk art, Lichten also published The Folk Art of Rural Pennsylvania (1941), Folk Art Motifs of Pennsylvania (1954), and Fraktur: The Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pennsylvania Dutch (1958). From 1955 until her death in 1961, she was a Research Associate in the Decorative Arts Department at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She and Milhous shared a studio for nearly forty years and collaborated on the illustrations for They Live in South America (1942) by Alice Dalgliesh.

From the description of Katherine Milhous and Frances Lichten papers, 1903-1977. (Franklin & Marshall College). WorldCat record id: 352886889

Katherine Milhous was born November 27, 1894, in Philadelphia, PA. She attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. She began illustrating children's books in the 1930s, and writing them in the 1940s. Her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage and love of Philadelphia played a major part in shaping both her artwork and her stories. Many of her books are set in the Pennsylvania countryside or in Philadelphia. Her Caldecott Award winning book, The Egg Tree, published in 1950, drew on the folk traditions of the region. Ms. Milhous' illustrations are noted for their colorful, bold, yet simple, style, as well as her use of fold motifs, and emphasis on the wonders of nature, while her writing is also plain and simple. Throughout her long career she continued to illustrate other author's works. She died on December 5, 1977.

From the guide to the Katherine Milhous Papers, 1938-1964, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])

American illustrator and author of children's books; Caldecott Award winner, 1951.

From the description of Papers, 1938-1964. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62423758

American author and illustrator of children's books.

From the description of The egg tree : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62731960

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Peter Piper's pickled peppers : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Lovina, a story of the Pennsylvania country : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Wings around South America : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Once on a time : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Happily ever after : fairy tales : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Patrick and the golden slippers : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Gathering moss for the Putz [art reproduction] / Katherine Milhous - 1955?. Hollins University, Wyndham Robertson Library
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Papers, 1938-1964. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Snow over Bethlehem : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Katherine Milhous and Frances Lichten papers, 1903-1977. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
referencedIn Rutherford, Ruthe A. Ruthe A. Rutherford papers, 1929-1993 (bulk 1965-1993). Millersville University Library, McNairy Library
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. The egg tree : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Katherine Milhous Papers, 1938-1964 University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. The brownies : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Hunt, Mabel Leigh, 1892-1971. Papers, 1941-1966. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Free Library of Philadelphia Collection of Literary Manuscripts, 1666-1990 Free Library of Philadelphia: Rare Book Department
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. A book for Jennifer : a story of London children in the eighteenth century and of Mr. Newbery's juvenile library : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Kerlan, Irvin, 1912-1963. Marcia L. Owen collection, [ca. 1945-1964]. Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Kentucky Guide Project Office
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. They live in South America : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Billy Button's butter'd biscuit : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Appolonia's valentine : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Gathering moss for the Putz [art reproduction] / Katherine Milhous - 1955?. Hollins University, Wyndham Robertson Library
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. The silver pencil : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. The first Christmas crib : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Rosamond B. Loring collection of printed endpapers, 1900-1950 (inclusive), 1920-1941 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Corporal Keeperupper : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. With bells on : a Christmas story : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Herodia the lovely puppet : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. "Old Abe," American eagle : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. Through these arches : the story of Independence Hall : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Dalgliesh, Alice, 1893- person
associatedWith Ewing, Juliana Horatia Gatty, 1841-1885. person
associatedWith Francis, of Assisi, Saint, 1182-1226. person
associatedWith Free Library of Philadelphia. corporateBody
associatedWith Free Library of Philadelphia. Central Children's Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Gagliardo, Ruth person
correspondedWith Hunt, Mabel Leigh, 1892-1971. person
associatedWith Independence Hall (Philadelphia, Pa.) corporateBody
associatedWith Lichten, Frances person
associatedWith Loring, Rosamund B. (Rosamond Bowditch), 1889-1950 person
associatedWith Milhous, Katherine, 1894-1977. person
associatedWith Newbery, John, 1713-1767 person
associatedWith Rutherford, Ruthe A. person
associatedWith Sherwood, Lorraine. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pennsylvania
South America
Bethlehem (Pa.)
England
United States
South America
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia (Pa.)
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Subject
Amish
Bears
Bears
Children's authors, American
Children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature, American
Christmas
Christmas stories
Crèches (Nativity scenes)
Eagles
Eagles
Easter eggs
Easter stories
Fairies
Fairy tales
Folklore
Girls
Girls
Illustrated children's books
Illustration of books
Mennonites
Nursery rhymes
Parades
Pennsylvania Dutch
Puppets
Puppet theater
Saints
Schools
Schools
Tales
Toys
Toys
Valentines
Valentines
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Artists
Illustrator
Activity

Person

Birth 1894-11-27

Death 1977-12-05

Information

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Ark ID: w6wq07sb

SNAC ID: 21805499