Reeves, F. Blair, 1922-

Professor F. Blair Reeves served as a member of the faculty of Architecture at the University of Florida from 1949 to 1987 when he became a professor emeritus. Throughout his academic career Dr. Reeves was very active in the area of architectural preservation both in teaching and in professional organizations. For instance, he was an active participant in HABS (Historic American Building Survey) which was founded in 1933 and through careful documentation recorded over 17,000 historic American sites. During the summer months Dr. Reeves involved his students in projects which were organized to locate and preserve buildings uniquely valuable for their historic and architectural significance to the state of Florida that would otherwise be lost through reckless renovation or razing as a consequence of the rapidity of Florida's development. He also served on the executive committee to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private institution designed to secure funding for the renovation of structures owned by the private sector and other facets of national heritage that were not receiving appropriate governmental attention. Dr. Reeves served as chair of the UF Bicentennial Committee and in this capacity planned and oversaw many projects undertaken at the University of Florida as well as the community at large. He was involved with teaching, planning, and supervising the annual summer program at Nantucket known as Preservation Institute: Nantucket (PI:N). Dr. Reeves first took his students to Nantucket in 1970 as part of the HABS work two years before the Institute was founded. The Research and Education Center for Architectural Preservation (RECAP), a multi-disciplinary approach, which became the focus for the study of architectural preservation was yet another program to which Dr. Reeves devoted his time and effort as director from 1983 to 1986.

From the guide to the F. Blair Reeves Papers, 1960-1995, (Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida)

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