Van Ravenswaay, Charles

Charles van Ravenswaay was born in Boonville, Mo. in 1911. There he began to develop life long interests in horticulture, decorative arts, history, and architecture. In 1934, he graduated from Washington University, St. Louis. Van Ravenswaay served as an advisor and consultant in many historical preservation and restoration projects, especially in Missouri and Illinois. He was the director of the Missouri Historical Society, president of Old Sturbridge Village, and director of the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum. Van Ravenswaay headed up the production of the WPA's guide to Missouri and wrote the introduction to its reprint edition. Among his numerous other writings were two books: The Arts and Architecture of German Settlements in Missouri and Drawn from Nature: the Botanical Art of Joseph Prestele and His Sons. At his death, van Ravenswaay was writing a book on the social significance of the American apple.

From the description of Papers, 1848-1990, bulk 1983-1990. (Winterthur Library). WorldCat record id: 84665592

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