Russell Fenimore Whitehead was born January 14, 1884, in Trenton, New Jersey, the son of William R. and Florence D. (Moore) Whitehead. He received a B.A. from Drexel Institute in 1903. After seven years as a draftsman, he was named editor of The Architectural Record in 1912. In 1913 he edited The Brickbuilder, which was based in New York City. In 1914 he began to edit The White Pine Series of Architectural Monographs, promoted by the White Pine Bureau, an organization of timber interests from the northern Midwest. In 1925 he became editor of Pencil Points magazine. He worked as an architect with the firm of Clark & Whitehead from 1924 until 1940. He also worked closely with the Weyerhaeuser Forest Products Company and other Weyerhaeuser timber interests. Whitehead died in December 1954 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The White Pine Series of Architectural Monographs was created under the auspices of the White Pine Bureau, an association consisting primarily of Weyerhaeuser-related firms to encourage the use of white pine as a building material. The series, intended to be promotional, featured early American buildings made of pine. The high quality photographs (many by Julian Buckley) and the measured drawings of buildings made the series a popular success. In 1924, the White Pine Bureau ceased its support of the series, but the Weyerhaeuser Forest Products Company continued advertising support. In 1932, the series was absorbed into Pencil Points.
From the guide to the Business correspondence related to the White pine series of architectural monographs., 1915-1953., (Minnesota Historical Society)
