Whittemore, Harlow Olin, 1889-1986.

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Landscape architect, professor of landscape architecture at the University of Michigan.

From the description of Harlow Olin Whittemore papers, 1905-1986. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34420993

Harlow Olin Whittemore was born in Tawas City, Michigan, on 28 July 1889. He attended Tawas City High School and was graduated from there in 1905. He received a bachelor of science degree from Alma College in 1909, and taught afterwards both at Highland College in Kansas and Kalamazoo High School before he joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1914 as an instructor in landscape design. That same year he earned a master of landscape design degree. In 1916 he married Helen Case. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1920, to associate in 1934, and to full professor and chairman of the Department of Landscape Architecture in 1936, a position which he held until his retirement in 1959. Whittemore also served as Director of the University of Michigan's Nichols Arboretum during the latter period.

During his career, Whittemore was involved in a number of landscape design and planning projects. His most acclaimed project was one he developed in 1936 with colleague Henry S. Curtis for the Huron-Clinton Metropark System. This park system, which developed along the Huron River to where it flows into Lake Erie and along the Clinton River to where it flows into Lake St. Clair, eventually grew to 13 parks in the five county metropolitan Detroit region.

Whittemore also served as a consultant to many Michigan municipalities in the areas of planning and landscape design. He worked in communities such as Hartland, where he was involved, along with J. Robert Crouse of the Cromaine Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio, in the Hartland Area Project of the 1930s, an attempt to create an "ideal" rural community using the village of Hartland as a model. Whittemore also consulted in Ann Arbor, Highland Park, Hillsdale, Sault Ste. Marie, and many other Michigan localities.

He passed away 8 December 1986 at the age of 97.

From the guide to the Harlow Olin Whittemore papers, 1905-1986, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Alma College. corporateBody
associatedWith Demmon House (Ann Arbor, Mich.) corporateBody
associatedWith Jones School (Ann Arbor, Mich.) corporateBody
associatedWith Law Quadrangle (University of Michigan) corporateBody
associatedWith Mack School (Ann Arbor, Mich.) corporateBody
associatedWith Tappan Junior High School (Ann Arbor, Mich.) corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Landscape Architecture. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. School of Natural Resources and Environment. corporateBody
associatedWith Whitmore family. family
Place Name Admin Code Country
Hillsdale (Mich.)
Hartland (Mich.)
Highland Park (Mich.)
Highland Park (Mich.)
Brighton (Mich.)
Sault Sainte Marie (Mich.)
Huron River (Oakland County-Monroe County, Mich.)
Upper Peninsula (Mich.)
Pictured Rocks (Mich.)
Sault Sainte Marie (Mich.)
Arborcrest Cemetery (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Hartland (Mich.)
Dexter (Mich.)
Nichols Arboretum (University of Michigan)
Cheboygan County (Mich.)
Battle Creek (Mich.)
Mackinac Island (Mich.)
Ann Arbor (Mich.)
Ann Arbor (Mich.)
Hillsdale (Mich.)
Mackinac Island (Mich. : Island)
Traverse City (Mich.)
Jackson (Mich.)
Landscape architecture.
Washtenaw Avenue (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Subject
Cemeteries
Dams
Dwellings
Dwellings
Dwellings
Landscape architecture
Motels
Parks
Schools
Streets
Streets
Tourism
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1889

Death 1986

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