Julia Morgan, like Louise Blanchard Bethune, was a trailblazer whose life and work impacted my own. There is a new book out on her life and work, Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect. Her most iconic work is Hearst Castle.  The book’s author, Victoria Kastner, is Hearst Castle’s official historian but her book goes well beyond Morgan’s work there.

Early History

Julia Morgan was born on January 20, 1872, in San Francisco, California. She grew up in Oakland, and died February 2, 1957, in San Francisco. In between she led quite a life. She earned a degree in engineering in 1894 from UC Berkeley, as Berkeley did not offer an architectural program. Then she took another step that influenced her path in life. She studied architecture privately under the tutelage of a local architect, Bernard Maybeck. He recognized her talent and drive, encouraging her to study abroad, in Paris.

Two Firsts

In 1898, Morgan forged ahead to become the first woman to be enrolled in the École des Beaux-Arts’ architectural design prgram, and graduated in 1902. She went on to become the first female architect to be licensed in California. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, she became one of the most prolific and important women architects to ever work in the US.

New Insights

Morgan enjoyed an amazing career spanning 50 years. During that time, she designed 700 buildings. When you consider that more than half of those buildings were designed and built before women won the right to vote, her accomplishments deserve a closer look. That is why Kastner’s biography is a welcome addition to the many books and articles already written, because it covers new ground.

What was new for Kastner since researching her last book was the 2005 addition to the archive of a previously unpublished 197-page diary from Morgan’s final years, donated by the estate of Morgan biographer Sara Holmes Boutelle after her death. Though the Morgan archive already contained the many diaries Morgan had written during her travels, they focused primarily on architecture. The final diary recounts Morgan’s travels to Italy on a freighter in 1938-39, revealing a more intimate portrait of the notoriously reserved and publicity-shy architect.

Joanne Furio, Oaklandside.org

This book is also full of gorgeous photographs depicting the many Bay Area buildings you can see within a short drive of one another. If you can’t make the drive but still want to see her creations, Victoria Kastner paired up with California Preservation to do a virtual tour featuring photos of Morgan’s buildings.

Morgan’s Third First

For too long, Morgan’s work went unrecognized. In 2014, the American Institute of Architects awarded her the Gold Medal. In its 100-year history of that prestigious honor, Morgan was the first woman to receive it, albeit posthumously.

Read the Book and Take a Tour

If you enjoy architecture, history and personal storytelling, you are in for a treat with this biography. You are in for an even bigger treat if you decide to actually visit some of Morgan’s gorgeous creations to experience their full impact.

Morgan’s work includes everything from modest family homes in Oakland to the Berkeley City Club, to the Merchants Exchange building and the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, to the Hearst Castle in San Simeon and so many more. They are pure eye-candy for someone who loves beauty, and inspiring for anyone with a passion for architecture.

Check out our upcoming posts for a feature on America’s most famous architect, whose most iconic creation is celebrating 60 years of serving the Marin Community.