A PARTICULAR FONDNESS FOR STONE: USE OF MARBLE AND OTHER STONE BY THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM OF WALKER & WEEKS

The architectural firm of Walker & Weeks, headed by Frank Walker (1877–1949) and Harry Weeks (1871–1935), is best known for the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza in Indianapolis and for stone structures in Cleveland, Ohio. Many of their buildings were clad with Salem Limestone (Indiana limestone), and some structures were built of sandstone and granite, but they were big proponents of the use of marble. Favorite marbles included both white (Cherokee) and pink (Etowah) varieties of Murphy Marble (Georgia marble) quarried in the Tate area of Georgia. The architects had a close relationship with the owner of Georgia Marble, designing a mansion for him now known as the Tate House. They also used Georgia marble for the façade of their headquarters building in Cleveland, which contained a large collection of stone samples said to be one of the best in the country. The varieties of interior decorative stone used in the buildings they designed reflect their interest in stone. Botticino marble from Italy and Holston Formation limestone (Tennessee marble) were favorites, but they used many other stones from Europe and America. The firm was insistent on quality stone. For example, a three-year search was made and a new quarry opened to obtain enough Dunham Dolostone (Swanton marble) needed for cladding the columns of the Indiana War Memorial.

A manuscript on building stones written by Walker shows that he was an assiduous student of stone and an advocate of a proactive role for the architect in the selection and acquisition of stone. Walker recommended that the architect visit the marble importer early in the morning before the supervisor’s arrival and go through the stone blocks, having the yard man lift blocks as necessary and take and polish samples. He recommended visiting on a rainy day and climbing onto stone blocks. He also suggested avoidance of stones with limited supply, giving as an example the sodalite used for a blue band on the altar in the Indiana War Memorial.

Archival material relating to Walker & Weeks can be found in the Indiana State Archives (including letters and blueprints related to the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza) and the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland. A number of their structures have become iconic, including the Indiana War Memorial and the Guardians of Transportation in Cleveland