Local author talk on Frank Miles Day, Philadelphia architect

Join local author Julia Steinberg Agnew as she shares the research behind her newly published book, Frank Miles Day: The Life, Works and Legacy of a Philadelphia Architect. Day designed numerous structures in Lower Merion and surrounding communities, including designs of the outbuildings at Stoneleigh and Oakwell in Villlanova.

More about the book:

Philadelphia architect, Frank Miles Day (1861-1918), left his mark on Philadelphia and beyond, and yet, until now, his name is hardly known. In the late 1880s and 1890s, alongside the firms of Cope & Stewardson and Eyre and other members of the “T Square Club,” Day became widely known in the American architectural world for his Creative Eclectic style inspired by his study and travels abroad. In the early 1900s, he went on to design in his own interpretation of the Collegiate Gothic style. For nearly three decades, Day received commissions for townhomes, country residences, club buildings, warehouses, hotels and university buildings–many still standing today.

When viewed together in this compilation, his designs are evidence of his expertise in many areas–from classical architecture and brickwork to watercolor, sketch, horticulture, landscape design, and of his continued compassion and sense of social responsibility. The story of his upbringing, his marriage to social reformist Anna Blakiston Day and his early support for civic improvement, historic preservation, travel abroad scholarships, human wellness and women in the arts and sciences reveals an inspirational Philadelphian not to be forgotten.

Now, for the first time since the 1980 dissertation by architectural historian Patricia Keebler, we have a comprehensive description of his life and unique architectural works that includes his sketches, photographs of his designs, descriptions of his clients and excerpts from his many publications.