PUBLIC"-//Virginia Military Institute::PrestonLibrary::Archives//TEXT (US::ViLxV::vilxv00051::A Guide tothe Alexander Jackson Davis Architectural Drawings)//EN""vilxv00051.xml"A Guide to the Alexander Jackson Davis Architectural Drawings, 1859-1870 MS.0276Diane B. JacobVirginia Military Institute Archives

VMI ArchivesPreston LibraryLexington, VA 24450Business Number: 540-464-7516archives@vmi.eduURL:

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-06-30 07:03:05 -0400.Description is in English Virginia Military Institute Archives Alexander Jackson Davis architectural drawings Davis, Alexander J. (Alexander Jackson), 1803-1892 MS.0276 /repositories/3/resources/624 27 items 1859-1870 Oversized case 9 English Conditions Governing Access

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Biographical / Historical

Alexander Jackson Davis (1803-1892), a notable 19th century American architect, designed VMI barracks, professors' residences, and other Institute buildings during the 1850s and 1860s. Davis was born in New York, and studied at the American Academy of Fine Arts and the National Academy of Design. He helped to popularize the Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and Italianate styles, and his many important projects included private residences as well as public buildings.

Davis has long been recognized by historians as the most significant American practitioner of the "secular gothic," and VMI was the first American college planned entirely in the Gothic Revival style. This style incorporates towers, turrets, and other design elements first used in medieval castles and cathedrals.

Davis's association with VMI came about as a result of his design work for Philip St. George Cocke, a wealthy Virginia planter and member of the VMI Board of Visitors. Cocke, an impassioned advocate of the Gothic style, employed Davis to design "Belmead," the Cocke residence in Powhatan County, Virginia. Cocke became Davis's patron in the state, and when VMI began its building program in the late 1840s, it turned to Davis to create a comprehensive plan for the Institute.

During the period between 1850 and 1861, a significant portion of the barracks, a Porter's Lodge, mess hall, the Superintendent's residence, and several faculty residences were constructed using Davis' designs. Davis' dream of completing the barracks quadrangle was interrupted by the Civil War and VMI's post-war financial problems, and his work for the Institute ended in the 1870s. It was not until the early 20th century that his vision for the Parade Ground facade of barracks was realized, based on a Davis-inspired design by another noted architect, Bertram Goodhue.

Preferred Citation

Alexander Jackson Davis architectural drawings, MS 0276, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia.

Related Correspondence

Correspondence between Alexander Jackson Davis and VMI's Superintendent Francis H. Smith is available in the Superintendent's official correspondence files of the period.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of 27 architectural drawings by Alexander Jackson Davis executed for VMI between 1859 and 1870. Included are designs for barracks, the Superintendent's residence, and faculty residences. The bulk of the drawings are ink and wash plans.

Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Architecture—Virginia Virginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc. Virginia Military Institute—History—19th century Historic buildings—Virginia—Lexington Architectural drawings Superintendent residences/repositories/3/archival_objects/201410 items1860English Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, front elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/5433circa 1859Pencil, ink and wash drawing; 18.5 inches x 12 inchesEnglish Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, second floor plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/2024circa 1859Ink and wash plan with section and elevation views in pencil; 18.5 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Includes section and front elevation views.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc."Dwelling House and Offices for the Superintendent," plan view and front elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/20191859Ink and wash drawing; 16.5 inches x 10.5 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Dwelling House and Offices for the Superintendent at Va. Milit. Institute. Oct 1859. A. J. Davis, Archit."

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, first floor plan and detail view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20201859Ink and wash plan and detail; 18.75 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Drawing also includes front and rear elevations, and a parlor window detail.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, "Plan No. 2, Principal Floor," plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20181860Ink and wash drawing; 18.75 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Plan No. 2, Principal Floor, adopted for the Executive Mansion, Va. Military Institute, Lexington, Va. 1860."

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, "Plan No. 3. Chamber Floor," plan and section view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20251860Ink and wash plan view with ink section view; 18.5 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Plan No. 3. Chamber Floor, Adopted for the Executive Mansion, VMI, 1860."

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, "Executive Mansion," front elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/20171860Ink and wash drawing; 18.75 inches x 13.5 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Executive Mansion, Va. Military Inst., Lexington, Va. 1860."

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, first floor plan view, drawing "A"/repositories/3/archival_objects/20211860Ink and wash drawing; 18.75 inches x 12 inchesEnglish Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Superintendent residence, first floor plan view, drawing "B"/repositories/3/archival_objects/20221860Ink and wash drawing; 18.75 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Drawing includes front and back elevations.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residences/repositories/3/archival_objects/20158 itemscirca 1851-1852English Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, plan view and south elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2027circa 1851Ink and wash drawing; 14 inches x 17 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"First Study, A, for Professor's house, Va. Mil. Inst." Plan view "Principal Story No. 2" (A1). South elevation "South Front" (A3).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, plan view and elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2028circa 1851Ink and wash drawing with rendered elevation; 11 inches x 14 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Plan view (C1) and elevation (C4).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, second story plan view and elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2029circa 1851Ink and wash drawing with pencil; 14 inches x 17 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Second story plan view (No. 3, A2) and elevation "Entrance front" (5A).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, second story plan view and elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2030circa 1851Ink and wash drawing; 14 inches x 17 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Plan view of "Second story 3" (B3) and elevation (B4).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, first and second story plan view and elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2031circa 1851Ink and wash drawing; 14 inches x 17 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"First A and second study B for the V.M.I; principal floor enlarged." Plan view (B2) and elevation (B5).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, basement plan view and west elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2032circa 1851Ink and wash drawing; 14 inches x 17 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Basement plan view (No. 1, B1) and west elevation (B6).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, "Upper Story" plan view and elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2033circa 1851Ink and wash drawing with rendered elevation; 11 inches x 14 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Upper Story" plan view (C2) and elevation (C5).

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Faculty residence, "River Front," plan view and elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/2026circa 1851-1852Ink and wash drawing; 24 inches x 19 inchesEnglish Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks/repositories/3/archival_objects/201610 items1870EnglishBarracks, Claytor Hall, elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/20341870Ink and wash drawing, mounted; 13.5 inches x 9.25 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Claytor Hall - Va. Milit. Inst. Gen. Fr. H. Smith Supn'dt - Lexington, Virginia. - A. J. Davis, Arc't." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, cross section and south elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/20351870Ink and wash drawing, mounted; 13.5 inches x 9.25 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Claytor Hall, No. 5. Cross section; and Center, south front. 1870." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, plan view with overlay/repositories/3/archival_objects/20361870Ink and wash drawing; plan view 23.5 inches x 19.5 inches; overlay 11 inches x 5 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Barracks of the Virginia Military Institute" with overlay "Plan on the Floor of Museums, No. 3." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, octagonal auditorium, plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20371870Ink and wash drawing; 23.5 inches x 18 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

Detail working drawing of octagonal auditorium. Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, Memorial Chapel, plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20381870Ink and wash drawing; 11 inches x 9 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Study for No. 3, Memorial Chapel." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, basement, plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20391870Ink and wash drawing; 35 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Basement No. 1. By A. J. Davis architect, 1870." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, entrance floor, plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20401870Ink and wash plan with architect's notes; 35 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"No. 2, Principal or Entrance Floor." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, chapel and museum floor, plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/20411870Ink and wash plan with architect's notes; 35 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"No. 3 Chapel and Museum Floor." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, attic and ceilings, plan view/repositories/3/archival_objects/2042Ink plan with stairway overlay; 35 inches x 10 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"Attic and Ceilings, Va. Mil. Inst., No. 4."

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.Barracks, Claytor Hall, long section elevation/repositories/3/archival_objects/20431870Ink and wash drawing; 35 inches x 12 inchesEnglishScope and Contents

"No. 5, Long Section, Claytor Hall." Unexecuted design for expansion of barracks.

Architectural drawingsVirginia Military Institute—Buildings, structures, etc.