Brown and Alexander (née Biberstein, Bowles, Meacham & Reed) records
Scope and Contents
This collection contains selected records of the Charlotte architectural firm, including drawings, files, and photographs. The following criteria were used for the initial donation of files: 1) all projects for Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly, and Union counties, N.C. and foreign countries; 2) all projects prior to 1940-3) and all comprehensive projects, i.e., entire villages in addition to the mills.
This does not constitute a complete record of the firm. Many files were lost due to the deterioration and subsequent demolition of a storage shed located behind the firm's office.
Dates
- Creation: 1895 - 1960
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1920 - 1995
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the patron's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Biographical / Historical
Founder Richard C. Biberstein (1859-1931) was one of the South's most prolific mill architects. Born in Fredericksburg, Tex., Biberstein was a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. He worked for firms in New Jersey and Indiana before coming to Charlotte in 1887 as a draftsman-designer for the Mecklenburg Iron Works. From 1902 to 1905, he worked for Stuart Cramer, who designed and supplied mills throughout the South and who later founded Cramerton, N.C. In 1905, Biberstein organized his own firm and was joined by his son, Herman "Dick" Von Biberstein (1893-1966), in 1915. From 1915 to 1930 the firm was known as H.V. Biberstein. In 1930, H.V. Biberstein was joined by William A. Bowles and the firm was known as Biberstein and Bowles for the next 18 years. The two men were joined by Louis H. Meacham in 1948, at which point the firm became Biberstein, Bowles & Meacham. The firm took on new partners over the years eventually becoming Brown & Alexander, Inc. before dissolving in 2017.
Additionally information about Richard Biberstein can be found on North Carolina Architects & Builders biographical dictionary website maintained by NC State University - http://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu/.
Extent
142 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Records of a Charlotte, North Carolina architectural firm founded in 1905 by Richard C. Biberstein (1859-1931), who had come to Charlotte in 1887. The firm became Biberstein & Bowles, Inc. then Biberstein, Bowles & Meacham later Biberstein, Bowles, Meacham & Reed and eventually Brown and Alexander. Contains job files and drawings for projects, primarily textile mills and villages in North Carolina and Virginia. Also includes similar material for residences, schools, churches, commercial buildings, as well as mills in other states.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into two series, the first of which is further divided into sub-series. The two series are: Biberstein, Bowles, Meacham & Reed and Brown & Alexander. The Biberstein, Bowles, Meacham & Reed series are loosely organized by project type and listed alphabetically by name of project. The Brown & Alexander materials are listed alphabetically.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Louis H. Meacham, 1984. Brown and Alexander materials donated by John Brown and Bob Alexander, 2017
Separated Materials
Items relating to N.C. State University and Duke Power have been transferred to the respective archives of those institutions.
Processing Information
Processed by Brian Barbee, Adria Hockenberry, and Kimberly Hotaling, 1994; Julie Henry and Andrew Pack, 2017-2018.
Source
- Biberstein, Bowles, Meacham and Reed (Organization)
- Title
- Brown and Alexander (née Biberstein, Bowles, Meacham & Reed) records
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscript Collections, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, UNC Charlotte Repository
Atkins Library, UNC Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte NC 28223 United States
spec-coll@uncc.edu
