Willis Polk
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Willis Polk (1867-1924) was an American architect most well known for his work in San Francisco, California. He was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and was related to United States President James Polk. Willis Polk's early career included work with McKim, Mead & White, as well as Bernard Maybeck. Polk also worked with Daniel Burnham in Chicago, and then moved to San Francisco to establish and direct Burnham's San Francisco office. Before long, Polk started his own firm and spent many years designing highly regarded California commericial and residential architecture.
Polk was a highly versatile architect, with particular skill in combining classical styles with environmental harmony. He was highly regarded for his elegant residential work, mainly in mansions and estates, in the Georgian Revival style for wealthy and prominent San Francisco residents.
After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire he was a member of Mayor Eugene Schmitz's Committee of Fifty leaders who undertook ambitious plans to rebuild a world-class city.
[edit] Notable Polk buildings
- Palace of Fine Arts (Polk was the Supervising Architect of the 1915 Exposition)
- Pacific Union Club
- Hallidie Building
- Sunol Water Temple
- Filoli Estate
- The reconstruction of Mission Dolores (1917) which was damaged in the 1906 earthquake
- The Carolands Chateau, following the plans of French home designer Ernest Sanson
- Le Petit Trianon
