Architect George Washington Smith (1879-3/6/1930) Santa Barbara CA (A.I.A)

Noted in the field of residential work, George Washington Smith won distinction in adapting attractive features of the Spanish style to California homes. Born in East Liberty PA, he attended Philadelphia's Academy of Fine Arts and after a course in Architecture at Harvard University spent several years abroad studying architecture, painting and sculpture in Paris, also traveled extensively in Italy and Spain, absorbing the charm of native architecture.

With the end of the first World War, Mr. Smith returned to the US, and while visiting in California, chose Montecito, a suburb of Santa Barbara, as an ideal place to open an office. From the start, he specialized in residential work, and although his first houses were of modest size, they were so distinctive in character that he was soon known from coast to coast, with his work illustrated in leading architectural magazines, and exhibited in all important shows. Noteworthy examples of his houses include the Paul Faegan residence at Pebble Beach, and Kirk Johnson house in Santa Barbara (which received the Southern California Chapter's Honor Award a short time prior to his death), and many others too numerous to mention. While Mr. Smith took much pleasure in designing homes, he also planned, with equal success, The Daily News Building, and the Little Town Club.