Queer Places:
Colonial Williamsburg, 101 Visitor Center Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23185, United States
Walter
Mayo Macomber (February 25, 1894 - January 4, 1987) was an apprenticed at the
Boston Architectural Club and with his father, who was an architect,
cabinetmaker, and builder. During World War I, Macomber volunteered to serve
in the American Unit of the French Ambulance Corps, and in 1916 received the
Medal of Honor from the French Republic. After the war he joined the Boston
architecture firm Perry, Shaw & Hepburn. In 1928 he became the resident
architect at Colonial Williamsburg, supervising its restoration and
reconstruction until 1934; he then became the resident architect at Mount
Vernon for thirty years. He formed an architectural practice in Washington,
D.C., in 1958 with Walter Peter Jr. and after 1964 practiced in his own firm.
He designed numerous restoration projects for historic properties, including
Stratford Hall, President Monroe's law library, and the Fairfax County Court
House; he completed the installation of the historicist diplomatic reception
rooms at the Department of State in 1985 at age ninety.
Walter Macomber was born in Revere, Mass. Macomber's interest in the
preservation of 18th and 19th century architecture led him to pursue a
lifelong career in restoration architecture. In 1928, he was an associate
member of the architectural firm of Perry, Shaw and Hepburn of Boston. This
firm was commissioned by Colonial Williamsburg to restore the colonial
Capitol.
Macomber was selected to supervise the restoration of Williamsburg from 1928
to 1934. During this period the Capitol and Governor's Palace were
reconstructed and the Christopher Wren Building restored.
Some of the many historical restoration projects credited to Macomber's
expertise are the Linden's in Washington; Scotchtown, Patrick Henry's
Birthplace; Ford's Theater, Washington; and City Tavern, Washington.
Macomber was the resident architect for 30 years at Mount Vernon and
consultant architect for restoration projects at Stratford Hall for 10
years.
At age 90, he completed his last commission for the fine arts commission to
renovate the diplomatic reception rooms for the Secretary of State at the
Department of State, Washington.
He married Marian Hunter of Sarasota; they had two children, Louis Newhall
Macomber of Foster City, Calif.; and Cynthia Macomber Colonna of Yorktown.
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