Bliss, Mildred Barnes, 1879-1969

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents: The Dumbarton Oaks Garden Archives is a collection of over 6278 individual items of textual materials, drawings, and photographs that document the creation and development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, Washington, D.C. between 1920-1979. Robert Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss purchased the 53 acre property in 1920 known as "The Oaks" and later as Dumbarton Oaks, and within a year they hired Beatrix Farrand, a landscape gardener, to design a garden for the property that combined French,...

Scope and Contents:

Correspondence sent to Mildred Bliss by persons or by Mildred Bliss to persons whose last name begins with "D".

Scope and Contents:

Typescript description of the Marica Caerulae plant to accompany a plant given to Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss from Nellie Parker Sedgley.

Scope and Contents: Architectural drawings, surveys, and sketches for the Dumbarton Oaks Garden. The bulk of the drawings were created by Beatrix Farrand, landscape gardener, or the landscape architects who worked for her. One of her landscape architects was Ruth Havey, who carried on the work of the garden with Mildred Bliss once Beatrix Farrand retired. Other landscape architects included Alden Hopkins, Robert Patterson, and Ralph Griswold. There were numerous other contractors and artisans who contributed to...

Scope and Contents: Typescript Dumbarton Oaks Agenda from Ruth Havey listing items to send or return to Ellis Russell, secretary, and probably for Mildred Bliss. Specific items mentioned in agenda include: for the Arbor Garden or Arbor Terrace: wall panels, concrete paving plan, and a possible solution for the lead cabinet or bookcase missing handle; for Mélisande's Allée: steps, inner ramp, outer ramp, present stone wall, seat, and drainage; for Rose Garden: finalities shield and arms materials, Quod Severis...

Scope and Contents:

Appreciation letters sent to Mildred Bliss. Two letter are copies sent from Mildred Bliss to Alberta Carpenter and Richard Bassett.

Scope and Contents:

Letters sent to Mildred Bliss in appreciation for attending a Dumbarton Oaks concert.

Scope and Contents:

Letters sent to Mildred Bliss as appreciation for a Dumbarton Oaks garden tour or event.

Scope and Contents: Seven black and white photographs of exterior and interior views of the Director's House and Terrace. Before 1941, the building that anchored the southern side of the Service Court was the Garage. The second-floor residential rooms housed some of the Blisses’ male staff.After the Robert and Mildred Bliss gifted Dumbarton Oaks to Harvard University, architect Thomas T. Waterman converted the upstairs living areas into a single residence for John Thacher and his family. The...

Scope and Contents: Thirty-seven black and white photographs, 2 color photographs, and a collection of photographs with drawings and notes of the Dumbarton Oaks Park which refers to the 27-acre parcel of land that Robert and Mildred Bliss donated to the National Park Service in 1940. The acreage is now considered a part of Rock Creek Park.When it was part of the Bliss estate, the park belonged to Beatrix Farrand’s garden design. It served as a rustic counterpoint to the complex and formal garden...

Scope and Contents: Twenty black and white photographs and 5 color photographs of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden, East Lawn is an unbroken expanse of grass stretching from the entrance of the house southeast to the R Street wall.In her Plant Book for Dumbarton Oaks, Beatrix Farrand, landscape gardener called the East Lawn “one of the loveliest of the features of Dumbarton Oaks in its freedom from detail” (p. 20). To frame the open lawn, Farrand planned perimeter plantings chosen for their size and...

Scope and Contents: Photographs of the Dumbarton Oaks property taken between 1920 when Mildred and Robert Bliss bought the estate property and 1979 including and beyond when it was donated to Harvard University in 1940. The early photographs from approximately 1920-1949 are in black and white. Later photographs from approximately 1950-1979 are in color.Those that photographed the Dumbarton Oaks Garden included Stewart Bros. Photographer (Washington, D.C.); Ursula Pariser, Dumbarton Oaks staff...

Scope and Contents: Unsigned handwritten update of the list of Dumbarton Oaks Garden projects written on Mildred Bliss' personal letterhead. Mildred Bliss includes a handwritten note saying to give at once to Miss [Anne] Sweeney and enclose in my letter to Mrs. Farrand. This list was likely enclosed with a letter to Beatrix Farrand sent around the same time. Mildred Bliss mentions the Lovers' Lane trellis; Lilac Circle; Forsythia Arch; Forsythia Flatform; Willow by Terrior; Garage lamp post; Quod Severis...

Scope and Contents: Seven black and white photographs of The Superintendent’s Cottage, sometimes called the Gardener’s Cottage at Dumbarton Oaks. It fronts S Street, Washington, D.C. located just west of the Service Court gates.In 1923, Mildred Bliss suggested to her architects that they build a duplex to house the butler and the head gardener, William Gray and his family. Following her suggestion, they planned the small gabled house to be a part of the Service Court Quadrangle. However, when the...

Scope and Contents: Typescript Dumbarton Oaks interoffice communication from John Thacher to Mildred Bliss about the steps from the North Bay. Mr. Phelps, the stone contractor, made full size drawings for the steps from the North Bay (possibly G-2-39). He will bring them up to Mr. Kearney. Phelps sent his bill for his work, approximately $500 to Miss Havey two years ago and has not been paid. He notifies Mildred Bliss that small models in the basement of the Fellows' Building have been destroyed after receiving...

Scope and Contents:

Requests sent by individuals to Dumbarton Oaks and Robert and Mildred Bliss. Six letters are copies of letters sent by Mildred Bliss or her secretary in response to requests. Two copies, one letter and one telegram, sent by Robert Woods Bliss or his secretary responding to individual requests.

Scope and Contents:

Requests sent to Dumbarton Oaks or Mildred or Robert Woods Bliss.

Scope and Contents:

30 black and white photographs of Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Bliss and people associated with them. Photographs include portraits and snapshots. One photograph is of a drawing of Mildred Bliss. Photographs of: Royall Tyler, and a group of Dumbarton Oaks Gardeners.

Scope and Contents:

Dumbarton Oaks stationary leaf dated May 18, 1956 with signatures of Byzantine scholars of possible conference attendance on Byzantine art? Includes a note written in Greek.