Birge Clark

Birge Malcolm Clark (April 16, 1893 – April 30, 1989) was an American architect, called “Palo Alto's best-loved architect” by the Palo Alto Weekly; he worked largely in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.

Biography

Early life Clark was born April 16, 1893, in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, California, though his birth certificate was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake. He was the son of Hanna Grace Birge and Arthur Bridgman Clark, a professor of art and architecture at Stanford and the first mayor of Mayfield, California, later part of Palo Alto. He graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1910. the three John Stauffer laboratories (1960’s), and the Seeley G. Mudd Chemistry Building (1977).

His principal works in Palo Alto include the old Police Station and Fire station (now the senior citizen’s center), the Lucie Stern Community Center, the President Hotel, the Palo Alto Post Office (1932), the Palo Alto Medical Clinic, and much of the 500 block of Ramona Street in downtown Palo Alto. Some of the notable and historic homes Clark built in Palo Alto include the Norris House at 1247 Cowper Street, the Dunker House at 420 Maple Street and Lucie Stern’s house at 1990 Cowper Street.

Personal life He was married to the former Lucile Townley, daughter of Stanford mathematician and astronomer Sidney Dean Townley, for sixty-three years, until her death in 1986. They had four sons: Richard Townley Clark, Dean Townley Clark, Birge Gaylord Clark, and Malcolm Mallory Clark, along with 18 grandchildren. 1921 Townleys House, 661 Cabrillo Avenue Stanford, California He designed this home with his father, for his future in-laws. He was married here. Previously located at 613 Salvatierra. 1924 Addison School, 650 Addison Avenue Palo Alto, California The similar style building on the campus, the administration building was designed by Roy C. Heald. 1926 Pacific Art League, 668 Ramona Street Palo Alto, California Spanish Colonial Revival 1927 440 – 450 Bryant Street Palo Alto, California Spanish Colonial Revival Former police station and fire station. 1932 Alta Mesa Memorial Cemetery, 695 Arastradero Road Palo Alto, California 1932 United States Post Office (Palo Alto, California) Palo Alto, California Mediterranean Revival style 1932 Palo Alto Medical Clinic, 300 Homer Avenue Palo Alto, California Spanish Colonial Revival Publications