About Harold Shurtleff
Lived 1883 – 1938 (aged 55). Harold Shurtleff was an American painter.
Harold Robert Shurtleff (January 6, 1883 – December 6, 1938) was an American painter.
Shurtleff was an alumnus of Harvard University. He worked as head of the restoration department at Colonial Williamsburg. He also wrote a book titled The Log Cabin Myth: A Study of the Early Dwellings of the English Colonists in North America. This book showed that log cabins were only present in the Delaware valley, and not elsewhere in colonial north America. His book dealt both with what people in the North American colonies really used as residences, and also with why and how the myth of the log cabin had come to be. The book was published two years after Shurtleff's death and was completed and edited by Samuel Eliot Morison.
His artistic work formed part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Harold Shurtleff's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Harold Shurtleff's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Harold Shurtleff?
American painter
When was Harold Shurtleff born?
Harold Shurtleff was born on 6 January 1883 in Concord.
When did Harold Shurtleff die?
Harold Shurtleff died on 6 December 1938 in Canton, Massachusetts.
What was Harold Shurtleff's occupation?
Harold Shurtleff was a painter.
What nationality was Harold Shurtleff?
Harold Shurtleff was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harold Shurtleff. https://biography.guide/harold-shurtleff/
MLA: "Harold Shurtleff." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harold-shurtleff/.
Chicago: "Harold Shurtleff." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harold-shurtleff/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:18 UTC