Paul R. Williams: Architectural Visions from Hollywood to Fort Wayne
Schedule
Sat, 21 Feb, 2026 at 01:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Allen County Public Library | Fort Wayne, IN
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Paul R. Williams (1894–1980), the first African American member of the AIA and famed “Architect to the Stars,” designed iconic homes for Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and Barbara Stanwyck, as well as landmarks like the Beverly Hills Hotel redesign and the LAX Theme Building.His work also touched the automotive world through E.L. Cord, who commissioned Williams’s Beverly Hills estate, Cordhaven. In Northeast Indiana, Dr. Theodore and Beatrice Borders hired him to design their c.1954 Nevada Avenue home, showing how his visionary style reached far beyond Hollywood.
This program celebrates Williams’s national impact and his regional connections, highlighting a legacy defined by elegance, innovation, and enduring influence.
This lecture is presented in partnership between the African American Genealogical Society of Fort Wayne, ARCH Inc., Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Program Fort Wayne Committee, Allen County Public Library, and the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum.
This will be presented at The Allen County Public Library Main Branch, Genealogy Lecture Hall
It is an entirely free event
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Where is it happening?
Allen County Public Library, 342 W Washington Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46802-3023, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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