1914 Diary by Earle Sumner Draper, Who Coined the Term Urban Sprawl

Offering a 1914 handwritten personal diary by Earle Sumner Draper, who would go on to have a major impact on urban planning in the United States.

At the time of writing, Draper was a 21-year-old Massachusetts Agricultural College (later called UMass Amherst) student. The book offers an excellent glimpse of what life as a landscape architecture student in the 1940s looked like. Draper’s days are filled with studying, socializing, and extracurriculars. 

“Up at 8:30 went into Boston -- around looking for a summer job in [...] offices. Fair luck. Dinner at N.S. Hotel. Took Susie out to the Harvard game. An awful game -- we lost 18-3. Took the 6:10 out to Harry’s and studied in evening. Bed at 10:30 PM” (February 11). 

“Up at 5:45 and studied Hort. Waited. Worked all morning with Harrison on topo work. Cut Math. Learned more about topo than I ever knew before. Cut drill (was excused). Tennis practice in doubles. Supper. Worked on Frat ball game. Studied L [...] 10 all evening” (May 20).

“Started work on design for Mrs. Haight’s Rose Garden. No letter from N yet. Somewhat worried. Read Kenyon [...] on “Design” in library in evening” (September 17). 

“Working on design for Ellwood. Played tag football. Attended Senate Hash House Investigation meeting with Kenny. Wrote up Ent roster. Trouble getting Feb 12 date for hockey filled” (November 17). 

Draper was born in Massachusetts in 1893. In 1915 he earned his B.S. in landscape architecture from Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts). After graduating, he went to Charlotte, North Carolina, to work on the Myers Park subdivision, and eventually established his own firm specializing in upper-class residential neighborhoods and mill towns.

He later moved to Washington, DC, and became the director of land planning and housing for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and then director of regional planning studies. In 1940 he became assistant administrator of the Federal Housing Administration and was later appointed as its acting commissioner.

Earle Draper is the man who coined the phrase “urban sprawl,” which is used to describe uncontrolled suburban growth with little to no regard for planning. His collected papers can be found at the University of North Carolina and Cornell University. 

Draper’s diary provides an excellent window into the education and formation of one of America’s most important planners.

Details: 

• Size 4.75″ x  3″
• Number of pages: 122
• 100% complete
• Overall condition: good
• Binding: cracked along inside front cover 
• Handwriting: legible