Thomas Church: Remembering his Influence and Career

Tommy Church was awarded the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Medal at the 1976 Annual Meeting in San Diego. He could not attend the meeting to receive the society’s highest honor because he was gravely ill. The following tape of images of Church’s work and recorded commentary from Church’s contemporaries including Peter Walker, Robert Royston, Lawrence Halprin, Garrett Eckbo, and Walter Guthrie, and moderated by Proctor Mellquist, the Editor of Sunset magazine, was presented at the ASLA meeting as the award was announced. This program on Church was compiled by photographer and artist Gerry Campbell of the SWA Group.

Thanks to Professor Max Conrad who provided TCLF with the program. Conrad has taught at LSU for 45 years; for many years he took groups of students on trips to visit professional offices on the east and west coasts. He has fond memories of how Church would spend time with the students when they visited his office, discussing his work, how he ran his business, and charged his clients—all very useful information for students preparing to enter practice. This year, Professor Conrad was honored by LSU alumnae who established the Max Z. Conrad Endowed Lecture Series in Landscape Architecture.