The Wayne Williams papers span 27 linear feet and date from circa 1965 to circa 1999. The collection is composed primarily of spiral bound reports including, redevelopment studies, economic feasibility reports, and master plans for projects across the state of California taken on by the Smith/Williams group. The collection also contains color photographs and slides organized primarily in three-ring binders by project; letters and correspondence regarding projects (in the form of handwritten letters and Telecopier Transmittal); financial records dating primarily from the 1990s; invoices organized by project; books on Japanese landscaping and architecture; project lists; a spiral-bound book on the Smith/Williams group which contains brief biographies of the staff; and architectural drawings and reprographic copies. The collection also includes some material that date from the period of the Smith & Williams firm. This material takes the form of reports.

Wayne Richard Williams was born in Los Angeles on October 17, 1919. Williams attended the University of Southern California (USC) where he studied architecture. At USC, Williams met architect Whitney Smith, who taught there in 1941-2. His program was interrupted by WWII, during which he served in the United States Army as a designer of airplane hangars and military buildings. During the war, he began working for Whitney Smith. After the war, Williams returned to his studies, graduating with a bachelor's degree in architecture from USC in 1947. Smith and Williams became partners in 1949. During the firm’s 24 years, Smith and Williams produced numerous award-winning architectural projects, including private residences, educational buildings, religious buildings, community buildings, recreational facilities, commercial buildings, and parks. Williams specialized in recreational facilities and parks. In 1958, he published the book Recreation Places. The two architects worked together as Smith and Williams, Architects until 1973. After 1973, Wayne Williams continued the firm as Smith/Williams Group. The office had a separate business within the office, called University Food Service (UFS) developing food services for colleges. From 1975 to 2005, Wayne Williams designed high-rise leisure communities in the Washington D.C. area and the Vista International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Wayne Richard Williams died in Leesville, Virginia on November 27, 2007.

27.0 Linear feet (16 record storage boxes, 6 bagged drawings, and 5 flat file folders)

Partially processed collection, open for use by qualified researchers.