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Guide to the Hazel Wood Waterman Papers
MS 42
MS 42
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Table of contents
Title: Hazel Wood Waterman Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MS 42
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.75 Linear feet
(2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1865-1945
Abstract: This collection contains materials on Hazel Wood Waterman’s architectural career and personal life in San Diego in the first
half of the twentieth century, as well as some family papers going back to the late nineteenth century.
creator:
Waterman, Hazel Wood
Biographical / Historical Notes
Hazel Wood Waterman was born May 5, 1865 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She arrived in California in the early 1880’s when her father,
Reverend Jesse Wood, migrated to Oroville. Hazel attended the University of California Berkley from 1882-1883, as an art student.
There she met her future husband, Waldo Sprague Waterman, son of California Governor Robert Waterman. Following her marriage
on April 11, 1889, Hazel moved with her husband to Cuyamaca where Waldo supervised his father’s mining operations at Stonewall
Mine and Hazel became a mother. In 1891, the couple moved to San Diego. They had three children: Robert Wood, Helen Gardner,
and Waldo Dean. Hazel’s husband, Waldo Sprague, died on February 24, 1903. Following his death, Hazel enrolled in correspondence
courses, studying architectural drafting which marked the beginning of her famed career as an architect.
Around 1905, Hazel began working with the firm of Hebbard and Gill. Irving Gill, who had designed the Watermans’ home when
they first arrived in San Diego, began mentoring and training Hazel, allowing her to design the Alice Lee home. In 1906, Hazel
left Hebbard and Gill to start her own practice, although she maintained close ties to Gill. Hazel designed a number of homes
and gardens in the San Diego area, but is most famed for the restoration of Casa de Estudillo in Old Town, also known as Ramona’s
Marriage Place. A few other notable career achievements are the Children’s Home and the Wangenheim garden. Waterman continued
her architectural practice through 1929, when her work appears to have stopped. She died in Berkeley, California on January
22, 1946.
This collection contains materials on Hazel Wood Waterman’s architectural career and personal life in San Diego in the first
half of the twentieth century, as well as some family papers going back to the late nineteenth century. Architectural materials
include notes, drawings, articles written by her, photographs, and correspondence. In particular, there are materials specific
to her work on the San Diego Children’s Home and the renovation of the Estudillo House. Her personal papers and family papers
include marriage and education records, autobiographical notebooks, correspondence, military certificates of her husband Waldo,
and histories of the Wood and Waterman families.
This collection is arranged in two series:
Series I: Architectural Career;
Series II: Personal and Family Papers.
Hazel Wood Waterman Papers, MS 42, San Diego History Center Document Archives, San Diego, CA.
This collection is open for research.
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
All photographs in collection are copies. Originals are located in photo department.
All photos were transferred to the photo department on 8/24/2005.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession #681029B.
Collection processed by Lindsay Banuelos in January 2007 and Samantha Mills in 2017.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American Architectural Foundation.
American Institute of Architects.
San Diego Children's Home Association.
Waterman Family
Waterman, Waldo S.
Wednesday Club of San Diego .
Wood Family
Architecture -- California -- San Diego
Women architects