The John Galen Howard materials at the University of California, Berkeley represent the full range of Howard's professional work as well as his personal life. The materials also provide insight into Northern California architecture and design, in addition to architectural education of the early part of the twentieth century. Notable materials include the drawings from the Phoebe Hearst International Competition, not only Howard's drawings but also the winner, Emile Benard, and drawings from many other competitors. The collection is important for the number of drawings from University buildings designed and/or supervised by Howard over his 24 year career at the University of California. Other important projects represented in the collections include the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition, the San Francisco Civic Center, and several residential projects. Important personal papers in the collection include 58 years of personal correspondence with his family, sketches, watercolors, writings, poetry, and public epic poems. Additionally, the collections also contain papers from his education at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.

John Galen Howard was born May 8, 1864 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He began his architectural education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the nation's only architectural program at the time, and left that program in 1885 before completing his degree. He apprenticed himself to Henry Hobson Richardson in Brookline, Massachusetts, gaining a practical knowledge of drafting. After Richardson's death he left the firm and went to Los Angeles where he worked with the firms Caulkin & Hass, and James M. Wood. Unhappy with the prospects in Los Angeles, Howard left after a year to tour Europe in 1888. Returning to the United States, he went to work for McKim, Mead & White, first in Boston then in New York. Encouraged by the partners of the firm, who offered financial assistance, Howard left for Paris to attend the Ecole des Beaux-Arts from 1890 to 1893. Although he left shortly before completing the training, he brought the tradition and style of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts back to the United States.

ca. 50.5 boxes, 5 cartons, 2 flat boxes, 118 tubes, 27 flat file drawers, 7 folios, 7 volumes, 1 framed drawing, 3 shipping tubes (231.3 linear feet) 46 online items

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