"Donald Lee Mayes was born in Denison, Texas on August 17, 1914. He grew up in a family with roots deep in Texas pioneer soil...Donald's father, Joseph Mayes, and his father's grandfather were medical doctors...He graduated from the historic Denison High School on Main Street in 1931." He earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in 1936 in the field of architecture and and engineering.  His internship was done under H. Denman Schutt, a Dallas architect.  Donald returned to Denison in 1937 and began working for W.D. Collins Bank Fixture Company.  "In his years of practice between 1938 and 1966, Donald Mayes designed and supervised construction of some 75 residences, each individually crafted to fit particular owners' needs and wishes."

"The first known residence designed by Donald Mayes still stands at 1103 W. Wslker St. at North Tone Ave in Denison....Donald Mayes opened his office in 1948, locating it on the second floor at 505 West Main Street, where he remained."

Source : Bryant, Mavis.  Donald Mayes of Denison, Texas : An Architectural Legacy.  Denison, Texas : Denison Heritage, Inc., c2001

Some of the homes that were designed by Mr. Mayes are :

Bryant - Crise House Ridgeway Circle #1	Martyn Home 711 S. Fairbanks Ave.
Chesnutt - Hubbard home 721 S. Fairbanks Ave.	Conn House 820  S. Fairbanks Ave. Built ca 1955 for Blanche & Fred Conn and their children Courtesy of Cathy Conn
Goodman ~ Clark House 1630 W. Day	Shirley House 1718 W. Day St. Built in 1955; commissioned by Neil Shirley and Mary Marie Jennings Shirley Photo by Gary Sewell
Hubbard ~ Thomson House 930 S. French Ave.	Moss ~ Bryan House 1517 W. Heron St. Drawing by Donald Mayes, architect`
Karchmer House 1431 W. Gandy St.	McKinney ~ Voelzke House Ridgeway Circle #4

 

Other Denison structures designed by Donald Mayes :

First Presbyterian Church @ Denison, built 1967

Wims Elementary School @ Denison, built 1966

Dorothy Griffin Knaur home @ 1317 W. Munston St.

Johnson-Moore Funeral Home

Mayes Elementary School is named in his honor.

DENISON HISTORY

BIOGRAPHY INDEX

Susan Hawkins
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