Jane Silverstein Ries Papers

The Jane Silverstein Ries Papers is comprised of client files, business records, awards and ephemera, architectural landscape drawings and photographs from Ries’ professional and personal life, including drawings and photographs from her childhood and her years as a student at Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture for Women. The collection spans nearly all of Reis’ life time (1909-2005), with a concentration on the peak of her career between the 1960s-1980s.

Client files, which comprise the bulk of the papers, are organized alphabetically by client surname, and contain business records as well as clippings about Ries’ clients. Letters reveal Ries’ personal affiliations with many of her clients and colleagues in the landscape architecture field.

The papers illustrate Ries’ extensive involvement with civic and professional organizations. Numerous Rocky Mountain and Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) records are represented in the collection, as well as records from various environmental, civic, and women’s organizations in which Ries was active. Records and photographs relating to Jane Silverstein Ries’ own garden at her home at 737 Franklin Street exemplify her meticulous record keeping.

Photographs in the collection are largely snapshots, sometimes taped together to form panoramic views. The collection contains some professional photographs of her design work, which Ries submitted to various house and garden magazines including House and Home and Sunset.

The client files series includes correspondence, notes, invoices, contracts, plant lists and design sketches created by Jane Silverstein Ries for her work on residential and commercial landscape designs. When possible, the original filing order, alphabetically by surname, was retained.

This series contains materials used in the daily course of business by Ries and her employees. Materials include: dispatch books (notes describing daily business activities), appointment books, calendars, phone message books, Rolodex cards and a client activity ledger. The Operations and Financial subseries includes: employee information, tax records, client ledgers, expense invoices, financial statements, correspondence from job applicants, and materials related to the partnership between Ries and Julia H. Andrews and Land Mark Design Incorporated. Jane Silverstein Ries' resume and examples of the firm's letterhead, logo and business card are also included.

Materials in this series include landscape design resources Ries compiled as sources for ideas and inspiration in her work. Arranged alphabetically by subject, materials include magazine and newspaper clippings, booklets, pamphlets, notes, brochures, catalogs, price lists, newsletters, correspondence, and sketches.

Notes related to conferences, lectures and panels Ries attended comprise this series. Notes from lectures Ries delivered, articles she wrote, drafts, and correspondence with editors are included. Ries' work appeared in Landscape Architecture, Colorado Homes and Lifestyles, Green Thumb, and Glamour. She was also featured in an article in Sunset magazine.

Ries' strong commitment to her profession and community is represented in this series. The series is arranged alphabetically by organization. Some organizations include: American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Rocky Mountain Chapter ASLA, Colorado Chapter ASLA, Denver Botanic Gardens, Park People, Denver Landmark Preservation Commission, Women's Forum of Colorado, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, Denver Parks and Recreation, Colorado Women's Hall of Fame and Denver Planning Board.

Most of the architectural drawings in this series were created by Ries or members of her staff, for her clients. Landscape architecture plans, as well as architectural plans for the construction of Ries' home at 737 Franklin Street, Denver, are included, as are Ries' drawing assignments from Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture. The drawings comprise mostly plot plans and landscape development plans, but also include detailed sketches of specific design features (patios, walkways, fences, gates). Drawings are arranged alphabetically by surname in most, but not all, cases.

This series is arranged chronologically and focuses on Ries's personal life and accomplishments. Materials include her birth certificate, high school diploma, childhood school work, correspondence, Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture materials, U.S. Coast Guard materials, wedding memorabilia, awards, and ephemera. Records related to Jane Silverstein Ries’ own garden and home at 737 Franklin Street, Denver, are included in this series. Ries kept invoices, notes, and correspondence regarding her garden from the 1930s through the early 1980s. A journal by her mother, Eva Sickman Silverstein, from 1935 to 1936 documents the daily progress of the construction of the house and garden. The Denver Landmark Preservation Commission landmarked her house in 1992. Materials related to her application for the historic preservation of her home are also included.

The series consists of an interview and a panel discussion with senior citizens involved in the arts (including Ries). Video tapes feature Ries discussing landscape architecture and her work with clients and show examples of her work and her office.

The series contains sketches, designs, invitations, drawings, and an engineering drawing sheets template book, all dating from Ries' years at Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture for Women. In addition, three scrapbooks contain personal newspaper clippings, an American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) portfolio, and a Garden and Home Show Woman of the Year scrapbook.

Photographs in the collection primarily comprise snapshots of Ries' clients' homes and landscapes, sometimes taped together to form panoramic views. The collection contains some professional photographs of her design work, which Ries submitted to various house and garden magazines including House and Home and Sunset. Photographs from her childhood, her years as a student at Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture for Women, her family and pets, and travel are included.