Episode 134: Lois Lilley Howe
Lois Lilley Howe was born on September 25, 1864 in Cambridge, MA. Her parents were Estes Howe & Lois Lilly White Howe. She grew up in Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge Public High School in 1882. She had an early affinity to architecture, and would often explore local construction sites as a child, being dubbed ‘The Little Superintendent’ by construction crews. She attended the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School and graduated in 1886. In 1887, she applied to MIT and was accepted into their two-year architecture program. In 1890, she graduated from MIT. She worked at Allen and Kenway in Boston as a draftsperson for two years. She submitted a design for the Women’s Building at the World’s Fair of 1893 and received second place and $500. She used the money to travel with her mother and sister. Upon her return to the US she opened her own architecture firm in Boston. She was able to get commissions through family friends and eventually became well known for her residential designs, both renovations and new builds. In 1901, she was the second woman elected to the AIA. Her designs were published in magazines such as Architectural Record, and she published a book of details with Constance Fuller in 1913. That same year, Lois brought on Eleanor Manning as a partner in her firm. Howe & Manning took on some public housing projects and were selected to be one of the designers for the planned town of Mariemont, Ohio in 1924. In 1926, they added a third partner, Mary Almy, to their firm. Howe, Manning, & Almy won competitions and expanded their repertoire to houses on the Cape. During the Depression, their work waned, and the firm was shut down when Lois retired in 1937. Lois was active in her community of Cambridge during her retirement before passing away on September 13, 1964, just 12 days before her 100th birthday.
Caryatid: Jill Neubauer
Jill is a residential architect who grew up in Wisconsin, and spent her childhood visiting her grandparents log cabin lake house. She got a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Photography from Cornell and then received a Masters in Architecture from the GSD at Harvard. In 1994 she started her own firm Jill Neubauer Architects. The firm is based in Falmouth, Massachusetts and their work is primarily residential with projects in Cape Cod, the South Shore, Boston, the Catskills, the Green Mountains, and Wisconsin. Their projects include renovating historic homes, new modern houses, additions, and remodels. In 2024, Jill brought Kelly Ennis Connellan on as a partner in the firm which was renamed Neubauer Ennis Architects. Their website says ‘Neubauer Ennis believes every building matters and that architecture matters to the family, the street, the community, and the region. The buildings we design emerge from our client’s family stories and the unique landscapes they are sited in.’
References
Allaback, Sarah. “Howe, Lois Lilley (1864-1964).” The First American Women Architects, University of Illinois Press, 2008, pp. 104–17.
Conroy, S. Claire. “Pro-File Design: Jill Neubauer Architects - Residential Design.” Residential Design, 23 Feb. 2018, residentialdesignmagazine.com/pro-file-design-jill-neubauer-architects.
“The Faces of Women in Design.” Boston Magazine, 21 May 2019, www.bostonmagazine.com/sponsor-content/the-faces-of-women-in-design-home-property.
Jill Neubauer Architects. “Team - Neubauer Ennis Architects.” Neubauer Ennis Architects, 11 Apr. 2025, neubauerennis.com/team.
Merrett, Andrea Jeanne. “Lois Lilley Howe.” Pioneering Women of American Architecture, edited by Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation, pioneeringwomen.bwaf.org/lois-lilley-howe.
Nathanson, Larry. “Lois Lilley Howe: Pioneer Career Woman, Architect, Cambridge Citizen.” History Cambridge, 2007, historycambridge.org/articles/lois-lilley-howe-pioneer-career-woman-architect-cambridge-citizen.
“Tiny Story: Lois Lilley Howe.” Boston Preservation Alliance, 28 Mar. 2023, www.bostonpreservation.org/news-item/tiny-story-lois-lilley-howe.
Wikipedia contributors. “Lois Howe.” Wikipedia, 3 June 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Howe.
“Women in Architecture: Lois Lilley Howe.” Optima, 5 Mar. 2024, www.optima.inc/women-in-architecture-lois-lilley-howe.
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