Donald Engelhard, FCSI, looking for a home

In the July 2011 edition of The Fellows, newsletter of the CSI College of Fellows, my "History of Fellows Update" included this:

While trying to track down information about a Fellow, I often discover interesting stories. One of the biographies I've been working on is for Donald G. Engelhard, presumably from the Cincinnati Chapter. I found an ad in the September 1953 edition of Popular Mechanics, promoting a feature article in the "Giant Home Section" of the coming October issue. The full page ad shows a young couple, with this lead-in:

"Jane and Don Engelhard wrote us a letter … Newlyweds in June, they are looking forward to a home of their own. They asked for advice: Our answer will appear in PM…"

Could that be our Don Engelhard? Other information I have indicates he was in his early twenties in 1953, and his wife's name was Jane. But why would an architect write a letter to a magazine, asking for help designing a house? I'd appreciate your help in solving this and other riddles.

September preview notice

Don saw the item in The Fellows, and responded. 

The October issue of Popular Mechanics made rock stars of Jane and Don, with images and photos on the cover and in several articles.  

 

 

 

 

It's interesting that at the age of 21, architecture was the "furthest thing from [his] mind," but Don went on to become a principal in one architecture firm, and later started two firms of his own. Perhaps the "When You Plan That House" and "How to Read a Blueprint" articles were of some help...

This is the kind of story I look for when searching for information about our Fellows. If you know of a similar story, or even an amusing anecdote about a Fellow, please send it to me. I'm also always looking for photographs of Fellows, especially ones taken at CSI activities.

Magazine images provided courtesy of Popular Mechanics (popularmechanics.com). Originally published in the September 1953/October 1953 issues.