Architecture in the mid-20th Century was a profession dominated by men. The network of wives who worked in every possible capacity to make their husbands’ work successful typically goes under recognized. Maria Stone was no exception. Archives allow a better understanding of these tenacious women and the roles they played in the development of some of the most memorable architecture of the century.

Edward Durell Stone was a gifted architect who had been practicing architecture for over 20 years when he met Maria Torch. He was immediately smitten with her, and his life and practice were forever transformed. In an era when there was very little professional territory accessible to women, Maria carved an essential niche for herself in her husband’s life. Maria Stone, who might easily be remembered solely for her glamorous appearance, has been credited with both sobering up Stone and reestablishing his career.

Maria was the daughter of Italian immigrants, born in rural northern Ohio, and had suffered early on from teasing by her cruel schoolmates. Similarly, Edward Durell Stone, the Fayetteville native, knew that his incomplete college education and Arkansas past were not necessarily perceived as assets. Where there was clearly not a professional meritocracy, hyperbolic blue-chip biographies must have been seen to level a playing field.

Before the concept of “branding” was ubiquitous, savvy Maria was aware of its potency. She was instrumental in rebranding Edward and herself as early as their honeymoon, when a wedding announcement article stated, “This will allow Mr. and Mrs. Stone to combine their respective careers into an eventful colorful life,” which may be the most truthful portion of the text. The article is full of fabrications at worst, or gross exaggerations at least. The new Mrs. Stone is credited with having grown up in the patrician Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights and having earned a degree at Northwestern University. The groom is similarly noted as having been awarded multiple degrees including a Ph.D. in Fine Arts.

Approaching 30 years when they wed, Maria was not a young bride for the period. Nonetheless, Maria’s good looks and style were an obvious asset to Stone, and certainly not the only ones she brought to the table. Despite her limited formal education, Maria had worked professionally as a writer. She worked in an official capacity doing publicity work for Stone’s firm for a number of years. While Stone had both a secretary and an assistant during this period, correspondence reveals that Maria Stone’s diplomatic skills were called upon to deflect acrimony from Edward on occasion:

“My darling husband is absent-minded, negligent, oblivious to such things as calendars, dates, time and correspondence. So forgive him, I will answer for him.”

Maria’s cagey response in this 1959 letter to a request for biographic sketch is an exercise in false modesty and spousal promotion all in one:

 “I always say that Mr. Stone married me at such a young age I had very little time to develop any outstanding characteristics.

Really the most outstanding thing about me is my illustrious husband. He even agrees with this on occasion.

I’ve studied journalism, been interested in architecture my whole life, since my father was an architect from Florence Italy…”

Stone’s marriage to Maria marked a distinct renaissance in his career. Despite the benefits she brought to the mix, their union was not entirely successful either personally or professionally and ended in an acrimonious divorce which made headlines. Edward’s work continues to be included in history books and a topic of academic discourse unquestionably, in part due to Maria’s acumen and tenacity.  

 

Catherine Wallack is the Architectural Records Archivist. The Edward Durell Stone Papers are held in the Arkansas Architectural Archives in Special Collections.