What Minerva Built Molly Lester

The final episode of the series takes a look back at Minerva's surviving  records, in the form of her drawings and extant buildings. It sheds new light on the influence that Minerva has continued to wield for over a  century, through her life, teachings, writings, and most importantly,  her work.

The collective forgetting of Minerva Parker Nichols is not an isolated case. This episode take a look at three other case studies in which under-represented communities have been overlooked, including a re-examination of Edith Farnsworth's house in Plano, Illinois; the work of the New York City LGBT Historic Sites Project; and the mission of  H.O.P.E. Crew.

One of Minerva's highest-profile projects was a pavilion commissioned by  the Queen Isabella Association, to be built for the World's Columbian  Exposition in 1893. A series of political maneuvers by the fair's organizers ultimately cost Minerva the project and led to the breakdown  of one of her colleagues in the profession, Sophia Hayden. This episode  examines the ways in which the profession of architecture has for over a century written the definition of an "architect" so that women are left  out.

Grounded in practical apprenticeship training, Minerva supervised construction on all of her design projects. This episode takes a closer look at that particular aspect of Minerva's competency, and considers how women navigate the construction site day.

Minerva's career dovetailed with the emergence of women’s clubs in the late 19th century, and her designs for three women's clubhouses created new hubs of social action for white American women. These projects were pivotal commissions for Minerva, expanding her network of available clients, and she enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with many of her  clients.

This  episode looks at Minerva's overall portfolio and her specialization in residential architecture, including the principles of her design philosophy and the common features of her designs. Her approach to architecture cannot be separated from her approach to the profession, so this episode takes full account of her competency and the ways in which her training factored into her projects.