I am a colonial architect. I design houses, manage construction and employ different tradesmen. Workers like carpenters, joiners, brickmakers and layers all help me build the structures I create. I am the architect who has designed the Great House on Shirley’s Plantation. There were not many female architects in Colonial America but some decided to take up the trade with influence from their parents and siblings. I am an English midling women who came to America in 1720 building my first major structure structure in 1723. My family and friends were not willing to take the voyage to America with me, they were to old, weary and were pleased with their homes in England. I wanted to come to America because of the chance to build new styles of architecture and experience the new worlds wonders.

I live in a farmhouse with a small kitchen, dining room and a second floor that only covers half of the bottom level. I built this house myself in about two days, of course, I know how to make a massive Gorgian house with numerous floors and millions of bricks, but someone with my social standing would never be able to have these great materials. I usually wear a long brown skirt to work with a black shirt. My other gramments consist of a tool belt, and a apron. My clothes are usually not rippend nor tattered for I do more designing and managing instead of building the structures. I make around fifty to seventy pounds depending on the structures that have been finished during that year.

I build houses for the upper class but I have heard about the Indians and Angolan housing that the word “architect” unknown. The only materials they used were sticks and mud! I’ve also heard about the English houses bwhen the Settlers first came, indeed, very similar to wigwams. I have many tools that were made for me based on my working ability. I own small compasses, caliper, saws, hammers all of which I use almost every day. My designs usually take place in the Joiners shop. I often have young apprentices with a dream of becoming an architect and building wonders. I want to teach as much as possible in the four years they have. I remeber coming over to America as just a young girl hoping I could some day build house I have experienced. I sometimes question the way I live here.

I am Elanor Everest, a middling class architect living in Virginia. I came to America in 1720 hoping for new oppertunities for building, not many architects in England were women and those who were, were not treated fariley. My transportation to the “new world” sadly consited of six months in the belly of the ship with scents of bile and urine. I invited my mother and father along with me but they were to old and weary to commit to such a voyage. My first years in America were difficult, I had to build a shop, hire tradesmen, find tools. Life here was so different, so interesting. I started building a small farmhouse with the wooden planks and my neighboor gave me. I had to pay a small amount of money for building on his plantation but he said he would be kind enough to share some of his crops. I was knew I had the skills to work in America, but it was all so overwhelming.

Soon I met my fellow carpenters who let me design in their work space. In 1723 when the carter family settled on Shirley’s plantation I was honered with the oppertunity to build a two story, symetrical Gorgeain home. I knew the process would be complex, I had built many structures before but never for such a royal. In fact, the process took ten years of building and designing. Working through the hot weather watching the rays of sunlight slowly drain the energy out my hands. I would always watch the progress, waiting until one day that hard work would pay off. I often questioned my way of living I had only two blacks shirts, one long brown skirts and a tool belt. My income included sixty pounds per year for such had and important labor. Should I have come this long journey for such torture?

I Had finished the Great House during the year of 1733. King Carters and his son were pleased with my work and asked me to also build the kithen quarters seperated from the Great House. I aggred but this process only took two years. My work was now known for, more people wanted me to build there dwellings. “Everst, what do we have on the list for days work?” My friendly carpenters would say. “Well, I must show my apprentice the use of a caliper and then head off to the blacksmithing for a new bevel. This one has become very un-useful.” “Everst you have twenty other bevels hanging on the rack by the compasses!” This was my delight what I had always hoped for and dreamed of, walking into the shop seeing wood shaving on the dark brown floor and listening to the saws gently moving back and fourth.

In 1764 I headed back to England wanting to spend my last years in my home. I did not need to stay in America for anymore I had fulfilled my dream, I know my structures and designing will be remeber in the colonies. My working business has been handed over to Hillis Mandel a hard working young boy. I have faith in him hoping he will live the enjoyable, satisfying life I had in America.