David Garrard Lowe

It was my honor to be at the piano and share the stage many times with the remarkable David Lowe when he did his lectures on the great songwriters. His knowledge, wit and passion were an inspiration. Plus he always booked us in the grandest places and he would have me in stitches backstage. I will truly miss my friend.

David Garrard Lowe was a dear friend to many of us in Chicago, where he spoke yearly to a full house at The Arts Club of Chicago.

David was also honored by us at Preservation Chicago for his book "Lost Chicago," which never went out of print and continued to inspire many of us, to protect our historic legacy and built environment in Chicago.

We honored him with a legacy award, our first and only bestowed on an individual. He was always very proud to share that he was both the first and only to receive such an award from Preservation Chicago. This was a suggestion from our mutual friend, Anna Weaver, one of our Preservation Chicago Board Members.

Through the years, David always kept in touch with us in Chicago. He relished our 100+ page Preservation Chicago e-Newsletter each month, highlighting the efforts of our non-profit organization, to preserve and give Chicago Landmark Status to our historic buildings and Landmark District's in Chicago.

When The Richard Nickel Committee and Archive published "The Complete Architecture of Adler & Sullivan" in 2010, David made sure that we made a presentation in New York. He graciously hosted us, along with preservation leadership in the Big Apple, to introduce our 8-1/2 pound book, more than 50 years in the making. It was a wonderful event sponsored by the New York Preservation Archive Project.

The Richard Nickel Archive of more than 15,000 photos and research files was then donated to the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries at The Art Institute of Chicago, for all to enjoy in perpetuity. We have been told that it's one of their most requested collections in the library.

Our friendship also encouraged David to donate his archive of historic images on Chicago and from his book "Lost Chicago" to The Art Institute of Chicago, where an exhibition of these photos were displayed. Of course, you can see these images on-line as well, as they've been digitally captured as well.

We morn the loss of David Lowe, but grateful for his long-term friendship and dedication to our City's historic buildings and legacy. And that loss will be felt by many of us in Chicago, and to all of us at Preservation Chicago, extending to our Board and Staff.

We hope to be at his memorial service in New York and join all of you, to celebrate David's contributions and his life.

With our sincere condolences,
Ward Miller

Ward Miller, The Richard H. Driehaus Executive Director of Preservation Chicago
Preservation Chicago
205 W. Monroe Street, Suite 400
Chicago, Illinois 60606
312-443-1000- Tel
[email protected]

I attended a lecture at the Met Museum at which David was a speaker. It was my first time hearing him speak and afterwards I sent him a note telling him of the wonderful presentation he made. He graciously acknowledged my note and invited me to become a member of the Beaux Arts Alliance which I did. My association with the Beaux Arts Alliance has, through David´s lectures and presentations, introduced me to art and culture that has enriched my life. The many wonderful people I had occasion to meet and speak with at David´s events was a great joy. Thank you, David, for all you have done for me.

David is to be remenbered as a true lover of French arts and architecture . I was so impressed by his encyclopedic knowlege of all matters related to french history and the great frenchmen who made History in the 'old' world . I will treasure the souvenirs I have of our many meetings at the Beaux Arts Alliance .