Loring McMillen

Loring McMillen (March 10 1906 – March 19 1991) was a Staten Island historian who preserved the works of Alice Austen and worked to restore Historic Richmond Town. cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Loring McMillen, 85, an Engineer And a Founder of Staten Island Restoration |url= |quote= Loring McMillen, a former civil engineer for the New York Telephone Company whose love of local history led to the development of Richmondtown, a museum and historical village on Staten Island, died on Tuesday at his home in Richmondtown. He was 85 years old. Mr. McMillen retired in 1966 from the telephone company, where for 38 years he had designed cable tracks and conduits. He then turned his attention to the history of Staten Island. |publisher=New York Times |date=March 21, 1991 |accessdate=2007-06-14 ] cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= A Man for the Ages on Staten Island |url= |quote= Surrounded by yellowing volumes of history in the library of his Staten Island home, 82-year-old Loring McMillen sits at his oversized desk, remembering with precision obscure facts about the borough. He has been Staten Island's official historian since 1934, and his research has helped to preserve its heritage. For 54 years, Mr. McMillen has given legs to a figurehead position. New York City's five borough historians serve without pay for indefinite terms. They are appointed by the respective borough presidents and have no specified responsibilities. |publisher=New York Times |date=August 21, 1988 |accessdate=2007-06-14 ]

He was born in Staten Island in 1906. He attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he majored in civil engineering, and he took courses in architecture at Columbia University. After graduation, he returned to Staten Island and worked at the New York Telephone Company for 38 years.

He spent weekends sketching and photographing old houses and buildings, and that is where he met William T. Davis in 1929. Davis was President of the Staten Island Historical Society. McMillen then became the society’s youngest member in 1931, and he joined the board in 1932. cite web |url=http://rptsweb.tamu.edu/pugsley/McMillen.htm |title=Loring McMillen; Cornelius Amory Pugsley Local Medal Award, 1955 |accessdate=2007-06-14 |format= |work= ]

McMillen with Davis and Charles W. Leng in 1932 saved the Richmond County Clerk’s and Surrogate’s office in Richmondtown, Staten Island. These buildings were built in 1848 and sat empty when the county seat moved north to St. George, Staten Island in 1920.

He died in 1991, shortly after his 85th birthday.

Awards

*Cornelius Amory Pugsley Local Medal Award (1955)

References

External links

* [http://rptsweb.tamu.edu/pugsley/McMillen.htm Pugsley Medal biography]