Samuel White, FAIA The Garden City Historical Society is proud to welcome Samuel G. White, great-grandson of the famed architect Stanford White, as a guest lecturer in the Society's "Meet the Author" series. Mr. White's presentation is combined with a book signing of his newest work, Stanford White Architect, published by Rizzoli in 2008, and co-authored with Elizabeth White. The free lecture and book signing will take place on Wednesday, September 23, 7 p.m., at The Garden City Historical Society Museum, 109 Eleventh Street. Copies of Mr. White's book will be available for sale at the lecture.

From White's opulent townhouse on New York's Gramercy Park to sumptuous homes and buildings in Newport, R.I., such as Rosecliff and the Newport Casino, and the original Moorish Madison Square Garden, Sam White's presentation will lead viewers through the rich body of work of Stanford White. Arguably the most celebrated architect of his day, Stanford White (1853-1906) was the visionary genius of the illustrious architecture firm McKim, Mead & White. A defining figure of the Gilded Age, White lived an extravagant life, which ended prematurely in a sensational death. His wife Bessie Smith's mother was one of the heirs of her aunt, Cornelia Stewart, widow of A.T. Stewart.

Because of his connections to the Garden City Company, Stanford White and the firm of McKim, Mead & White were chosen to remodel the Old Garden City Hotel, circa 1895. After the fire of 1899, McKim, Mead & White was commissioned to design a larger version of the damaged hotel. Completed in 1901, this beautiful Georgian Revival building with its distinctive cupola became famous for its architecture, was a social center of the Village and the pride of Garden City. Its demolition in the early 1970s precipitated the formation of The Garden City Historical Society.

Also with Ms. White, Samuel White co-authored McKim, Mead & White: The Masterworks, which documents that firm's institutional and commercial designs, and The Houses of McKim, Mead & White, which is the definitive monograph of their residential commissions. A practicing architect, Sam White brings an unusual perspective to his discussion of the work of America's most famous architectural partnership.

The September 23 lecture and book signing is sponsored by Paul Rice Architecture. Paul is a native of Garden City and his architectural firm has specialized in custom residential homes since 1990. He has completed many renovations and worked on new houses in Garden City, as well as Southampton, Easthampton, Wainscott and Amagansett, and has also done interior renovations of apartments in New York City. Recently Mr. Rice completed the Steinbach's house on Ninth Street in Garden City, which was the recipient of The Garden City Historical Society's 2008 A.T. Stewart Award in the residential category. Mr. Rice is passionate about preserving the character of this unique town.