John William Linley (June 23, 1916 – May 3, 1996) was an American photographer and author. He wrote two books which are considered of high value to preservationists: ''Architecture of Middle Georgia, The Oconee Area'' (1972) and ''The Georgia Catalog, Historic American Buildings Survey, A Guide to Georgia Architecture'' (1982).

Early life

Linley grew up

Anderson, South Carolina Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 28,106 at the 2020 census, making it the 16th-most populous city in South Carolina. It is one of the principal cities in the Gree ...

, to John William Linley Sr. and Annie Farmer. Having been inspired by his father's construction business, he studied architecture at

Clemson College Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university near Clemson, South Carolina, United States. - The blue-shaded pattern denotes university property. This shows Clemson University is ''outside'' of the Clemson city limits. Founded ...

, from which he graduated with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

. He then earned a

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...

in architecture from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

, graduating in 1945.

Career

Linley began his career as an architect designing homes and office buildings. In 1963, he became a professor at the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

(UGA) in

Athens, Georgia Athens is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Downtown Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship public university and an Research I university, ...

, in its School of Environmental Design. He retired in 1986.

Personal life

Outside of work, Linley served on the board of trustees for the Joseph Henry Lumpkin Foundation, the board of directors for the Athens–Clarke Heritage Foundation, and for the Athens Historical Society. He was also vice-president of the latter. He played an important role in the establishment of the

Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is the United States' largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organization with more than 8,000 members. Founded in 1973 by Mary Gregory Jewett and others, the Trust is committed to preserving and enhanc ...

, which later had the largest membership of any non-profit preservation organization in the country. Linley received the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and a Presidential Citation award from the Georgia Association American Institute of Architects. In 1967, Linley bought a home at 530 Pulaski Street in Athens. Its yard included cobblestones which Linley had recovered after they had been discarded from College Avenue. Artist and photographer Rinne Allen later lived in the home. Linley appeared in the video to

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the fir ...

's 1991 single " Shiny Happy People".

Death

Linley died in 1996, aged 79. He was interred in Silver Brook Cemetery in Anderson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Linley, John 1916 births 1996 deaths Photographers from Georgia (U.S. state) People from Anderson, South Carolina People from Athens, Georgia American photographers 20th-century American photographers 20th-century American male writers Clemson University alumni Princeton University alumni University of Georgia faculty