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Polk, Willis J(efferson)
(b Jacksonville, IL, 3 Oct 1867; d San Francisco, CA, 10 Sep 1924). American architect. He was the son of an itinerant builder and learnt to design first as an artisan, then in the offices of various architects including Henry van Brunt, Charles Atwood and A. Page Brown. Polk moved to San Francisco in 1889 and maintained a prominent practice there until his death. He was among the region’s leading advocates of academic design principles, yet often he interpreted them in idosyncratic ways. During the 1890s most of his realized projects were for houses. Many schemes such as his family’s house (1892; 1013–1019 Vallejo Street, Russian Hill, San Francisco) and the Rey House (1893; 428 Golden Gate Avenue, Belvedere, Marin Co., CA) are comparatively modest and informal, drawing from a wide range of vernacular sources. However, Polk proved just as adept at developing elaborate classical designs, such as the Bourn House (1895–6; 2550 Webster Street, Pacific Heights, San Francisco). Throughout, he manipulated form, space and scale in an unorthodox manner, relishing the juxtaposition of dissimilar qualities.
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