GEORGE MCCOLLUM SMART, AIA
(1931-2003)

George Smart was born in South Carolina and moved to Franklin, VA in high school.  He graduated from Randolph Macon College in English Literature and became a Methodist minister after a year at Duke Divinity School.  Disenchanted with the hypocrisy of the Church, he went to the NCSU School of Design and graduated with a Bachelor's of Architecture and went to work for Haskins and Rice. 

From 1956-1958 he served in Korea and won a Special Achievement Award in Architecture.  After returning to Raleigh, worked at Holloway and Reeves for a year, Walter Burgess for a few months, then returned to Haskins and Rice until 1962.  During that winter, he and his family moved to Salisbury where he worked for John Ramsay.  His wife Ann did not like the town nor the distance from her mother in Raleigh, and they returned to Raleigh nine months later in 1963.  Smart worked again for Walter Burgess, this time as a partner, then went on his own in 1964.  During his career he would focus on churches and schools.

In 1967, he joined with Charlie Woodall, and later Max Isley and Troy Herring.  Their firm over the next 10 years became one of the largest in the state with offices in Durham, Raleigh, and Greenville.  During the 1970's the partners left and his career turned to three key markets:  the removal of asbestos in federal buildings; post offices across the country; and major school buildings in North Carolina. 

Although Smart's commissions were primarily commercial, he did a few houses, below.  He was visiting faculty at Taliesin in Wisconsin for one summer around 2000.  He retired in 2002 and died of pancreatic cancer in 2003.

Houses:

The W. W. Seymour Residence, Sanford NC.  Address unknown.  Do you know where it is?

1966 - The Hugh C. and Janet Vincent, Jr. Residence, 440 Woodridge Drive, Murfreesboro NC. Vincent and Smart were high school friends in Virginia, playing on the same baseball team together.  When the Vincents and their six children wanted a new house in 1965, Smart came down from Raleigh and lived with them for three days.  "He wanted to see how we lived," said Janet Vincent, "and he would have us drive around for hours pointing out what we liked and didn't like in other houses."  Recalls Hugh Vincent, "George had to have it right.  He worked every detail.  And we've not replaced the first plank on this house in over 40 years."  3675 heated square feet, featuring leaded glass panels, plus a garage which was later closed in.  The Vincents also did an addition on the front of the house.  Featured in the Easter Sunday News and Observer in 1967.

The Dr. Jerry Warren Residence, Raleigh.  Address unknown.  Do you know where it is?

The Mayor W. H. Randall Residence, Lillington NC.  Address unknown.  Do you know where it is?

1967 - The Edwin S. and Dorothy Preston Jr. Residence, 4929 Hermitage Drive, Raleigh.  Traditional design featured a 20' deck/patio along the back of the house.  The full basement is now a separate apartment,  Commissioned 1965.  Built for current owners.