Lee Arden Thomas

Who was Lee Arden Thomas?

Lee Arden Thomas was an architect in Bend and Portland, Oregon, United States. He graduated in 1907 from Oregon Agricultural College. He completed many projects in Bend, often partenering with local architect Hugh Thompson. His work in that area includes the planning for Bend Amateur Athletic Club Gymnasium, Redmond Union High School, and the Washington School in Corvallis.

Thomas was an architect in Bend during the "teens" and has been described as "perhaps the most notable" of Deschutes County architects of the first half of the 20th Century along with Hugh Thompson. His work in the area includes the Lew Franks Building, St. Francis Catholic Church, St. Charles Hospital, First Methodist Church, Bend Amateur Athletic Club and the new Central School. Thomas and Thompson "became a powerful architectural force" as partners and designed the O. C. Henkle Building Kenwood School, the Central Oregon Bank and the Vandevert & Whitington Garage.

In Portland, Thomas helped design the Weatherly Building with Sutton & Whitney and partnered with Albert Mercier on the adjacent Oriental Theatre, as well as several other theaters. He also designed the Memorial Union at Oregon State University.