Miller & Yeager
| Company type | Architectural firm |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture |
| Founded | 1910 |
| Founder | M. H. Johnson Jr. |
| Fate | Acquired by HNTB |
| Successor | HNTB |
| Headquarters | Terre Haute , United States |
Miller & Yeager was an American architectural firm located in Terre Haute, Indiana. Established in 1910 by M. H. Johnson Jr., the firm rose to prominence under the leadership of partner Warren D. Miller. Its successor company was acquired by HNTB in 1985.
History
The origins of the firm trace back to 1910 in Brazil, Indiana, when architect McMillan Houston "Mack" Johnson Jr. launched his solo practice. Johnson, a native of Brazil and an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had prior experience working with Chicago’s Holabird & Roche. In 1911, Warren D. Miller, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from Terre Haute, joined Johnson’s practice. By 1913, they officially partnered as Johnson & Miller and established a secondary office in Terre Haute managed by Miller. The offices were consolidated in Terre Haute by 1916, although Johnson continued residing in Brazil. The firm expanded in 1919 when Ewing H. Miller, Warren’s brother, joined, prompting a name change to Johnson, Miller & Miller.
After the passing of Johnson and Ewing Miller in 1923, Warren Miller collaborated with Ralph O. Yeager, another Penn graduate, forming Johnson, Miller, Miller & Yeager; the name was shortened to Miller & Yeager in 1930. This partnership endured for more than twenty years. In 1946, Allison L. Vrydagh, the chief draftsman, became a partner; subsequently, Yeager departed to co-found Vonnegut, Wright & Yeager with architects from Indianapolis. The remaining members continued operations under the name Miller & Vrydagh.
In 1951, Warren Miller’s nephew Ewing H. Miller II and his wife Gladys J. Miller joined the firm as designers; both were graduates of Penn like their predecessors. By 1955, Ewing II was made partner and the company was renamed Miller, Vrydagh & Miller. Gladys left three years later to establish her own practice; Vrydagh retired in 1960, leaving Warren and Ewing II to operate as Miller, Miller & Associates. Warren retired in 1965 but stayed on as a consultant for Ewing Miller Associates.
In 1971, Warren Miller merged his firm with Fort Wayne’s Bradley Partnership to create Archonics, aiming to develop a statewide presence across Indiana’s smaller cities for major projects. After receiving the commission for the Indiana Statehouse master plan in 1973, the Terre Haute office relocated to Indianapolis. During the 1980s, Archonics was acquired by the multidisciplinary firm HNTB, with the merger finalized in 1985.
Architectural works
Numerous buildings designed by the firm have been recognized on the United States National Register of Historic Places. Completion years are noted.
Johnson, Miller & Miller, 1919–1923
- 1922 – Citizens' Trust Company Building, Terre Haute, Indiana
- The tallest structure in Terre Haute upon completion. Listed on the NRHP.
- 1923 – Newell High School, Newell, South Dakota
- Included on the NRHP.
- 1924 – France Hotel, Paris, Illinois
- Recognized on the NRHP.
Johnson, Miller, Miller & Yeager, 1923–1930
- 1926 – Addition to Booker T. Washington School, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Originally constructed in 1914; listed on the NRHP.
- 1927 – Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Registered on the NRHP.
- 1927 – Zorah Shrine Temple, Terre Haute, Indiana
- 1930 – First Church of Christ, Scientist, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Destroyed by fire in 1981.
Miller & Yeager, 1930–1946
- 1934 – Terre Haute Post Office and Federal Building, located in Terre Haute, Indiana
- Recognized on the NRHP list.
- 1937 – Terre Haute City Hall, situated in Terre Haute, Indiana
- Included in the NRHP registry.
- 1939 – Former Terre Haute YMCA Building, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Listed on the NRHP.
- 1940 – Tirey Hall at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana