Edward Vason Jones

Edward Vason Jones, born in Albany on August 3, 1909, was a nationally recognized 20th-century classical architect and designer. Originally a student of dentistry at Northwestern University, Jones was a self-taught architect and began his career at the Atlanta architectural firm Hentz, Adler & Shutze. When the firm closed during World War II, Jones moved to Savannah to design ship hulls for the U.S. Navy. Following the war, Jones designed several notable structures, including Albany's Hugh Shackelford House and the Albany-Dougherty Courthouse, and oversaw the restoration of the Mississippi Governor's Mansion. Jones reached national renown when he restored interiors in the U.S. Department of State and the White House. Jones died in 1980 and is buried in Albany's Oakview Cemetery. The entrance hall to the State Department diplomatic reception rooms in Washington, D.C. was renamed in his honor.