{{short description|American historic preservationist}} {{Infobox person | name = Mary Wingfield Scott | image = Photo_of_Mary_Wingfield_Scott.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1895|7|30|mf=y}} | birth_place = Richmond, Virginia | death_date = {{death date and age|1983|8|9|1898|7|30|mf=y}} | death_place = Richmond, Virginia | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = | education = Bryn Mawr College, Barnard College, University of Chicago | occupation = historic preservationist, author | title = | spouse = | partner = Virginia Reese Withers <br /> Rachel Wilson | children = | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }}
'''Mary Wingfield Scott''' (1895–1983) was an American historic preservationist who documented Richmond, Virginia neighborhoods and advocated for preservation over demolition.
==Biography== Scott was born on July 30, 1895, in Richmond, Virginia. She attended Bryn Mawr College from 1914 through 1916 and graduated from Barnard College in 1921. She received a doctorate in art history from the University of Chicago in the mid-1930s.<ref name="DVB">{{cite web |title=Mary Wingfield Scott Biography |url=https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/dvb/bio.php?b=Scott_Mary_Wingfield |website=Dictionary of Virginia Biography |access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref> She went on to teach at Westhampton College, a women's college now part of University of Richmond.<ref name="Queer Places">{{cite web |title=Partner Virginia Reese Withers and Rachel Wilson, buried together with Wilson |url=http://www.elisarolle.com/queerplaces/klmno/Mary%20Wingfield%20Scott.html |website=Queer Places |access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>
Scott became interested in architecture and began photographing and writing about Richmond buildings. She was active in the creation of the ''Preservation Virginia'' organization.<ref name="Richmond Magazine">{{cite web |last1=Kollatz Jr |first1=Harry |title=Some Loveable, All Memorable |url=https://richmondmagazine.com/news/richmond-history/some-loveable-all-memorable/ |website=Richmond Magazine |access-date=5 April 2022 |language=en-us |date=15 February 2019}}</ref> In 1935 she was instrumental in the preservation of the Adam Craig House, a dilapidated 18th century house in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood.<ref name="Architecture Richmond">{{cite web |title=Adam Craig House |url=https://architecturerichmond.com/inventory/adam-craig-house/ |website=Architecture Richmond |access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="DVB"/> She wrote two books about Richmond neighborhoods and houses; ''Houses of Old Richmond'' in 1941 and ''Old Richmond Neighborhoods'' in 1950.<ref name="DVB"/><ref name="Church Hill Peoples News">{{cite web |title=Mary Wingfield Scott's Old Richmond Neighborhoods |url=https://chpn.net/2006/02/05/mary-wingfield-scotts-old-richmond-neighborhoods/ |website=Church Hill Peoples News |access-date=5 April 2022 |date=5 February 2006}}</ref>
Scott advocated for preservation during the rebuilding efforts following World War II and on into the urban renewal programs of the 1960s. She published the ''Old Richmond News'', a newsletter dedicated to advocating for saving neighborhoods and encouraging community political involvement. In 1982 Scott was named an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects. Scott died on August 9, 1983, in Richmond.<ref name="DVB"/>
In 2018 the Virginia Capitol Foundation announced that Scott's name would be included on the Virginia Women's Monument's glass Wall of Honor.<ref name="Virginia Women's Monument Commission">{{cite web |title=Wall of Honor |url=http://womensmonumentcom.virginia.gov/wallofhonornames.html |website=Virginia Women's Monument Commission |access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref>
==Personal== Scott lived with Virginia Reese Withers (1888–1968) until Withers' death. The couple adopted two children in 1927.<ref name="DVB"/> Scott's second life partner was Rachel Wilson (1892–1986). The three women are buried together in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.<ref name="Queer Places"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading == * [http://www.rosegill.com/ProjectWinkie/Old%20Richmond%20Neighborhoods.pdf Old Richmond Neighborhoods] * [http://www.rosegill.com/MaryWingfieldScott/Winkie.pdf Winkie:Mary Wingfield Scott] * [https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/2612/ Mary Wingfield Scott: A Rebel with a Rubble Cause]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, Mary Wingfield}} Category:1895 births Category:1983 deaths Category:People from Richmond, Virginia Category:American historic preservationists Category:Bryn Mawr College alumni Category:Barnard College alumni Category:University of Chicago alumni Category:Burials at Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia) Category:20th-century American people