During the first half of the 20th century, Ellis Fuller Lawrence was one of Oregon's foremost architects. Born in a suburb of Boston, he received his master's degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and arrived in Oregon in 1906. In 1914, he founded and became the first dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts at the University of Oregon, where during his 32-year tenure he was responsible for the first campus plan and the design of 19 campus buildings, including McArthur Court, the Knight Library, and the Museum of Art. Commuting weekly by train from his practice in Portland to Eugene, he was an innovative force in Portland architecture while serving at the university. He designed homes, schools, hospitals, stores, and other buildings across the Pacific Northwest, established several professional organizations, and mentored young architects. Sometimes called the "Father of City Planning in Oregon," he spoke out against rampant development and corrupt government, devoted his life to innovations in art and public service, and under his guidance the school rose to a national prominence it still enjoys today. Because of the importance of its architect, the mausoleum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.