Background
Millard was born in and left as a young woman to study art in London.
Millard was born in and left as a young woman to study art in London.
She is widely known for commissioning Frank Lloyd Wright to build her house (Louisiana Miniatura) in
On a visit home to, she wandered into the book store operated by A.C. (before Christ) McClurg and asked for a book on William Morris. George Millard, who worked in the Rare Book Departmenet, "was pleased to help the attractive young woman who had interests similar to his own," according to Ward Ritchie. A romance ensued and in 1901, Parsons accompanied Millard on a book-buying trip to England.
George and Alice Millard moved to after George"s retirement in 1913.
The couple converted a bungalow on Huntington Drive in South into a book salon. When George died, Alice carried on with their book-buying business along with antique furniture.
She commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright. According to Ritchie, "Wright was not interested in doing a traditional house on the traditional flat lot in a respective neighborhood which Alice had already purchased.
He searched the area and found a tree-coverd ravine leading into the Arroyo which he persuaded Alice to buy.
He snugly fit the house therein."
As Alice Millard, "she became one of the most important American booksellers of the 20th century, advising, teaching, and influencing such affluent disciples as William Andrews Clark, Templeton Crocker, Caroline Boeing Poole, and Estelle Doheny.".