Establishing the Move-In Date. Writing in March 1958, Leon Yulkowski from Eero Saarinen and Associates advises the contractor’s “guarantee against defective workmanship and material” expires one year after the house was occupied. This letter, however, does not give the date of occupancy.

Letter from Leon Yulkowski to Larry Hoffman, 19 March 1958, 2/11, Miller House and Garden Collection, IMA Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana. (MHG_Ia_B002_f011_033)

Blueprint (29 x 41 in.) of Sheet Number A-6, Miller House Exterior Elevations by Eero Saarinen and Associates and Alexander H. Girard, 18 February 1955, FF41, Miller House and Garden Collection, IMA Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana. (MHG_III_FF041_012)

The Millers wanted a record player for their bedroom and this was the suggestion for equipment given to them by Fisher Radio Corporation.

Fisher Radio Corporation to Leon Yulkowski, 8 November 1956, 1/4,  Miller House and Garden Collection, IMA Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana (MHG_Ia_B001_f004_026)

Even the laundry & cleaning cart was designed specially for Miller House by Eero Saarinen and Associates. This iteration wasn’t satisfactory as can be seen by Xenia’s handwritten note on the letter, “Too heavy, please design one 1) lt. wt. 2) cheap 3) probably flimsy but maneuverable.”

Leon Yulkowski to Xenia Miller, 25 November 1957, 1/7, Miller House and Garden Collection, IMA Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana (MHG_Ia_B001_f007_075-076)

When House and Garden published its article on the Miller House, it also omitted information about the Millers and the house’s location. House and Garden included thirty of Ezra Stoller’s photographs, many of them in color.

Will Mehlhorn to J. Irwin and Xenia S. Miller, 5 December 1958 2/10 (MHG_Ia_B002_f010_013); Maurice Allen, Jr. to Will Mehlhorn, 5 September 1958, 2/10 ((MHG_Ia_B002_f010_079), Miller House and Garden Collection, IMA Archives, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana.

On this day, Dan Kiley, per the request of Kevin Roche, wrote Mr. Miller to describe how the grass would be cut around the terrace platform. Kiley included a sketch for further clarification.

Dan Kiley to J.I. Miller, 22 October 1956, 1/3, Miller House and Garden Collection, IMA Archives, Indianapolis, Indiana. (MHG_Ia_B001_f003_005-006)