Ellen Weiss, architectural historian, author and longtime Martha’s Vineyard summer resident died at her West Tisbury home on Oct. 15.

Ellen was professor emerita at the Tulane University School of Architecture and the author of two books, City In The Woods: The Life and Design of an American Camp Meeting on Martha’s Vineyard and Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee: An African American Architect Designs for Booker T. Washington.

She studied at Oberlin College, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Illinois. She taught architectural and planning history at several universities in addition to Tulane University in New Orleans. She served on the boards of the Society of Architectural Historians, the Vernacular Architecture Forum and the Southeast Society of Architectural Historians.

She was born in Washington DC in 1935. Her parents, Harry and Gertrude Schmidt Weiss, vacationed annually on the Vineyard starting in the 1940s. By the 1950’s they had purchased the 18th-century cape with an “eyebrow window” on the corner of Scotchman’s Lane and Old County Road. Ellen later owned the home and resided there at the time of her death.

Ellen loved Martha’s Vineyard and all its natural beauty. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Conservation Society, one time secretary of the Hancock Beach Association and a frequent user of the West Tisbury Public Library. She had a regular spot on the late afternoon porch bench at Alley’s General Store and was a member of a dinner group jokingly referred to as the Uppity Academic Women.

In her later years, Ellen loved going to Lambert’s Cove beach in the mornings to enjoy the dog walkers and the view.

She is survived by her brother Julian Weiss and his wife, Kathy Reed, two nephews, Adrian and Evan, grandnephews Lucian and Eli, and grandniece Anouk.

There will be a gathering for Ellen’s family and friends next summer at the West Tisbury Cemetery.