James Hamilton Windrim
Born(1840-01-04)January 4, 1840
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 26, 1919(1919-04-26) (aged 79)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeWest Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S.
CitizenshipUnited States
Alma materGirard College
Occupationarchitect
SpouseMary Barr McCutcheon Windrim
ChildrenJohn T. Windrim,
James Hamilton Windrim, Jr.,
Elizabeth Windrim Flagg
BuildingsMasonic Temple (Philadelphia),
U.S. Treasury (Philadelphia),
National Savings and Trust Company (Washington, DC)

James Hamilton Windrim (January 4, 1840 – April 26, 1919) was a Philadelphia architect who specialized in public buildings, including the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia and the U.S. Treasury.[1] A number the buildings he designed are on the National Historic Landmarks and/or the National Register of Historic Places, including the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia and the National Savings and Trust Company building in Washington, DC.

Early life and education

Bust of James H. Windrim, a bust of Windrim built between 1898 and 1901 by Samuel Murray

Born in Philadelphia, he apprenticed under John Notman.

Career

In 1867, he opened his own firm. That same year, at age 27, he won the design competition for the Philadelphia Masonic Temple, the building for which he is best remembered.

In 1871, he was named architect for the Stephen Girard Estate, designing several buildings at Girard College and a complex of stores on Market Street that became Snellenburg's Department Store.

As supervising architect for the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington, D.C. from 1889 toi 1891, he was responsible for all U.S. federal government construction. He designed at least 16 federal buildings across the country that consolidated post offices, federal offices, and federal courts. He then returned to his native Philadelphia, where he served as director of public works for the City of Philadelphia from 1891 to 1895.

He served as president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects from 1879 to 1886. His son, John T. Windrim, joined his architectural firm, James H. Windrim & Son, in 1882, and took over after his retirement.

Windrim designed the Smith Memorial Arch in West Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, one of the nation's largest public parks. The arch features a bronze bust of him developed by sculptor Samuel Murray.

Death

Windrim died in Philadelphia on April 26, 1919, at age 79.

Selected works

Philadelphia buildings

Philadelphia Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, designed by Windrim between 1868 and 1873

Demolished Philadelphia buildings

  • Philadelphia Trust, Safe Deposit and Insurance Company, 415 Chestnut Street (1873–74, demolished 1959).[9]
  • Agricultural Hall, Centennial Exposition, West Fairmount Park (1875–76, demolished).
  • Snellenberg's Department Store, 1100-42 Market Street (1886–87, remodeled and upper floors demolished 1960s, remainder demolished 2015).[10] Built by the Stephen Girard Estate.
  • Western Saving Fund Society, 1000-08 Walnut Street (ca. 1887, demolished 1967).[11]
  • Bank of North America, 305-07 Chestnut Street (1893–95, demolished 1972), with John T. Windrim.[12]

Buildings elsewhere

  • National Saving And Trust Company, New York Avenue & Fifteenth Street NW, Washington, D.C. (1888).
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (now Paul Laxalt State Building), 401 Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada (1888–91), designed by Mifflin E. Bell, completed by Windrim.[13]
  • Altoona Masonic Temple, 1111-19 Eleventh Street, Altoona, Pennsylvania (1889–90).[14]
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (now Abingdon Police Department), 425 West Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia (1889–90), with Will A. Freret.[15]
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (now Lancaster Municipal Building), 120 North Duke Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania (1889–92).[16]
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (now Mississippi River Commission Building), 1400 Walnut Street, Vicksburg, Mississippi (1890–92).
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Scranton, Pennsylvania (1890–94, demolished 1930).
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (Detroit Federal Building), Shelby & Fort Streets, Detroit, Michigan (1890–97, demolished 1931).[17]
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (now Springfield City Hall), 830 Boonville Avenue, Springfield, Missouri (1891–94), with Willoughby J. Edbrooke.[18]
  • U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Sacramento, California (1891–94, demolished 1966).[19]
  • United States Government Building for Columbian Exposition, Jackson Park, Chicago, Illinois, 1893, Ralph, Julian; Chicago and the World’s Fair Harper & Brothers, 1892, New York p238

References

  1. ↑ "James Hamilton Windrim letterpress book". Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  2. ↑ Philadelphia Masonic Temple from HABS.
  3. ↑ Kemble-Bergdoll Mansion from Flickr.
  4. ↑ Falls Bridge from HABS.
  5. ↑ Smith Memorial Playground
  6. ↑ Smith Memorial Arch from HABS.
  7. ↑ Commonwealth Title Building from Flickr.
  8. ↑ Lafayette Building with proposed glass tower from "Changing Skyline," Philadelphia Inquirer.
  9. ↑ Philadelphia Trust from HABS.
  10. ↑ Snellenberg's from Bryn Mawr College.
  11. ↑ Western Saving Fund from HABS.
  12. ↑ Bank of North America from HABS.
  13. ↑ Carson City Post Office and Courthouse from HABS.
  14. ↑ Altoona Masonic Temple from HABS.
  15. ↑ Abingdon Post Office and Courthouse from Federal Judicial Center.
  16. ↑ Lancaster Post Office and Courthouse from HABS.
  17. ↑ Detroit Federal Building Archived 2010-02-27 at the Wayback Machine from Buildings of Detroit.
  18. ↑ Springfield City Hall from Flickr.
  19. ↑ Sacramento Post Office and Courthouse from Western Legal History.
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