William H. McLean (1871 – January 10, 1943) was an American architect from Boston, Massachusetts. He is best known for the design of public libraries, many of which he designed as a member of the firm of McLean & Wright.[1]
William Herbert McLean | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1871 |
| Died | January 10, 1943 (aged 71–72) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | McLean & Wright; W. H. & Henry McLean; William H. McLean |
Life and career
editWilliam Herbert McLean was born in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1871[2] to Henry and Elizabeth McLean, who had immigrated from Nova Scotia that year. His father was a carpenter and built a number of houses in the Newton area. McLean attended the Massachusetts Normal Art School, the present Massachusetts College of Art and Design,[2] graduating in 1888.[3] He was also a member of the Boston Architectural Club.[4]
McLean worked for the Providence and Boston firm of Gould, Angell & Swift and contributed to the design of the Richards Memorial Library, completed in 1894, in North Attleborough, Massachusetts.[5] After Gould, Angell & Swift was dissolved in 1897, McLean worked for the firm of Winslow & Wetherell. By 1899 McLean was practicing on his own account.[6] In 1901 he formed a partnership with Albert Hoffman Wright (1871–1919), known as McLean & Wright.[7] McLean and Wright worked in partnership until 1912.[6]
McLean's father had begun to practice as an architect in Newton beginning in the 1890s, and for ten years before 1912 worked in the McLean & Wright office.[6] After McLean and Wright dissolved their partnership, McLean and his father formed a new partnership, known as W. H. & Henry McLean. Henry McLean retired in 1917, and William H. continued to practice alone.[6] He retired in 1938.[8]
Personal life
editMcLean married in 1907 to Fannie F. Ingram of Malden, Massachusetts. They lived in Cambridge.[9] She died in 1935.[10] After McLean retired in 1938 he moved to Middleborough, Massachusetts, where he lived with his daughter and her husband.
McLean died January 10, 1943, in Middleborough at the age of 72.[2]
Legacy
editMany of the works of McLean and his associates were designed in an elaborate Beaux Arts style, though neither he nor them had much formal training.
McLean was an early adopter of the one-story plan for school buildings. Prior to the early twentieth century only very small schools were one-story. However, at this time the one-story plan was adopted as a safer, more economical option for schools outside of heavily urbanized areas.[11] His Newton Street School in Greenfield was the first school of this type in Western Massachusetts, and generated controversy over costs and aesthetics at the time.[12] Despite these controversies, this building type was supported by well-known school architects including Frank Irving Cooper[13] and Dwight Heald Perkins[14] on the grounds of economy and safety.
Many buildings designed by McLean and his associates have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts. Additionally, the McLean & Wright-designed Calgary library has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada.
McLean, in partnership with Albert H. Wright and Henry McLean, was codesigner of thirteen Carnegie libraries, in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Selected works
editLibraries
edit- Rockland Memorial Library,[a] Rockland, Massachusetts (1903, NRHP 1989)[8]
- Rockport Public Library (former),[a] Rockport, Massachusetts (1904–07)[15]
- Carnegie Public Library,[a] Turners Falls, Massachusetts (1905)[16]
- Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library, Wilton, New Hampshire (1905–07, NRHP 1982)[17]
- Attleboro Public Library, Attleboro, Massachusetts (1906–07)[18]
- Brainerd Memorial Library, Haddam, Connecticut (1906–08)[19]
- Fair Haven Free Library,[a] Fair Haven, Vermont (1906)[20]
- Ramsdell Public Library, Housatonic, Massachusetts (1906–08, NRHP 2014)[21]
- William D. Weeks Memorial Library, Lancaster, New Hampshire (1906–08, NRHP 2000)[22]
- Franklin Public Library,[a] Franklin, New Hampshire (1907)[23]
- Griswold Memorial Library,[b] Colrain, Massachusetts (1908)[24]
- Hungerford Memorial Library,[c] Harwinton, Connecticut (1908–10)[25]
- Rockingham Free Public Library,[a] Bellows Falls, Vermont (1908)[26]
- West Haven Public Library,[a] West Haven, Connecticut (1908)[27]
- West Somerville Branch Library,[a] Somerville, Massachusetts (1908–09, NRHP 1989)[28]
- Lebanon Public Library,[a] Lebanon, New Hampshire (1909)[29]
- Shedd-Porter Memorial Library, Alstead, New Hampshire (1909–10, NRHP 2010)[30]
- Stephenson Memorial Library, Greenfield, New Hampshire (1909)[31]
- Adams Public Library, Central Falls, Rhode Island (1910)[32]
- Beals Memorial Library, Winchendon, Massachusetts (1910–11)[33]
- Calgary Public Library (former), Calgary, Alberta (1910–12, NHSC 2018)[34]
- Carver Memorial Library, Searsport, Maine (1910, NRHP 1993)[35]
- South Norwalk Public Library,[a] Norwalk, Connecticut (1911–13)[36]
- Witherle Memorial Library, Castine, Maine (1911–13)[35]
- Baker Free Library, Bow, New Hampshire (1912–14)[30]
- Enfield Public Library (former),[a] Thompsonville, Connecticut (1912–14)[37]
- Abbie Greenleaf Library, Franconia, New Hampshire (1912, NRHP 2003)[38]
- Arms Library, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts (1913–14)[39]
- Millbury Public Library,[a] Millbury, Massachusetts (1915)[40]
- Athol Public Library,[a] Athol, Massachusetts (1917–18)[41]
Schools
edit- Tourtellotte Memorial High School, North Grosvenordale, Connecticut (1907)[42]
- Newton Street School, Greenfield, Massachusetts (1915, NRHP 1988)[12]
- Harvey Wheeler School (former), Concord, Massachusetts (1917–19)[43]
- Bourne Grammar School (former),[d] Bourne, Massachusetts (1925)[44]
- Middleborough Memorial High School (former),[e] Middleborough, Massachusetts (1926)[45]
- Peoples Academy, Morrisville, Vermont (1927–28, NRHP 1996)[20]
- Bellows Free Academy, St. Albans, Vermont (1930)[20]
- Provincetown High School (former), Provincetown, Massachusetts (1931)[46]
Other buildings
edit- Larcom Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts (1912)[47]
- Vermont Building, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Massachusetts (1929)[48]
- New Hampshire Building, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Massachusetts (1930)[48]
Gallery of architectural works
edit-
Richards Memorial Library, North Attleborough, Massachusetts, 1894. -
-
Rockport Public Library, Rockport, Massachusetts, 1904–07. -
Carnegie Public Library, Turners Falls, Massachusetts, 1905. -
-
Attleboro Public Library, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 1906–07. -
Brainerd Memorial Library, Haddam, Connecticut, 1906–08. -
Fair Haven Free Library, Fair Haven, Vermont, 1906. -
Ramsdell Public Library, Housatonic, Massachusetts, 1906–08. -
-
Franklin Public Library, Franklin, New Hampshire, 1907. -
Hungerford Memorial Library, Harwinton, Connecticut, 1908. -
-
-
Lebanon Public Library, Lebanon, New Hampshire, 1909. -
-
Stephenson Memorial Library, Greenfield, New Hampshire, 1909. -
Beals Memorial Library, Winchendon, Massachusetts, 1910–11. -
Calgary Public Library, Calgary, Alberta, 1910–12. -
-
Witherle Memorial Library, Castine, Maine, 1911–13. -
-
Larcom Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts, 1912. -
Arms Library, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, 1913–14. -
Millbury Public Library, Millbury, Massachusetts, 1915. -
-
Athol Public Library, Athol, Massachusetts, 1917–18. -
Bourne Grammar School, Bourne, Massachusetts, 1925. -
Peoples Academy, Morrisville, Vermont, 1927–28. -
-
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Notes
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Building funded by Andrew Carnegie.
- ^ A contributing property to the Colrain Center Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
- ^ A contributing property to the Litchfield–South Roads Historic District.
- ^ Presently the Jonathan Bourne Public Library.
- ^ A contributing property to the Middleborough Center Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
References
edit- ^ "Ramsdell Public Library". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ^ a b c "William H. McLean," Boston Globe, January 11, 1943, 7.
- ^ Massachusetts Normal Art School: Circular and Catalogue for the Thirty-first Year (Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Company, printers, 1903)
- ^ Catalogue of the Architectural Exhibition of the Boston Society of Architects and the Boston Architectural Club (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, printers, 1891)
- ^ "NAL.A", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ a b c d City directories
- ^ "McLean, William H. | Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada". dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
- ^ a b "RCK.144", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "Surprise Party," Cambridge Chronicle, July 6, 1907, 6.
- ^ "Mrs. F. F. McLean," Cambridge Chronicle, January 3, 1936, 6.
- ^ Wallace B. Conant, "One Story School Buildings Discussed," Building Age (November 1917): 621–622.
- ^ a b "GRE.132", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ Frank Irving Cooper, "The One-Story Schoolhouse." American Architect 117, no. 2310 (March 31, 1920): 451.
- ^ Dwight Heald Perkins, "One Story School Buildings," American School Board Journal 56, no. 4 (April 1918): 17–20; 77–78.
- ^ Fifteenth Report of the Free Public Library Commission of Massachusetts (Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Company, printers, 1905)
- ^ "MNT.76", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library NRHP Registration Form (1982)
- ^ "ATT.15", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ Daniel Sterner, "Brainerd Memorial Library (1908)," historicbuildingsct.com, Historic Buildings of Connecticut, June 7, 2009. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ a b c Glenn M. Andres and Curtis B. Johnson, Buildings of Vermont (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2013)
- ^ "GBR.267", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ William D. Weeks Memorial Library NRHP Registration Form (2010)
- ^ Franklin Falls Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1982)
- ^ "COL.11", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "Buildings," Engineering News 60, no. 2 (July 2, 1908): 3.
- ^ "Public Buildings," Engineering Record 58, no. 2 (July 11, 1908): 42a.
- ^ "Libraries," Real Estate Record and Builders Guide 82, no. 2120 (October 31, 1908): 834.
- ^ "SMV.65", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ Colburn Park Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1986)
- ^ a b Shedd-Porter Memorial Library NRHP Registration Form (2010)
- ^ Sentinel Staff, "Fort at No. 4, Stephenson Memorial Library added to historic places register," sentinelsource.com, Keene Sentinel, July 30, 2020. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ Central Falls, Rhode Island: Statewide Historical Preservation Report P-CF-1 (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1978)
- ^ Boston Daily Globe, September 12, 1910, 14.
- ^ "McLean, William H.," dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org, Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, n. d. Accessed March 29, 2021.
- ^ a b Carver Memorial Library NRHP Registration Form (1993)
- ^ "Norwalk Public Library System, South Norwalk Branch," necarnegies.com, New England Carnegies, 2005. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "Library Committee Plans," Thompsonville (CT) Press, February 8, 1912, 1.
- ^ Abbie Greenleaf Library NRHP Registration Form (2003)
- ^ "SHL.27", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "MLB.164", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "ATH.174", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "Buildings," Engineering News 58, no. 15 (October 10, 1907): 120.
- ^ "CON.458", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "BOU.14", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "MID.272", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.
- ^ "Provincetown Will Today Dedicate New $162,000 High School Building," Boston Globe, September 4, 1931, 3.
- ^ "BEV.138", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts
- ^ a b "WSG.M", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed March 26, 2021.