Wikipedia

William J. Brown (architect)

William J. Brown AIA (December 10, 1878 – February 4, 1970) was an American architect based in Cedar Rapids in the U.S. state of Iowa. Brown practiced architecture from 1910 until shortly before his death in 1970.

William J. Brown
William J. Brown, c. 1927
Born(1878-12-10)December 10, 1878
Urbana, Illinois
DiedFebruary 4, 1970(1970-02-04) (aged 91)
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
NationalityUnited States
OccupationArchitect
PracticeBrown Brothers;
William J. Brown;
Brown & Healey;
Brown, Healey & Bock
The Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids, designed by associated architects William J. Brown and Harry E. Hunter, with consulting architect Henry Hornbostel, in the Neoclassical style and completed in 1928.
Armstrong Hall of Cornell College, designed by Brown in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1938.
The St. James United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids, designed by Brown in the Gothic Revival style and completed in 1954.
The Monroe Elementary School in Cedar Rapids, designed by Brown & Healey in the International Style and completed in 1961.
The State Historical Building in Des Moines, designed by Brown Healey Bock in the Postmodern style and completed in 1987.
The National Balloon Museum in Indianola, designed by Brown Healey Bock in the Postmodern style and completed in 1988.

Life and career

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William Jay Brown, informally known as Jay Brown, was born December 10, 1878, in Urbana, Illinois, to William G. Brown, deputy clerk of the Champaign County circuit court, and Harriet A. Brown, née Wolfe. He studied architecture at the University of Illinois, graduating in 1900, and worked for prominent architects in Chicago and New York City including Holabird & Roche, Kenneth M. Murchison and John Russell Pope. In January 1910 Brown settled in Cedar Rapids, where he joined his elder brother, Frederick G. Brown, in partnership to form the firm of Brown Brothers.[1][2][3] Frederick was also a graduate of the University of Illinois and had previously practiced in Urbana and Danville, Illinois, and in Los Angeles before moving to Cedar Rapids in 1909. His practice in Los Angeles contributed to his local success as an architect of California-style bungalows.[4]

Their first major project, in 1910, was the Knights of Pythias Building. Frederick died in February 1911, but William stayed and completed the building in 1912. He was a sole practitioner for over forty years. In May 1953 he formed the partnership of Brown & Healey with architect Edward H. Healey.[1][2][3] In May 1960 engineer Carl V. Bock was made a partner, and in September 1961 the name of the firm was changed to Brown, Healey & Bock.[5] Brown was senior partner of his firm until shortly before his death.

Personal life

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Brown was married in 1914 to Isabel Howell. They had two children, both sons. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Cedar Rapids Country Club and local fraternal organizations. He served on the boards of the Cedar Rapids Art Association, now the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and the YMCA. He died February 4, 1970, at the age of 91.[2]

Legacy

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After Brown's death, the firm was continued by his partners under the name Brown, Healey & Bock. Over the next decade the partnership was expanded to include architects Herbert M. Stone and Edward G. Sauer, among others. In 1979 Healey was elected a Fellow of the AIA; he was the second and most recent Cedar Rapids architect to receive the honor.[6] In December 1981 the firm incorporated as Brown Healey Bock PC, with Healey as president.[7] In October 1990, with Bock retired, the firm was renamed a final time to Brown Healey Stone & Sauer; Brown's name was kept for historical reasons.[8] Major late works of the firm included the State Historical Building (1987) in Des Moines and the National Balloon Museum (1988) in Indianola, both designed chiefly by Stone. In 2001 the firm merged with the Howard R. Green Company, an engineering and consulting firm. Brown and Green had shared office space in Cedar Rapids when Green established his firm in 1913.[9] That firm, now known as HR Green, still maintains a Cedar Rapids office as of 2024.

Several buildings designed by Brown have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.

Architectural works

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Brown Brothers, 1910–1911

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  • 1911 – Sinclair Memorial Chapel, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa[1]
    • Designed by Brown Brothers and Charles A. Dieman, associated architects. Destroyed by fire in 1947.
  • 1912 – Knights of Pythias Building, 420 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.[10]
    • Designed by Brown Brothers and Charles A. Dieman, associated architects. Demolished.

William J. Brown, 1911–1953

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Brown & Healey, 1953–1961

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Brown, Healey & Bock, 1961–1981

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Brown Healey Bock, 1981–1990

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Brown Healey Stone & Sauer, 1990–2001

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "The work of William J. Brown" in The Ohio Architect, Engineer and Builder 26, no. 3 (September 1915): 10-22.
  2. ^ a b c "W. Jay Brown dies; longtime C.R. architect," The Cedar Rapids Gazette, February 5, 1970.
  3. ^ a b c d e Diana Langton (July 18, 2016). "Time Machine: Longtime architect left his imprint on Cedar Rapids". The Gazette.
  4. ^ "Pneumonia claims Frederick G. Brown," Champaign Daily Gazette, February 18, 1911.
  5. ^ "Business briefs," The Cedar Rapids Gazette, September 17, 1961.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Edward H. Healey elected as Fellow" in Iowa Architect 26, no. 3 (May/June 1979): 36.
  7. ^ "Architects incorporate," The Cedar Rapids Gazette, December 13, 1981.
  8. ^ George C. Ford, "A part of C.R. history: Brown Healey Stone & Sauer designed many area buildings," The Cedar Rapids Gazette, November 11, 1990.
  9. ^ George C. Ford, "Architectural, engineering firms merge," The Gazette, July 14, 2001.
  10. ^ "New K.P. home dedicated with fine ceremonies," The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, April 9, 1912.
  11. ^ Brown Apartments NRHP Registration Form (2010)
  12. ^ Grant Vocational High School NRHP Registration Form (2015)
  13. ^ Ausadie Building NRHP Registration Form (2004)
  14. ^ "New B Avenue Historic District First in Years for Cedar Rapids". January 2014.
  15. ^ "Hornbostel and Brown to design consistory building," The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, December 21, 1926.
  16. ^ a b c d Cornell College-Mount Vernon Historic District NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form (1980)
  17. ^ "Complete program for dedication of Memorial Bldg.," The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, September 11, 1928.
  18. ^ "Final chapel plans laid; New Century Club grows," The Coe Cosmos, February 15, 1950.
  19. ^ "Brown, W(illiam) J(ay)" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1956): 68.
  20. ^ a b c Eric Barr (March 31, 2015). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: St. James United Methodist Church" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  21. ^ a b "Healey, Edward Hopkins" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1962): 299.
  22. ^ a b "Brown, W(illiam) J(ay)" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1962): 86.
  23. ^ a b Monroe Elementary School Historic District NRHP Registration Form (2015)
  24. ^ "A church" in Iowa Architect 13, no. 2 (May/June 1965): 28-29.
  25. ^ "Schools... problems in progress" in Iowa Architect 14, no. 3 (July/August/September 1967): 8-21.
  26. ^ "Healey, Edward Hopkins" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 390-391.
  27. ^ "In progress" in Iowa Architect 30, no. 4 (July/August 1983): 9.
  28. ^ Robert Tibbetts, "Modern history" in Iowa Architect 38, no. 5 (Winter 1989): 29-30.
  29. ^ "In progress" in Iowa Architect 30, no. 2 (March/April 1983): 9.
  30. ^ "Portfolio" in Iowa Architect 35, no. 5 (November/December 1987): 9.
  31. ^ "Place for the mind," The Des Moines Register, November 14, 1992.
  32. ^ "Portfolio" in Iowa Architect 2, no. 241 (2002): 11.
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