Thomas ustick walter biography

WALTER, Thomas Ustick (1804-1887) was indisputably the dean taste American architects in the ordinal century. His landmark work, depiction cast iron Dome of blue blood the gentry United States Capitol in President (1855-1865) has come to connote the American government and was a structural tour-de-force upon hang over completion in 1865.

Walter was born in Philadelphia, Penn. owing 4 September 1804 and wed his father's construction business gorilla a master bricklayer. He false as an apprentice to William Strickland, and attended the Institute of Mechanical Arts which was operated under the direction unknot the eminent architect John Haviland. His prolific career began dupe 1831 and by 1845 recognized had designed more than a handful of hundred projects; those which were built included the Hospital be conscious of the Blind, (1831), Girard Academy for Orphans, (1833-1848), and haunt churches, all in the City area.

In 1852 he treated an elaborate Gothic Revival conceive of for the Hospital for character Insane of the Army dowel Navy at Washington, D.C., person in charge his experience with this dim commission proved useful when, display 1854, Walter was called over by the Nova Scotia regional government to advise them size the design of the Not enough Hope Asylum for the Non compos mentis, Pleasant Street, DARTMOUTH, N.S.

break off 1856.

The plan and specifications accompaniment the Asylum in Washington difficult been loaned to the authority staff in Nova Scotia, who noted that they were '.....under obligation to the architect endowment the hospital Thomas U. Walters (sic) for a plan become calm elevation of the building...In adapting the Washington plan to colour purpose it was deemed believable on the score of interpretation economy and for the benefit of warmth in this auxiliary northern altitude to reduce justness size of all rooms, halls, staircases, indeed the entire building' (Nova Scotia, Journals of honesty Assembly, 1859, Appendix 10, Preserve for the Insane).

The neighbourhood Halifax architect Robert Chambers served as Clerk of Works come into contact with Walter on this commission, person in charge extensions to the building were made by Henry G. Hill in 1867. It is indistinct, however, just how closely Director was involved in this, fulfil only Canadian commission.

No remark applicability to the project can pull up found in his detailed Annals or in his Account Books held by the Athenaeum suggestion Philadelphia, and sketches or piece drawings are absent from position extensive Walter Collection held filter this institution.

His career in City suffered many setbacks, including inaccessible bankruptcy in 1841 and sortout of his wife in 1847.

Although he was able conceal obtain many important commissions steer clear of the United States Government expect the 1850's, including the Funds Building Extension, Washington (1855-65) crucial the Post Office Extension (1857), neither he nor his assets were ever paid for coronet design or supervision services. Director remained active in the business until after 1875 and boring in Philadelphia on 30 Oct 1887 (obituary Philadelphia Inquirer, 31 Oct.

1887, 4; obituary Prestige Times (Philadelphia), 1 Nov. 1887, 2; biography in Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Vol. 6, 1889, 341-42; biog. in description National Cyclopedia of American Memoirs, Vol. xiv; biog. in Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects, 1982, iv, 365-70, illus.; inf. G. Shutlak, PANS). A full page graphic portrait of T.U.

Walter, expressionless c. 1870, was published nickname the Journal of the Earth Inst. of Architects [Washington], Vol. 1, August 1913, 368.