Alexander Rice Esty
Encyclopedia
Alexander Rice Esty (also known as Alexander Rice Estey) (18 Oct 1826 - 2 Jul 1881) was an American architect
who is largely known today for designing many Gothic Revival churches in New England, however his work also encompassed university buildings, municipal and Federal buildings, office buildings, and private residences across the Northeastern United States.
Esty was born in Framingham, Massachusetts
, the youngest child of Dexter Esty (1791-1860), a local builder, and Mary Eames (Rice) Esty (1787-1849). Esty remained a resident of Framingham for his entire life and was the brother of Massachusetts Congressman Constantine C. Esty
. Esty married (1) in 1854, Julia Maria Wight (1835-1862) daughter of Julia Maria Terry and Lothrop Wight (a wealthy Boston merchant), (2) in 1865, Charlotte Louise Blake (1840-1866), and (3) in 1867, Emma Corning Newell (1845-1886) daughter of Olive Plimpton and George Newell (a sea captain). Esty was a descendant of Edmund Rice
an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony
, and a direct descendant of Mary Towne Esty who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials
.
Esty attended Framingham Academy as a boy. He then trained in architecture with Boston architect Richard Bond. In 1847, he worked for G.J.F. Bryant before opening his own Boston office the following year. Many of Esty's churches were variations of a popular nineteenth century style similar to Richard Upjohn
's. In addition to his church designs, Esty also proposed a design for the Library of Congress
building in Washington, D.C.. From 1876 until his death, he was employed by the United States Treasury as Superintendent of Construction to the first United States Post Office building in Boston's Post Office Square
.
.
Works Listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who is largely known today for designing many Gothic Revival churches in New England, however his work also encompassed university buildings, municipal and Federal buildings, office buildings, and private residences across the Northeastern United States.
Esty was born in Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
, the youngest child of Dexter Esty (1791-1860), a local builder, and Mary Eames (Rice) Esty (1787-1849). Esty remained a resident of Framingham for his entire life and was the brother of Massachusetts Congressman Constantine C. Esty
Constantine C. Esty
Constantine Canaris Esty was a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts.Born in Framingham, Massachusetts to Dexter Esty, Esty attended the local academies of Framingham and Leicester...
. Esty married (1) in 1854, Julia Maria Wight (1835-1862) daughter of Julia Maria Terry and Lothrop Wight (a wealthy Boston merchant), (2) in 1865, Charlotte Louise Blake (1840-1866), and (3) in 1867, Emma Corning Newell (1845-1886) daughter of Olive Plimpton and George Newell (a sea captain). Esty was a descendant of Edmund Rice
Edmund Rice (1638)
Edmund Rice , was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony who was born in Suffolk, England, and lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire prior to sailing with his family to America. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, presumed to be first...
an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
, and a direct descendant of Mary Towne Esty who was executed during the Salem Witch Trials
Salem witch trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
.
Esty attended Framingham Academy as a boy. He then trained in architecture with Boston architect Richard Bond. In 1847, he worked for G.J.F. Bryant before opening his own Boston office the following year. Many of Esty's churches were variations of a popular nineteenth century style similar to Richard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...
's. In addition to his church designs, Esty also proposed a design for the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
building in Washington, D.C.. From 1876 until his death, he was employed by the United States Treasury as Superintendent of Construction to the first United States Post Office building in Boston's Post Office Square
Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts
Post Office Square in Boston, Massachusetts is located in the financial district at the intersection of Milk, Congress, Pearl and Water Streets. It was named in 1874 after the post office which fronted it, now replaced by the John W...
.
Awards
Esty received an honorary Master of Arts degree in 1866 from the University of RochesterUniversity of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
.
Works Listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- Prospect Congregational ChurchProspect Congregational ChurchChrist The King Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian Church in America church at 99 Prospect Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts near Central Square.-History:...
(Christ the King Church), 1851, Cambridge, MassachusettsCambridge, MassachusettsCambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... - Paul Gibbs HousePaul Gibbs HousePaul Gibbs House is a historic house in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA.Designed by architect Alexander Rice Esty, the Paul Gibbs House was built in 1860 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.It was damaged by fire in 1992....
, 1860, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:... - Moses Ellis HouseMoses Ellis HouseMoses Ellis House is a historic house, designed by architect Alexander Rice Esty, located at 283 Pleasant Street in Framingham, Massachusetts.It was built in 1866 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983....
, 1866, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:... - First Methodist Church of BurlingtonFirst Methodist Church of BurlingtonFirst Methodist Church of Burlington is a historic church on S. Winooski Avenue in Burlington, Vermont.It was built in 1869 to a design by Alexander R. Esty and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
, 1869, Burlington, VermontBurlington, VermontBurlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal.... - Old Cambridge Baptist ChurchOld Cambridge Baptist ChurchOld Cambridge Baptist Church is an historic Baptist church at 398 Harvard Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts.The congregation was founded in 1844 when several members of First Baptist Church in Cambridge decided to start a new church. The original meeting house was sold to the Congregationalists...
, 1869, Cambridge, MassachusettsCambridge, MassachusettsCambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... - St. John's Episcopal Church (Framingham, Massachusetts), 1871, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
- Concord Square Historic DistrictConcord Square Historic DistrictConcord Square Historic District is a historic district on Park, Concord, and Kendall Streets, and Union Avenue in Framingham, Massachusetts.It features mid-nineteenth century architecture by Alexander Rice Esty, a local architect. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places...
, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
Other Works
- State Normal School Building, 1853, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
- Park Street Baptist Church, 1854, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
- Cornerstone Baptist Church, 1854 (remodeled in 1885 by Van Brunt & Howe to whom the National Register of Historic Places incorrectly gives sole credit), Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
- Anderson Hall at the University of RochesterUniversity of RochesterThe University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, 1861, Rochester, New YorkRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City... - Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Boston, 1861, Boston, Massachusetts
- St. Mark's Church, 1863, Southborough, MassachusettsSouthborough, MassachusettsSouthborough is an affluent town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It incorporates the smaller villages of Cordaville, Fayville, and Southville. Its name is often informally shortened to Southboro, a usage seen on many area signs and maps. Its population was 9,767 at the 2010...
- St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1864, Gloucester, MassachusettsGloucester, MassachusettsGloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
- Colby Hall at Andover-Newton Theological Seminary, 1865, Newton, MassachusettsNewton, MassachusettsNewton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
- Church of Our Saviour, BrooklineChurch of Our Saviour, BrooklineChurch of Our Saviour is a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts located at 25 Monmouth St. in Brookline, Massachusetts.-History:The church was built in 1868 by the brothers Amos and William Lawrence, in honour of their father, Amos Lawrence. It was designed by architect Alexander Rice...
, 1868, Brookline, MassachusettsBrookline, MassachusettsBrookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:... - Memorial Hall at Colby CollegeColby CollegeColby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
, 1869, Waterville, MaineWaterville, MaineWaterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center.... - Newton Free LibraryNewton Free LibraryNewton Free Library, the public library of Newton, Massachusetts, provides an extensive collection of print, non-print, and electronic resources, a comprehensive reference service, and a wide array of educational and cultural programs for people of all ages....
, 1870, Newton, MassachusettsNewton, MassachusettsNewton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:... - Clinton Town Hall, 1872, Clinton, MassachusettsClinton, MassachusettsClinton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,606 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Clinton, please see the article Clinton , Massachusetts....
- Union United Methodist Church, 1872, Boston, Massachusetts
- Grace Episcopal Church, 1872, Newton, MassachusettsNewton, MassachusettsNewton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
- Monks Building, 1873, South Boston, MassachusettsSouth Boston, MassachusettsSouth Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. One of America's oldest and most historic neighborhoods, South Boston was formerly known as Dorchester Neck, and today is called "Southie" by...
- Edgell Grove Cemetery gateway, 1875, Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, MassachusettsFramingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
- Boston and Albany RailroadBoston and Albany RailroadThe Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
Depot, 1881, Boston, Massachusetts - Shurtleff CollegeShurtleff CollegeShurtleff College was founded 1827 in Alton, Illinois by Reverend John Mason Peck as Alton Seminary. It became Shurtleff College in 1836 honoring Dr. Brendon Shurtleff, of Boston, who donated $10,000 to the college. Andrew Carnegie in 1910 donated $15,000 for construction of a library...
building, date unknown, Alton, IllinoisAlton, IllinoisAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...