Edward L. Tilton
Encyclopedia
Edward Lippincott Tilton (19 October 1861 — January 1933) was an American architect, with a practice in New York City
, where he was born. He specialized in the design of libraries, such as the Olean Public Library
and Mount Pleasant Library (Washington, D.C.)
, two of about a hundred libraries, many of them Carnegie libraries, that he designed in the United States and Canada, and structures for educational institutions.
Tilton abandoned a budding career in banking to serve as a draftsman in the offices of McKim, Mead, and White
, a traditional apprenticeship for which he prepared with a private tutor in architecture and which prepared him for a course of further study at the École des Beaux-Arts
, Paris (1887–1890). Early commissions came through family connections; they included the casino (1891–92) in Belle Haven, an affluent shoreline community of Greenwich, Connecticut
, and the Hotel Colorado in the resort of Glenwood Springs, Colorado
(1891–93).
He and the partner that he met in Paris, William A. Boring, won a competition in 1897 to design the first phase of new buildings for the U.S. Immigration Station on Ellis Island
in New York Harbor
: the Main Building (1897–1900), Kitchen and Laundry Building (1900–01), Main Powerhouse (1900–01), and the Main Hospital Building (1900–01) were all constructed to their designs before the formal partnership was amicably dissolved in 1904. The two architects continued to share an office.
His design for the Carpenter Memorial Library in Manchester, New Hampshire
resulted in commissions for at least seven further structures in that city.
He published his thoughts on library planning and construction, in Essentials in Library Planning with A.E. Bostwick and S.H Ranck (1928), and "Library Planning" posthumously published in the Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (1936).
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he was born. He specialized in the design of libraries, such as the Olean Public Library
Olean Public Library
The “Olean Library Association” was established on March 25, 1871 by a small group of public-spirited citizens. The first meeting was held in Miss Lyon's school house on Laurens Street. In May 1871, the Library settled in the rear of John G. Pelton's tailor shop...
and Mount Pleasant Library (Washington, D.C.)
Mount Pleasant Library (Washington, D.C.)
The Mount Pleasant Library at 1600 Lamont Street, NW in Washington, DC is a branch of the District of Columbia Public Library System that opened in May 1925, and is the third oldest public library building still in use in Washington...
, two of about a hundred libraries, many of them Carnegie libraries, that he designed in the United States and Canada, and structures for educational institutions.
Tilton abandoned a budding career in banking to serve as a draftsman in the offices of McKim, Mead, and White
McKim, Mead, and White
McKim, Mead & White was a prominent American architectural firm at the turn of the twentieth century and in the history of American architecture. The firm's founding partners were Charles Follen McKim , William Rutherford Mead and Stanford White...
, a traditional apprenticeship for which he prepared with a private tutor in architecture and which prepared him for a course of further study at the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
, Paris (1887–1890). Early commissions came through family connections; they included the casino (1891–92) in Belle Haven, an affluent shoreline community of Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
, and the Hotel Colorado in the resort of Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
The City of Glenwood Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 8,564 in 2005...
(1891–93).
He and the partner that he met in Paris, William A. Boring, won a competition in 1897 to design the first phase of new buildings for the U.S. Immigration Station on Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
in New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
: the Main Building (1897–1900), Kitchen and Laundry Building (1900–01), Main Powerhouse (1900–01), and the Main Hospital Building (1900–01) were all constructed to their designs before the formal partnership was amicably dissolved in 1904. The two architects continued to share an office.
His design for the Carpenter Memorial Library in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
resulted in commissions for at least seven further structures in that city.
He published his thoughts on library planning and construction, in Essentials in Library Planning with A.E. Bostwick and S.H Ranck (1928), and "Library Planning" posthumously published in the Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects (1936).