Ephraim Francis Baldwin
Encyclopedia
Ephraim Francis Baldwin was an American architect, best known for his work for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
and for the Roman Catholic Church
.
, Baldwin lived most of his life in Baltimore
, Maryland
. After his father, a civil engineer, died, his mother moved to her hometown of Baltimore, where Baldwin would be educated and raised. He attended Loyola Blakefield
from 1850 to 1852. He attended Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland
briefly, from 1854-1855.
Little else is known about Baldwin's personal life. He married Ellen Douglas Jamison in 1873; they had seven sons and two daughters, and his eldest son, Francis J. Baldwin, became an architect and joined his father's firm. He was known as a devout Catholic
and was a member of various Catholic societies. In 1870 he was elected a director of the newly organized Maryland Academy of Arts.
Baldwin died at his home in 1916. He is buried in New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore.
& Neilson
. His first work of any consequence was Mt. Hope Retreat (later the Seton Institute, now demolished) in Baltimore. He left Niernsee & Neilson in 1867 and practiced on his own for two years. In 1869, Baldwin entered into a partnership with Bruce Price
, whom he had met as a trainee at Niernsee & Neilson. They are credited with designing 10 East Chase Street
, Baltimore, Maryland, in about 1870. The partnership of Baldwin & Price was short-lived: in 1873, Price moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. During the next ten years, Baldwin practiced alone. In 1883, he entered in a long and fruitful partnership with Josias Pennington, who had been a draftsman at Baldwin & Price.
Baldwin and Price were elected to membership in the Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
(AIA) in December 1870. Baldwin served as a Secretary of the Chapter until his resignation in 1888 over a disagreement between himself and a competitor, George A. Frederick.
, a position previously held by John Rudolph Niernsee
, his mentor. Over the next 25 years he designed stations and other structures for the railroad, including many of its most famous buildings. Perhaps the best known are the passenger car shop in Baltimore that is now the central roundhouse at the B&O Railroad Museum
, the passenger station at Point of Rocks, Maryland
and the B&O Warehouse
at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Other surviving Baldwin stations in Maryland can be found in:
Baldwin's station in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
was shorn of its control tower and moved from its original location. It was restored in 2007 and the tower was rebuilt. It was officially dedicated on Saturday, April 28, 2007. The Germantown
station is a reconstruction; the original was destroyed by arson in 1978.
Baldwin's stations are a favorite with photographers because of their picturesque appearance. Built of brick or wood in the Queen Anne Style, the most famous are festooned with decorative gables, spires, and brickwork.
, by Pope Leo XII
for his work on the buildings at The Catholic University of America
.
Among his many other churches and Catholic buildings are the following:
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
and for the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
Personal life
Although born in Troy, New YorkTroy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
, Baldwin lived most of his life in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. After his father, a civil engineer, died, his mother moved to her hometown of Baltimore, where Baldwin would be educated and raised. He attended Loyola Blakefield
Loyola Blakefield
Loyola Blakefield is a Catholic, college preparatory school established by the Society of Jesus, to educate men for others. The ideal Loyola graduate is a man of integrity who, because he strives "to find God in all things," is open to growth, dedicated to academic excellence, religious, committed...
from 1850 to 1852. He attended Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
briefly, from 1854-1855.
Little else is known about Baldwin's personal life. He married Ellen Douglas Jamison in 1873; they had seven sons and two daughters, and his eldest son, Francis J. Baldwin, became an architect and joined his father's firm. He was known as a devout Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and was a member of various Catholic societies. In 1870 he was elected a director of the newly organized Maryland Academy of Arts.
Baldwin died at his home in 1916. He is buried in New Cathedral Cemetery in Baltimore.
Professional life
Baldwin developed a love and talent for architecture as a draftsman and apprentice in the offices of NiernseeJohn Rudolph Niernsee
John Rudolph Niernsee was an American architect, the head architect for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He was born as Johann Rudolph Niernsee in Vienna, Austria and immigrated to the United States in 1837, at age 22...
& Neilson
James Crawford Neilson
James Crawford Neilson , or J. Crawford Neilson, was a Baltimore, Maryland-based architect. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1816. After the death of his father in 1822 the famiily moved to England and in 1824 to Brussels...
. His first work of any consequence was Mt. Hope Retreat (later the Seton Institute, now demolished) in Baltimore. He left Niernsee & Neilson in 1867 and practiced on his own for two years. In 1869, Baldwin entered into a partnership with Bruce Price
Bruce Price
Bruce Price was the American architect of many of the Canadian Pacific Railway's Château-type stations and hotels...
, whom he had met as a trainee at Niernsee & Neilson. They are credited with designing 10 East Chase Street
Buildings at 10, 12, 14, and 16 East Chase Street
Buildings at 10, 12, 14, and 16 East Chase Street is a historic set of rowhouses located at Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Number 10 is a -story brick townhouse with a 3-bay front façade, fitted with marble facing from ground to first floor level. It is believed to have been designed by...
, Baltimore, Maryland, in about 1870. The partnership of Baldwin & Price was short-lived: in 1873, Price moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. During the next ten years, Baldwin practiced alone. In 1883, he entered in a long and fruitful partnership with Josias Pennington, who had been a draftsman at Baldwin & Price.
Baldwin and Price were elected to membership in the Baltimore Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
(AIA) in December 1870. Baldwin served as a Secretary of the Chapter until his resignation in 1888 over a disagreement between himself and a competitor, George A. Frederick.
Career highlights
Over the course of his fifty-year career, Baldwin designed some 500 churches, banks, office buildings, warehouses, railroad stations, municipal and public buildings, hospitals, schools, clubs, and residences. His work can be found from New York to Ohio, and from Pennsylvania to Georgia, though eighty percent of his work can be found in Maryland. About 150 of those buildings still stand.B&O Railroad Structures
In 1872, Baldwin was appointed the head architect for the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
, a position previously held by John Rudolph Niernsee
John Rudolph Niernsee
John Rudolph Niernsee was an American architect, the head architect for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He was born as Johann Rudolph Niernsee in Vienna, Austria and immigrated to the United States in 1837, at age 22...
, his mentor. Over the next 25 years he designed stations and other structures for the railroad, including many of its most famous buildings. Perhaps the best known are the passenger car shop in Baltimore that is now the central roundhouse at the B&O Railroad Museum
B&O Railroad Museum
The B&O Railroad Museum is a museum exhibiting historic railroad equipment in Baltimore, Maryland, originally named the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum when it opened on July 4, 1953. It has been called one of the most significant collections of railroad treasures in the world and has the...
, the passenger station at Point of Rocks, Maryland
Point of Rocks, Maryland
Point of Rocks is a community in Frederick County, Maryland. It is named for the striking rock formation on the adjacent Catoctin Mountain, which were formed by the Potomac River cutting through the ridge in a water gap, a typical formation in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians...
and the B&O Warehouse
B&O warehouse
The B&O Warehouse is a building in Baltimore, Maryland, adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It was constructed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad beginning in 1899, with later sections completed in 1905, adjacent to the B&O's Camden Station and freight yard at Camden and Eutaw streets...
at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Other surviving Baldwin stations in Maryland can be found in:
- LaurelLaurel (MARC station)Laurel is a historic passenger rail station on the MARC Camden Line in Laurel, Maryland, between Union Station in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore's Camden Station....
- SykesvilleSykesville, MarylandSykesville is a town in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census.-History:The land on which Sykesville sits started out as part of a Springfield Estate, owned by wealthy Baltimore shipbuilder William Patterson...
- KensingtonKensington StationKensington Station is a railroad passenger station located at 10417 Howard Avenue in Kensington, Maryland, United States. It was built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ....
- RockvilleRockville Railroad StationThe Rockville Railroad Station is a historic building located at Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. It is a brick Victorian picturesque structure with some Eastlake detailing, particularly in the roofline and gable decoration...
(moved and converted to law offices) - GaithersburgGaithersburg, MarylandGaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
: The Gaithersburg B & O Railroad Station and Freight ShedGaithersburg (MARC station)Gaithersburg is a historic passenger rail station on the MARC Brunswick Line between Washington, D.C. and Martinsburg, WV...
, was added to 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...
in 1978. - Mount AiryMount Airy Historic District (Mount Airy, Maryland)The Mount Airy Historic District is a national historic district in Mount Airy, located in Carroll and Frederick County, Maryland. The district comprises a cohesive group of commercial, residential, and ecclesiastical buildings dating from the late 19th through early 20th centuries...
- DickersonDickerson (MARC station)Dickerson is a passenger rail station on the MARC Brunswick Line between Washington, D.C. and Martinsburg, WV . This station was designed by E. Francis Baldwin and built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1891. It is the last station Frederick bound trains pass before branching onto the...
- BrunswickBrunswick, MarylandBrunswick is a city in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The population was 5,870 at the 2010 census.- History :The area now known as Brunswick was originally home to the Susquehanna Indians. In 1728 the first settlement was built, and the region became known as Eel Town, because the...
- OaklandBaltimore and Ohio Railroad Station, OaklandBaltimore and Ohio Railroad Station, Oakland is a historic railway station located at Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland. It is a large brick structure with a two-story central section and one-story wings extending from each end along the railroad tracks...
- Mount Royal StationMount Royal StationThe Mount Royal Station and Trainshed was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's third train station in Baltimore, Maryland, at the north end of the Baltimore Belt Line's Howard Street tunnel in the fashionable Bolton Hill neighborhood...
, Baltimore, Maryland
Baldwin's station in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
was shorn of its control tower and moved from its original location. It was restored in 2007 and the tower was rebuilt. It was officially dedicated on Saturday, April 28, 2007. The Germantown
Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,395 people, and 30,531 households residing in the area. The population density was 7,999.5 people per square mile . There were 31,807 housing units at an average density of 2,001.9 per square mile...
station is a reconstruction; the original was destroyed by arson in 1978.
Baldwin's stations are a favorite with photographers because of their picturesque appearance. Built of brick or wood in the Queen Anne Style, the most famous are festooned with decorative gables, spires, and brickwork.
Catholic Church and institutions
The Catholic Church was also a major part of his life and work. Baldwin took a special interest in ecclesiastical work, undoubtedly motivated by his own religious beliefs and dedication. His work on churches, seminaries, schools, and health care facilities spanned his entire career. He was awarded a gold medal, Bene MerentiBenemerenti Medal
The Benemerenti medal was first awarded by Pope Pius VI to recognize military merit. In 1831 under Pope Gregory XVI a special Benemerenti medal was struck to reward thos who fought courageously in the papal army at Ferrara, Bologna, and Vienna...
, by Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII , born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola Sermattei della Genga, was Pope from 1823 to 1829.-Life:...
for his work on the buildings at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
.
Among his many other churches and Catholic buildings are the following:
- The Shrine of the Sacred Heart, Mt.Washington (He was a parishioner here)
- St. Ann's Church in Baltimore
- St. Leo's ChurchSt. Leo's ChurchSt. Leo's Church is a historic Roman Catholic church complex located at Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It was built in 1880-81 of brick with stone trim, and combines Italianate, Romanesque, and Classical elements...
in Baltimore - Church of St. John the Evangelist in Forest Glen, Maryland
- Theresa Hall at the College of Notre Dame of MarylandCollege of Notre Dame of MarylandNotre Dame of Maryland University is an independent, Catholic-affiliated, liberal arts college located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, that primarily serves female students.-History:...
in Baltimore - Buildings at St. Mary's Seminary and UniversitySt. Mary's Seminary and UniversitySt. Mary's Seminary and University is a Roman Catholic seminary in Baltimore, Maryland; it was the first seminary founded in the United States of America.-History:...
in Baltimore