Frederick Roehrig
Encyclopedia
Frederick Louis Roehrig (1857 – 1948) was an early 20th-century American architect. Roehrig was born in LeRoy, New York, the son of the noted "orientalist
and philoligist
," Frederick L.O. Roehrig He graduated from Cornell University
in 1883 and also studied architecture in England and France. His architectural styles evolved over time, covering the Victorian, American Craftsman
, and Neo-Classical
styles. Roehrig is particularly known for his many landmark buildings in Pasadena, California
, including the Hotel Green
, and Pasadena Heritage has occasionally conducted tours of Roehrig's buildings.
Other buildings designed by Roehrig include First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena, Pasadena Hospital, Alhambra Library, the power house of the Los Angeles Aqueduct
, W.H. Bartlett Estate in Montecito
, and the Andrew McNally House
in Altadena.
Roehrig's brother, Dr. G. Edward Roehrig, was organizer and president of the Zoological Society of Los Angeles.
Frederick Roehrig died at age 90 in 1948.
East Wynyate, South Pasadena's Historical Landmark #43 located at 909 Lyndon Street in South Pasadena in 1896.
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
and philoligist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
," Frederick L.O. Roehrig He graduated from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1883 and also studied architecture in England and France. His architectural styles evolved over time, covering the Victorian, American Craftsman
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
, and Neo-Classical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
styles. Roehrig is particularly known for his many landmark buildings in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, including the Hotel Green
Hotel Green
Historical information with regards to the fire that brought the old Hotel Green wooden structure down, is credited to the book Haunted Houses of Pasadena by Michael J. Kouri, a well known historian and Parapsychological Investigator....
, and Pasadena Heritage has occasionally conducted tours of Roehrig's buildings.
Notable works
Roehrig's notable works include the following:- Hotel GreenHotel GreenHistorical information with regards to the fire that brought the old Hotel Green wooden structure down, is credited to the book Haunted Houses of Pasadena by Michael J. Kouri, a well known historian and Parapsychological Investigator....
— The landmark Hotel Green, located at 99 South Raymond Avenue in Pasadena, was built in the late 19th century and helped build Roehrig's reputation. The Hotel Green was home to both the Tournament of Roses and the Valley Hunt ClubValley Hunt ClubThe Valley Hunt Club is a private social club located in Pasadena, California, that is most noted for starting the Tournament of Roses Parade in 1890....
. It was built by George Gill GreenGeorge Gill GreenGeorge Gill Green was a patent medicine entrepreneur, and Colonel in the American Civil War.He was born in Clarksboro, New Jersey to Ellen and Lewis M. Green . George's mother was from Pennsylvania, and his father was working as a butcher...
and was supplemented by two later buildings, including Castle Green. It 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 1982.- Castle GreenHotel GreenHistorical information with regards to the fire that brought the old Hotel Green wooden structure down, is credited to the book Haunted Houses of Pasadena by Michael J. Kouri, a well known historian and Parapsychological Investigator....
— Another of Roehrig's landmark structures is Castle Green, built in 1898 as an annex to the Hotel Green. In 2003, the Los Angeles Times described Roehrig's concept for Castle Green as follows: "And there is Castle Green, which is not really a castle either, but a fantastic folly created from the imagination of a Victorian architect with a penchant for Arabesque opulence. ... The imposing Moorish-style structure is redolent with atmosphere, from its cylindrical turrets to its ornate cornices. You have to stop and remind yourself that this is no longer a grand turn-of-the-century hotel, but condominiums."
- Castle Green
- Frederick Hastings Rindge HouseFrederick Hastings Rindge HouseThe Frederick Hastings Rindge House is a historic house located in the West Adams district of Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County, California.The Rindge House was built in 1902 for Frederick H. Rindge and designed by Frederick Louis Roehrig and E.C...
— In 1902, Roehrig designed a 25-room mansion for Frederick H. Rindge (the owner of Malibu, California) in the West AdamsWest Adams, Los Angeles, CaliforniaWest Adams, also known as Historic West Adams, is a large district located in the center of Los Angeles, California, southwest of Downtown and west of USC...
district of Los Angeles. Rindge House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. - Ramsay-Durfee EstateRamsay-Durfee EstateThe Ramsay-Durfee Estate, also known as Durfee Mansion, Durfee House or Villa Maria, is a historic Tudor Revival style mansion on Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California...
— The Ramsay-Durfee Estate is a 42-room, 10000 square feet (929 m²) Tudor mansion with a Craftsman interior, designed by Roehrig and built in 1908. After being occuped for 50 years by a reclusive widow, Nellie Durfee, the house was purchased by the Brothers of St. John of God in the 1970s. The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
- Braun Music Center — The Braun Music Center at Westridge School in Pasadena was designed by Roehrig in 1909 as a private gymnasium and theatre for a family living on Orange Grove Boulevard.
- Neff Mansion — The Neff Mansion, also known as the McNally Mansion, is part of Neff Park in La Mirada, CaliforniaLa Mirada, CaliforniaLa Mirada is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of the Gateway Cities. The population was 48,527 at the 2010 census, up from 46,783 at the 2000 census....
. Three acres of the site, including the Neff Mansion, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. - Eddy House — According to authorities at Occidental College, Eddy House was built in 1905 and designed by Roehrig. Despite efforts to save it, Eddy house was demolished in 1972 to make way for apartments.https://digital.lib.washington.edu/php/architect/record.phtml?type=structure&structureid=8924
- Mansions of "Millionaire's Row" — Roehrig also designed several mansions built between 1892 and 1911 along Pasadena's famous "Millionaire's Row" on South Orange Grove. Though many of the mansions on South Orange Grove were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s, three of Roehrig's mansions were preserved as part of the campus of the Worldwide Church of God's Ambassador College and were listed for sale in 2003.
- Grace Mansion and Water Tower — Roehrig also designed a Pasadena home for William Stanton. He designed both Grace Mansion and an adjacent water tower built in 1891 to match the mansion. The tower had a wood-shingle exterior, designed to camouflage the 50,000-gallon steel water tank serving the adjacent mansion and surrounding land. The water tower was later converted into a home.
- Scoville House — Located at 280 South Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, Roehrig was inspired by the Prairie House movement in designing Scoville House. The house was built in 1909.https://digital.lib.washington.edu/php/architect/record.phtml?type=structure&structureid=8904
- Louise Hugus House — Located at 805 S. Madison Avenue in Pasadena, Roehrig designed this Craftsman-style house in 1908.
- Finnish Folk Art Museum — Located at 470 West Walnut Street in Pasadena, the Finnish Folk Art Museum was built in 1911. It was built for the Finnish consul and later turned into the Finnish Folk Art Museum. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Other buildings designed by Roehrig include First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena, Pasadena Hospital, Alhambra Library, the power house of the Los Angeles Aqueduct
Los Angeles Aqueduct
The Los Angeles Aqueduct system comprising the Los Angeles Aqueduct and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct, is a water conveyance system operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power...
, W.H. Bartlett Estate in Montecito
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
, and the Andrew McNally House
Andrew McNally House
The Andrew McNally House in Altadena, California was the home of Andrew McNally, co-founder and president of the Rand McNally publishing company. The Queen Anne Style house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places....
in Altadena.
Roehrig's brother, Dr. G. Edward Roehrig, was organizer and president of the Zoological Society of Los Angeles.
Frederick Roehrig died at age 90 in 1948.
East Wynyate, South Pasadena's Historical Landmark #43 located at 909 Lyndon Street in South Pasadena in 1896.