George O. Garnsey
Encyclopedia
George O. Garnsey was an American architect from the city of Chicago
. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois
and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.
; only 16 at the time, Garnsey stayed with Rankin until 1861. He worked briefly in partnerships and for other architectural firms before going into business as a sole proprietor in 1868. That same year Garnsey published his American Glossary of Architectural Terms. In 1869 Garnsey helped design the current Illinois State Capitol
building in Springfield.
After the Great Chicago Fire
in 1871 Garnsey helped to redesign many of the buildings in the city and established a national reputation for theater and opera house
design. From 1885 until 1893 he edited National Builder, a journal where he published many of the designs for the buildings he worked on. In 1923 he was commissioned by the National Bonding and .Developing Company to build a new city on the site of an old US military installation on the Santa Fe Railroad in New Mexico
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
and was educated at a private school in New York; in 1852 his parents brought him to Chicago. Garnsey was known for his large picturesque Queen Anne style homes.
Career
After coming to Chicago, he went to work with J.C. Rankin as a draftsmanTechnical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
; only 16 at the time, Garnsey stayed with Rankin until 1861. He worked briefly in partnerships and for other architectural firms before going into business as a sole proprietor in 1868. That same year Garnsey published his American Glossary of Architectural Terms. In 1869 Garnsey helped design the current Illinois State Capitol
Illinois State Capitol
The Illinois State Capitol, located in Springfield, Illinois, is the building that houses the executive and legislative branches of the government of the U.S. state of Illinois. The current building is the sixth capitol of the state since its admission as a state of the United States in 1818. The...
building in Springfield.
After the Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
in 1871 Garnsey helped to redesign many of the buildings in the city and established a national reputation for theater and opera house
Opera house
An opera house is a theatre building used for opera performances that consists of a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, and backstage facilities for costumes and set building...
design. From 1885 until 1893 he edited National Builder, a journal where he published many of the designs for the buildings he worked on. In 1923 he was commissioned by the National Bonding and .Developing Company to build a new city on the site of an old US military installation on the Santa Fe Railroad in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
See also
- Charles O. Boynton HouseCharles O. Boynton HouseThe Charles O. Boynton House is located in the DeKalb County, Illinois, city of Sycamore. The home is part of the Sycamore Historic District which was designated and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978...
- David Syme HouseDavid Syme HouseThe David Syme House is located in Sycamore, Illinois and is part of the Sycamore Historic District. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978. The Queen Anne style home was constructed sometime around 1880.-History:...
- Ellwood HouseEllwood HouseThe Ellwood House was built as a private home by barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood in 1879. It is located on First Street in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, in DeKalb County. The Victorian style home, designed by George O. Garnsey, underwent remodeling in 1898-1899 and 1911...
- Ogle County CourthouseOgle County CourthouseThe Ogle County Courthouse is a National Register of Historic Places listing in the Ogle County, Illinois, county seat of Oregon. The building stands on a public square in the city's downtown commercial district. The current structure was completed in 1891 and was preceded by two other buildings,...
- Old Congregational Church (Sycamore, Illinois)