George W. Maher
Encyclopedia
George Washington Maher was a significant contributor to the Prairie School
-style of architecture
during the first-quarter of the 20th century. He also was known for blending the traditional with the Arts & Crafts-style. According to architectural historian H. Allen Brooks
, "His influence on the Midwest was profound and prolonged and, in its time, was certainly as great as was[ Frank Lloyd] Wright's. Compared with the conventional architecture of the day, his work showed considerable freedom and originality, and his interiors were notable for their open and flowing...space".
Maher was elected a Fellow
of the American Institute of Architects
in 1916.
, but moved as a small boy with his family to New Albany, Indiana
, where he attended public elementary school. While in his early teens, due to continuing financial pressures, the family moved to Chicago
.
At the age of 13 he was apprenticed at the Chicago
architectural firm of Augustus Bauer and Henry Hill. In 1887 he joined the office of architect Joseph L. Silsbee as a draftsman
where he worked with Frank Lloyd Wright
and George Grant Elmslie
. In 1888 Maher formed a partnership with Charles Corwin which lasted for only a brief time before he began his own practice.
Maher married Elizabeth Brooks in 1893 and moved to Kenilworth, Illinois
. His own home, built there in 1893, which was only one of about 40 homes he designed in Kenilworth. Along with the homes he also designed the entrance to the village as well as a number of other public embellishments. In addition to Kenilworth, one of the largest concentrations of his work is along Hutchinson Street, on Chicago's North Side lakefront.
lead him to become one of the founding members of The Chicago Arts and Crafts Society. During his career, he was involved as a leading figure in the meetings and exhibitions of the Chicago Architectural Club, a group that was at the center of activity of the Prairie movement in Chicago.
Maher’s early work during the 1890s reflected the influence of Silsbee and H.H. Richardson as well as Louis Sullivan
and others of the Chicago School
.
In 1893 Maher met J.L. Cochran who was developing the community of Edgewater which would ultimately become part of Chicago. During the next several years Maher designed a series of houses for Cochran which helped establish Maher's career and reputation.
Commissioned in 1897, one of Maher's most important designs is the John Farson House in Oak Park, also known as Pleasant Home
. In this house, Maher synthesized his own version of what would ultimately come to be called the Prairie School style of architecture. One of the earliest Prairie style buildings, its design concept proved to be extremely influential in its time and was widely copied throughout the Midwest.
Over the years Maher designed numerous houses for clients ranging from middle class businessmen to wealthy society figures. The success of the Farson house lead to a number of large commissions. Among his clients was James A. Patten
for whom he built a large mansion in 1901. Patten was also responsible for getting Maher the commission to design the original Patten Gymnasium
at Northwestern University where Maher also designed the Swift Hall of Engineering. Also in 1901, Maher was hired to remodel the Nickerson House
which currently houses the Driehaus Muesum. These were followed by the design of a large estate for Harry Rubens that was built in Glencoe, Illinois in 1903. Jens Jensen
designed the landscaping for the Rubens estate. Other projects include the P.J. King House
from 1901, the Rath House
in 1907, and the Colvin House
in 1909, all of which have been designated Chicago Landmarks by the city.
By the time of the Farson House commission, Maher was one of the first of the Prairie Style architects to have developed a personal style. By 1897, with almost a full decade behind him, his career was well established. With Wright’s Prairie houses still several years in the future, Maher's version of the Prairie style came at a time when Louis Sullivan’s work was still the dominant influence for the developing group of architects. While many of the others worked directly for Wright or Sullivan, Maher never did which may be part of the reason his design work would follow a more independent path throughout his career.
Around 1904 Maher’s designs started to show more of his interest in ideas derived from contemporary European design, especially the English Arts and Crafts movement
and the Vienna Secession
. Assimilating these influences into concepts of his own, he created designs that set his work apart at a time when Wright’s work was becoming increasingly influential among his contemporaries. Among these projects was the Corbin House in 1904 followed by houses such as the Erwin House (1905) , the Lackner House (1905) and the Schultz House (1907).
The momentum of the Prairie School movement began to rapidly decline in the mid teens as clients' tastes and interests changed, forcing many of its followers to turn in other directions. For some, including Maher, it meant increasing pressure to design in the eclectic styles then in vogue.
and Robert Seyfarth
.
After his World War l, his son joined the office as a partner and the firm became known as “George W. Maher & Son”. In the early 1920s Maher designed multiple buildings and landscapes throughout the Chicago area and in Gary, Indiana where the firm produced a number of projects. His final work was commissioned by the Gary Heat, Light, and Water Company of Gary, Indiana
. They requested him to design a new warehouse. This design embodied the last set of drawings to hold his name and architectural registration.
Prairie School
Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands,...
-style of architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
during the first-quarter of the 20th century. He also was known for blending the traditional with the Arts & Crafts-style. According to architectural historian H. Allen Brooks
H. Allen Brooks
H. Allen Brooks was an architectural historian and longtime professor at the University of Toronto...
, "His influence on the Midwest was profound and prolonged and, in its time, was certainly as great as was
Maher was elected a Fellow
FAIA
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects is a postnomial, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects...
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...
in 1916.
Biography
George Maher was born in Mill Creek, West VirginiaMill Creek, West Virginia
Mill Creek is a town in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States, along the Tygart Valley River. The population was 662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mill Creek is located at ....
, but moved as a small boy with his family to New Albany, Indiana
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
, where he attended public elementary school. While in his early teens, due to continuing financial pressures, the family moved to Chicago
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...
.
At the age of 13 he was apprenticed at the Chicago
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...
architectural firm of Augustus Bauer and Henry Hill. In 1887 he joined the office of architect Joseph L. Silsbee as a draftsman
Technical 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....
where he worked with Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and George Grant Elmslie
George Grant Elmslie
George Grant Elmslie was an American, though born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Prairie School architect whose work is mostly found in the Midwestern United States...
. In 1888 Maher formed a partnership with Charles Corwin which lasted for only a brief time before he began his own practice.
Maher married Elizabeth Brooks in 1893 and moved to Kenilworth, Illinois
Kenilworth, Illinois
Kenilworth is a village in Cook County, Illinois, north of downtown Chicago. It is the newest of the nine suburban North Shore communities bordering Lake Michigan, and is the only one developed as a planned community...
. His own home, built there in 1893, which was only one of about 40 homes he designed in Kenilworth. Along with the homes he also designed the entrance to the village as well as a number of other public embellishments. In addition to Kenilworth, one of the largest concentrations of his work is along Hutchinson Street, on Chicago's North Side lakefront.
Career
From the start of his career, Maher wrote about his views on architecture and was active in organizations interested in exploring new ideas in architecture and design. In 1887 Inland Architect published a paper he had written titled “Originality in American Architecture,” one of the first of many he would write. In 1895 an interest in the English Arts and Crafts MovementArts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
lead him to become one of the founding members of The Chicago Arts and Crafts Society. During his career, he was involved as a leading figure in the meetings and exhibitions of the Chicago Architectural Club, a group that was at the center of activity of the Prairie movement in Chicago.
Maher’s early work during the 1890s reflected the influence of Silsbee and H.H. Richardson as well as Louis Sullivan
Louis Sullivan
Louis Henri Sullivan was an American architect, and has been called the "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" He is considered by many as the creator of the modern skyscraper, was an influential architect and critic of the Chicago School, was a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, and an...
and others of the Chicago School
Chicago school (architecture)
Chicago's architecture is famous throughout the world and one style is referred to as the Chicago School. The style is also known as Commercial style. In the history of architecture, the Chicago School was a school of architects active in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century...
.
In 1893 Maher met J.L. Cochran who was developing the community of Edgewater which would ultimately become part of Chicago. During the next several years Maher designed a series of houses for Cochran which helped establish Maher's career and reputation.
Commissioned in 1897, one of Maher's most important designs is the John Farson House in Oak Park, also known as Pleasant Home
Pleasant Home
Pleasant Home, also known as the John Farson House, is a historic home located in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, United States. The large, Prairie style mansion was designed by architect George Washington Maher and completed in 1897. The house was added to the U.S. National Register of...
. In this house, Maher synthesized his own version of what would ultimately come to be called the Prairie School style of architecture. One of the earliest Prairie style buildings, its design concept proved to be extremely influential in its time and was widely copied throughout the Midwest.
Over the years Maher designed numerous houses for clients ranging from middle class businessmen to wealthy society figures. The success of the Farson house lead to a number of large commissions. Among his clients was James A. Patten
James A. Patten
James A. Patten was an American financier and grain merchant, born at Freeland Corners, Illinois He attended the common schools and was early a clerk, a farmer, and an employee in the Illinois State department of grain inspection , whence he learned the details and operation of the grain...
for whom he built a large mansion in 1901. Patten was also responsible for getting Maher the commission to design the original Patten Gymnasium
Patten Gymnasium
Patten Gymnasium is a multi-purpose gymnasium in Evanston, Illinois. The original building, designed by George Washington Maher, opened in 1910 and was home to the Northwestern University Wildcats Basketball Team until 1940, when it was demolished and rebuilt farther north to make room for the...
at Northwestern University where Maher also designed the Swift Hall of Engineering. Also in 1901, Maher was hired to remodel the Nickerson House
Nickerson House
The Samuel Nickerson House, located at 40 East Erie Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, is a Chicago Landmark. The house, built in 1883, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
which currently houses the Driehaus Muesum. These were followed by the design of a large estate for Harry Rubens that was built in Glencoe, Illinois in 1903. Jens Jensen
Jens Jensen (landscape architect)
Jens Jensen was a Danish-American landscape architect.-Early life:Jens Jensen was born near Dybbøl in Slesvig, Denmark, in 1860, to a wealthy farming family. For the first nineteen years of his life he lived on his family's farm, which cultivated his love for the natural environment...
designed the landscaping for the Rubens estate. Other projects include the P.J. King House
King-Nash House
The King-Nash House, also known as Patrick J. King House, is a combination of Sullivanesque, Colonial Revival, and Prairie styles house at 3234 West Washington Boulevard in the East Garfield Park area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The house was built in 1901 by George W. Maher for Patrick...
from 1901, the Rath House
Rath House
The Rath House is an architecturally significant house located at 2703 West Logan Boulevard in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It was built in 1907 by the architect George W. Maher for John Rath, the owner of the Rath Cooperage Company, one of the largest...
in 1907, and the Colvin House
Colvin House
The Colvin House is a house at 5901 North Sheridan Road in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The house was built in 1909 by George W. Maher. It was designated a Chicago Landmark on October 5, 1994. This residence was built for Edwin M. Colvin, his wife Clara and their four children...
in 1909, all of which have been designated Chicago Landmarks by the city.
By the time of the Farson House commission, Maher was one of the first of the Prairie Style architects to have developed a personal style. By 1897, with almost a full decade behind him, his career was well established. With Wright’s Prairie houses still several years in the future, Maher's version of the Prairie style came at a time when Louis Sullivan’s work was still the dominant influence for the developing group of architects. While many of the others worked directly for Wright or Sullivan, Maher never did which may be part of the reason his design work would follow a more independent path throughout his career.
Around 1904 Maher’s designs started to show more of his interest in ideas derived from contemporary European design, especially the English Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
and the Vienna Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
. Assimilating these influences into concepts of his own, he created designs that set his work apart at a time when Wright’s work was becoming increasingly influential among his contemporaries. Among these projects was the Corbin House in 1904 followed by houses such as the Erwin House (1905) , the Lackner House (1905) and the Schultz House (1907).
Motif-Rhythm theory
As part of his design philosophy Maher developed what he call Motif-Rhythm theory in an attempt to produce a design unity throughout the building and its interior. This involved using a decorative element, often a local flower, a geometric shape, or a combination of the two which would be used repeatedly throughout the design to “bind the design together.” At “Rockledge”, the 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) summer house he designed in 1911 for Ernest and Grace King in Homer, Minnesota, Maher was also commissioned to design the interior furnishings for the house allowing him to use the Motif-Rhythm theory to the fullest extent possible. Ultimately the house fell into disuse but before the house was demolished the furniture, clocks, lamps, rugs, even the tableware that Maher had designed were sold with many pieces ending up in various museum collections as examples of Arts and Crafts design.Commercial and Institutional buildings
While Maher is known for his residential work, he also designed commercial and institutional buildings. His client James Patten was responsible for getting Maher the commission to design the most well known of these, the original Patten Gymnasium (1908–09) at Northwestern University where Maher also designed the Swift Hall of Engineering (1908). Other notable projects were several buildings for the J. R. Watkins Medical Company (1911) including their administrative headquarters in Winona, Minnesota. These were followed by the Winona Saving Bank which was designed and built in 1914-16.The momentum of the Prairie School movement began to rapidly decline in the mid teens as clients' tastes and interests changed, forcing many of its followers to turn in other directions. For some, including Maher, it meant increasing pressure to design in the eclectic styles then in vogue.
Organizations
Throughout his career Maher was involved in organizations seeking to improve the architecture profession. In addition to the Chicago Architectural Club, he was active in the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects serving as state chapter president in 1918. Just as Maher had worked for Silsbee whose office had produced a number of architects that went on to have distinguished careers, Maher’s office also produced several notable architects including his son Phillip Brooks MaherPhillip Brooks Maher
Phillip Brooks Maher was an American architect. Born in Kenilworth, Illinois in 1894, he was the son and later the partner of George Washington Maher who was an important figure in the Prairie School movement. In 1914, Phillip Maher went to work in his father’s architecture practice...
and Robert Seyfarth
Robert Seyfarth
- Background : Robert Seyfarth grew up as a member of a prominent local family. His grandfather William Seyfarth had come to the United States in 1848 from Schloss Tonndorf in what is now the state of Thuringia, Germany, with the intention of opening a tavern in Chicago...
.
After his World War l, his son joined the office as a partner and the firm became known as “George W. Maher & Son”. In the early 1920s Maher designed multiple buildings and landscapes throughout the Chicago area and in Gary, Indiana where the firm produced a number of projects. His final work was commissioned by the Gary Heat, Light, and Water Company of Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
. They requested him to design a new warehouse. This design embodied the last set of drawings to hold his name and architectural registration.
Death
By the time of his death he had designed over 270 projects; from houses to parks to public buildings. In the fall of 1926 after several years of declining health, including hospitalization for depression in 1924-25, George W. Maher took his own life at the age of 61.Further reading
- Brooks, H. Allen, The Prairie School, W.W. Norton, New York 2006; ISBN 039373191X
- Brooks, H. Allen (editor), Prairie School Architecture: Studies from "The Western Architect", University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Buffalo 1975; ISBN 0802021387
- Brooks, H. Allen, The Prairie School: Frank Lloyd Wright and his Midwest Contemporaries, University of Toronto Press, Toronto 1972; ISBN 0802052517
- Cummings, Kathleen Ann, “Pleasant Home 1897: A History of the John Farson House, George Washington Maher, Architect”; 2002
- Guide to Frank Lloyd Wright and Prairie School Architecture in Oak Park, IllinoisOak Park, IllinoisOak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
, by Paul E. Sprague
See also
- "George Washington Maher"
- House Beautiful, November 1908 "Houses designed by George Maher"
- Edmund Blinn HouseEdmund Blinn HouseThe Edmund Blinn House is located in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.-History:...
- Watkins IncorporatedWatkins IncorporatedWatkins Incorporated is a manufacturer of health remedies, baking products, and other household items. The entire catalog includes 400 products. It is based in Winona, Minnesota, and largely relies on an independent sales force of 25,000 people to distribute its products...
- Minneapolis Institute of Arts "Unified Vision"
- George Washington Maher, by John Edward Powell
- Marathon County Historical Society -- The Woodson House
- Chicago Landmarks - George Maher
- 'George W. Maher & Son, by Christopher Meyer