James Keys Wilson
Encyclopedia
James Keys Wilson was a prominent architect in Cincinnati, Ohio
. He studied with Charles A. Mountain in Philadelphia and then Martin E. Thompson
and James Renwick
in New York (Renwick designed the Smithsonian Museum, interning at Renwick's firm. He worked with William Walter
at the Walter and Wilson firm, before establishing his own practice in Cincinnati where he became the most noted architect in the city. His Old Main Building for Bethany College
and Plum Street Temple buildings are National Landmark
s. His work includes many Gothic Revival architecture
buildings, while the synagogue is considered Moorish Revival
and Byzantine Architecture
.
Wilson was the first president of the Cincinnati chapter of the American Institute of Architects
(1870 to 1871 and again from 1872 to 1873). He is known for his design of the Old Main buildings on the campus of Bethany College
; his work on Isaac M. Wise's Plum Creek Temple (now known as Isaac M. Wise Temple
), is celebrated both for its design and as a location important as a fount of reform Judaism
in the United States. His son, H[enry] Neill Wilson
, worked in his father's firm (and is credited with the design of the Rookwood Pottery building [1891–1892] at
1077 Celestial in Mount Adamsand); he then established his own practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, before moving to Pittsfield, Massachusetts
.
and James Renwick
in New York. In 1847, he traveled in Europe, returning to set up his practice at the age of 20.
Wilson partnered with William Walter from 1851 to 1863. He also partnered with William Stewart and with whom he designed many Cincinnati buildings including Mother of God in Covington, Kentucky (1871) and Covenant First Presbyterian Church (1875). James McLaughlin
and Charles Crapsey
studied with Wilson before starting their own practices.
building on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia
is an important surviving example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture
and a National Landmark
. Wilson's design was influenced by James Renwick, whose office he studied in, and may have been modeled after Renwick's design of the Smithsonian Museum (1845–1847).
Wilson was in partnership with William Walter, an older architect, at the time of Old Main's construction, but the design was most likely Wilson's "because his training had occurred during the increasing vogue of the Gothic style". William Kimbrough Pendleton, a member of the faculty and vice-president of Bethany College, also had a role and contributed his practical knowledge of architecture with the supervision of construction and has been credited with responsibility for its placement on the crest of the hill as well as suggesting the arcade (architecture)
on the back of the building. He may also have been responsible for the installation of firewalls, which permitted it to survive the 1879 fire that destroyed Society Hall.
The building was constructed from 1858 to 1871 and "represents" the college's "pivotal historical role as the headquarters of Alexander Campbell (1788–1866), a principal founder of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
." The college "is the fountainhead institution of more than a hundred colleges and universities established in the United States by the church." It is "intimately linked to the Scots-Irish ethnic settlement of the American frontier," and "Old Main is one of the country's earliest intact large-scale examples of collegiate Gothic architecture."
Wilson was a "central figure" in Cincinnati architecture and "the leading architect of the city between 1850–1870". In an otherwise snarky 1867 account of Cincinnati in the Atlantic Monthly, Wilson comes in for plaudits as "one of the best architects in the West", and his work on the Plum Street Temple, courthouse, and post office in Cincinnati are noted.
Other architects in Cincinnati at the time included Isaiah Rogers
(1800–1896) who came to Cincinnati to help rebuild Burnett House hotel after a fire, and William Tinsley
, who was in Cincinnati beginning in 1851. Local architects included James W. McLaughlin
(1834–1923), Samuel Hannaford
(1835–1910), and Charles Crapsey
(1840–1909). Together they established one of the earliest chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Cincinnati was the 2nd Chapter of the AIA.
Although Cincinnati's spectacular growth slowed after 1870, the work that continued included several buildings by Wilson.
synagogue
s and is a National Historic Landmark
. Similar buildings in Germany were destroyed by Hitler, although examples survive in other parts of Europe. The building was designed in a 19th century Germanic architectural style is said to blend Neo-Byzantine architecture
and Moorish Revival
styles derived from the architecture of Moorish Spain. The synagogue includes a tripartite twin-domed facade copied from the Leopoldstädter Tempel
in Vienna, Austria, that was built in 1853. The U.S. building has a rose window
and basilica
style arch, similar to a Gothic Cathedral, but its Islamic influences are visible in its minaret
s and other details.
The synagogue was designed in an architectural style that had emerged in Germany in the nineteenth century, combining Byzantine and Moorish styles, hearkening back to the Golden Age of Jewish history in Spain. Only one other synagogue of similar style is extant in America in New York. There is a Moorish theme in the motifs decorating the entrances are repeated in the rose window and on the Torah Ark and the 14 bands of Hebrew texts surrounding the interior are said to have been selected by Rabbi Wise primarily from the Book of Psalms.
The building has been carefully preserved and maintains the original flooring, pew
s, and pulpit
furnishings. The chandelier
s and candelabra
, formerly gaslight, are electrical but use the original fixtures, and the pipe organ, built by the Cincinnati firm of Koehnken and Company is still in place (although in need of restoration).
The building was placed on the Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places
in 1975. A restoration in 1994 and 1995 "renewed a sense of vitality and sparkle to a building which looks much the same now as when it was built 137 years ago".
Wilson died on October 21, 1894 and is buried in the family cemetery plot in Spring Grove Cemetery
: Section 49; Lot 1, Space 6 (no tombstone apparent) where his daughter has a marker.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He studied with Charles A. Mountain in Philadelphia and then Martin E. Thompson
Martin E. Thompson
Martin Euclid Thompson was an American architect and artist prolific in nineteenth-century New York City, and a co-founder of the National Academy of Design....
and James Renwick
James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr. , was a prominent American architect in the 19th-century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".-Life and work:Renwick was born into a wealthy and well-educated family...
in New York (Renwick designed the Smithsonian Museum, interning at Renwick's firm. He worked with William Walter
William Walter
William Walter may refer to:* William Walter , American rock musician* William Walter & Co., American rock band* William Walter William Walter may refer to:* William Walter (musician), American rock musician* William Walter & Co., American rock band* William Walter (boxer) William Walter may refer...
at the Walter and Wilson firm, before establishing his own practice in Cincinnati where he became the most noted architect in the city. His Old Main Building for Bethany College
Old Main (Bethany College)
Old Main, Bethany College is a historic building group on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia. It was constructed from 1858–1871 on a design by architect James Keys Wilson with the firm of Walter & Wilson and is an important surviving example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture...
and Plum Street Temple buildings are National Landmark
National landmark
A National landmark is a site identified by a national authority as one possessing nationally–significant natural, historic, or scientific resources...
s. His work includes many Gothic Revival architecture
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
buildings, while the synagogue is considered Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
and Byzantine Architecture
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
.
Wilson was the first president of the Cincinnati 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...
(1870 to 1871 and again from 1872 to 1873). He is known for his design of the Old Main buildings on the campus of Bethany College
Bethany College (West Virginia)
Bethany College is a private liberal arts college located in Bethany, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1840, Bethany is the oldest institution of Higher Education in West Virginia.-Location:...
; his work on Isaac M. Wise's Plum Creek Temple (now known as Isaac M. Wise Temple
Isaac M. Wise Temple
The Isaac M. Wise Temple is the historic synagogue erected for Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise. Rabbi Wise was the founder of American Reform Judaism. The temple building was designed by prominent Cincinnati architect James Keys Wilson.The temple is located at 720 Plum Street in Cincinnati, Ohio and was...
), is celebrated both for its design and as a location important as a fount of reform Judaism
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
in the United States. His son, H[enry] Neill Wilson
H. Neill Wilson
H. Neill Wilson was an architect with his father James Keys Wilson in Cincinnati, Ohio; on his own in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and for most of his career in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
, worked in his father's firm (and is credited with the design of the Rookwood Pottery building [1891–1892] at
1077 Celestial in Mount Adamsand); he then established his own practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, before moving to Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
.
Background and training
Wilson began his studies with Charles A. Mountain in Philadelphia and continued them with Martin E. ThompsonMartin E. Thompson
Martin Euclid Thompson was an American architect and artist prolific in nineteenth-century New York City, and a co-founder of the National Academy of Design....
and James Renwick
James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr. , was a prominent American architect in the 19th-century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".-Life and work:Renwick was born into a wealthy and well-educated family...
in New York. In 1847, he traveled in Europe, returning to set up his practice at the age of 20.
Wilson partnered with William Walter from 1851 to 1863. He also partnered with William Stewart and with whom he designed many Cincinnati buildings including Mother of God in Covington, Kentucky (1871) and Covenant First Presbyterian Church (1875). James McLaughlin
James W. McLaughlin
James W. McLaughlin was a Cincinnati, Ohio architect. He studied to be an architect working under famed James Keys Wilson. He fought in the American Civil War serving in the Union Army. He become a popular builder in Cincinnati during the late 19th century...
and Charles Crapsey
Charles Crapsey
Charles C. Crapsey was an American architect known for his church designs. He trained under James K. Wilson from 1865–1873, worked on his on his own between 1873–1888, and then with Wilson again from 1895-1901. He worked with William R. Brown from 1889–1895 and with E. N. Lamm from 1901-1909...
studied with Wilson before starting their own practices.
Old Main
Wilson's Old Main (Bethany College)Old Main (Bethany College)
Old Main, Bethany College is a historic building group on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia. It was constructed from 1858–1871 on a design by architect James Keys Wilson with the firm of Walter & Wilson and is an important surviving example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture...
building on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
is an important surviving example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
and a National Landmark
National landmark
A National landmark is a site identified by a national authority as one possessing nationally–significant natural, historic, or scientific resources...
. Wilson's design was influenced by James Renwick, whose office he studied in, and may have been modeled after Renwick's design of the Smithsonian Museum (1845–1847).
Wilson was in partnership with William Walter, an older architect, at the time of Old Main's construction, but the design was most likely Wilson's "because his training had occurred during the increasing vogue of the Gothic style". William Kimbrough Pendleton, a member of the faculty and vice-president of Bethany College, also had a role and contributed his practical knowledge of architecture with the supervision of construction and has been credited with responsibility for its placement on the crest of the hill as well as suggesting the arcade (architecture)
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
on the back of the building. He may also have been responsible for the installation of firewalls, which permitted it to survive the 1879 fire that destroyed Society Hall.
The building was constructed from 1858 to 1871 and "represents" the college's "pivotal historical role as the headquarters of Alexander Campbell (1788–1866), a principal founder of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Christian Church is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America. It is often referred to as The Christian Church, The Disciples of Christ, or more simply as The Disciples...
." The college "is the fountainhead institution of more than a hundred colleges and universities established in the United States by the church." It is "intimately linked to the Scots-Irish ethnic settlement of the American frontier," and "Old Main is one of the country's earliest intact large-scale examples of collegiate Gothic architecture."
Cincinnati
Other architects in Cincinnati at the time included Isaiah Rogers
Isaiah Rogers
Isaiah Rogers was a US architect who practiced in Mobile, Alabama, Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, and Cincinnati, Ohio.-Background:...
(1800–1896) who came to Cincinnati to help rebuild Burnett House hotel after a fire, and William Tinsley
William Tinsley
William Tinsley was a British publisher. The son of a gamekeeper, he had little formal education; but together with his brother Edward he founded the firm of Tinsley Brothers, which published many of the leading novelists of the time.-Life:Tinsley was born in the village of South Mimms, north of...
, who was in Cincinnati beginning in 1851. Local architects included James W. McLaughlin
James W. McLaughlin
James W. McLaughlin was a Cincinnati, Ohio architect. He studied to be an architect working under famed James Keys Wilson. He fought in the American Civil War serving in the Union Army. He become a popular builder in Cincinnati during the late 19th century...
(1834–1923), Samuel Hannaford
Samuel Hannaford
Samuel Hannaford was an American architect based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Some of the best known landmarks in the city, such as Music Hall and City Hall, were of his design...
(1835–1910), and Charles Crapsey
Charles Crapsey
Charles C. Crapsey was an American architect known for his church designs. He trained under James K. Wilson from 1865–1873, worked on his on his own between 1873–1888, and then with Wilson again from 1895-1901. He worked with William R. Brown from 1889–1895 and with E. N. Lamm from 1901-1909...
(1840–1909). Together they established one of the earliest chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Cincinnati was the 2nd Chapter of the AIA.
Although Cincinnati's spectacular growth slowed after 1870, the work that continued included several buildings by Wilson.
Plum Street Temple
The Plum Street Temple commission was one of the first of many American Moorish RevivalMoorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s and is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. Similar buildings in Germany were destroyed by Hitler, although examples survive in other parts of Europe. The building was designed in a 19th century Germanic architectural style is said to blend Neo-Byzantine architecture
Neo-Byzantine architecture
The Byzantine Revival was an architectural revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It emerged in 1840s in Western Europe and peaked in the last quarter of 19th century in the Russian Empire; an isolated Neo-Byzantine school was active in Yugoslavia...
and Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the Romanticist fascination with all things oriental...
styles derived from the architecture of Moorish Spain. The synagogue includes a tripartite twin-domed facade copied from the Leopoldstädter Tempel
Leopoldstädter Tempel
The Leopoldstädter Tempel was the largest synagogue of Vienna, in the district of Leopoldstadt. It was also known as the Israelitische Bethaus in der Wiener Vorstadt Leopoldstadt. It was built in 1858 in a Moorish Revival style by the architect Ludwig Förster...
in Vienna, Austria, that was built in 1853. The U.S. building has a rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
and basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
style arch, similar to a Gothic Cathedral, but its Islamic influences are visible in its minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
s and other details.
The synagogue was designed in an architectural style that had emerged in Germany in the nineteenth century, combining Byzantine and Moorish styles, hearkening back to the Golden Age of Jewish history in Spain. Only one other synagogue of similar style is extant in America in New York. There is a Moorish theme in the motifs decorating the entrances are repeated in the rose window and on the Torah Ark and the 14 bands of Hebrew texts surrounding the interior are said to have been selected by Rabbi Wise primarily from the Book of Psalms.
The building has been carefully preserved and maintains the original flooring, pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
s, and pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
furnishings. The chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
s and candelabra
Candelabra
"Candelabra" is the traditional term for a set of multiple decorative candlesticks, each of which often holds a candle on each of multiple arms or branches connected to a column or pedestal...
, formerly gaslight, are electrical but use the original fixtures, and the pipe organ, built by the Cincinnati firm of Koehnken and Company is still in place (although in need of restoration).
The building was placed on the Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The 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 1975. A restoration in 1994 and 1995 "renewed a sense of vitality and sparkle to a building which looks much the same now as when it was built 137 years ago".
Personal life
Wilson eventually lived in Glendale and was one of Glendale's incorporators in 1851. John Baker was Wilson's father-in-law and lived nearby in the John Baker House. His wife's brother Samuel also lived nearby, and Wilson designed his home. It is speculated that Wilson adopted his wife's family name for business reasons.Wilson died on October 21, 1894 and is buried in the family cemetery plot in Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
: Section 49; Lot 1, Space 6 (no tombstone apparent) where his daughter has a marker.
Projects
- John S. Baker House, "Woodburn", (1854) a Gothic Revival style residence at 1887 Madison Road in CincinnatiCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
that was listed in the National RegisterNational 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...
on June 6, 1979. - Suire Pharmacy Building (1857) (also known as the Herschede Building) William Walter and James Keys Wilson, Fourth Street in Cincinnati
- Herschede Building (1857) 4th Street in Cincinnati
- Samuel Allen House, Glendale, Ohio (1859)
- Spring Grove CemeterySpring Grove CemeterySpring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
4521 Spring Grove Avenue including:- Gatehouse and Office (1863)
- Dexter Mausoleum (1869)
- Isaac M. Wise TempleIsaac M. Wise TempleThe Isaac M. Wise Temple is the historic synagogue erected for Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise. Rabbi Wise was the founder of American Reform Judaism. The temple building was designed by prominent Cincinnati architect James Keys Wilson.The temple is located at 720 Plum Street in Cincinnati, Ohio and was...
, originally the Plum Street Temple, (1866), built for Rabbi Isaac Mayer WiseIsaac Mayer WiseIsaac Mayer Wise , was an American Reform rabbi, editor, and author.-Early life:...
who is credited with being the founder of American Reform JudaismReform JudaismReform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
, at 720 Plum Street (8th & Plum Streets) in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, OhioCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. It is one of the oldest remaining synagogueSynagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s in the United States. It was listed on 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 1972 and is across from the Saint Peter In Chains CathedralSaint Peter in Chains CathedralSaint Peter in Chains Cathedral is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is a Greek revival structure located at 8th and Plum Streets in downtown Cincinnati...
and next to the site of the former St. Paul Episcopal CathedralSt. Paul Episcopal Cathedral, CincinnatiThe St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral was located on the south east corner of Seventh and Plum Streets, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The church was across from the Saint Peter In Chains Cathedral and next to the Plum Street Temple. The original St. Paul's Episcopal Church was located at 111 East Fourth Street....
which was torn down in 1937. - Mitchell & Rammelsberg Furniture Co. (1870) on 4th Street in Cinccinnati, a future part McAlpin’s Department Store
- Scarlet Oaks–Schoneberger House (1870) 440 Lafayette Avenue in Clifton, a sanatoriumSanatoriumA sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
in Cincinnati listed on 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 1973. - Mother of God Roman Catholic Church (1871) in Covington
- Covenant First Presbyterian ChurchCovenant First Presbyterian ChurchThe Covenant First Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church located at 717 Elm Street at Eighth Street and Garfield Place in Cincinnati, Ohio...
(1875) - Bethany CollegeBethany College (West Virginia)Bethany College is a private liberal arts college located in Bethany, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1840, Bethany is the oldest institution of Higher Education in West Virginia.-Location:...
Old Main (Bethany College)Old Main (Bethany College)Old Main, Bethany College is a historic building group on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia. It was constructed from 1858–1871 on a design by architect James Keys Wilson with the firm of Walter & Wilson and is an important surviving example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture...
building group, West VirginiaWest VirginiaWest Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
(1858–1871) - Oxford Female CollegeOxford Female CollegeOxford Female College was one of three women's colleges in Oxford, Ohio in the 19th Century. The college merged with the Oxford Female Institute, forming the Oxford College for Women which existed as an independent school until it merged with Miami University in 1928...
(later Fisher Hall, Miami University), 1856
With Walter and Wilson
- Old Main (Bethany College)Old Main (Bethany College)Old Main, Bethany College is a historic building group on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia. It was constructed from 1858–1871 on a design by architect James Keys Wilson with the firm of Walter & Wilson and is an important surviving example of 19th century Gothic Revival architecture...
a Gothic Revival style building group on the campus: designed by James Keys Wilson as part of Walter & Wilson and constructed from 1858–1871. John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
spoke at its Commencement Hall in 1960 during his presidential primary campaign that successfully won West Virginia and the building was declared a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1990. It is on West Virginia Route 67 in Bethany, West VirginiaBethany, West VirginiaBethany is a town in Brooke County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 985 at the 2000 census. The Town of Bethany is home to Bethany College.-History:...
.
Further reading
- Architectural Historians", Vol. 26, No. 4 (Dec., 1967), pp. 285–293. Clubbe, John. Cincinnati Observed: Architecture & History. Ohio State University Press, Columbus. 1992
- Langsam, Walter. Great Houses of the Queen City. Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati. 2002.
External links
- Best places to experience the architecture of James Keys Wilson in Cincinnati (with photographs)
- Bethany College Old Main, Historic Campus Architecture Project