John Duncan Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Based in Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
and working in a variety of styles, he was connected with a number of significant buildings around the state.
Biography
According to one source, Forsyth was born in 1886 in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
; another source says he was born in 1887 in Kingskettle
Kingskettle
Kingskettle is a small village in Fife, Scotland. It is situated in the Howe of Fife, around a mile south of Ladybank. It is home to The Singing Kettle shop. It has a bowling club that needs more members....
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was raised in Scotland and studied at Edinburgh College, and at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He came to America in 1908 and was part of the large team of architects who worked on
Central Union Station (now the Government Conference Centre
Government Conference Centre
The Government Conference Centre is a government building in downtown Ottawa, Canada, located at 2 Rideau Street. It is situated at the intersection of Wellington Street and the Rideau Canal, just a short distance from the Parliament buildings and Confederation Square, and across the street from...
) in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. He trained with various architects including John Russell Pope
John Russell Pope
John Russell Pope was an architect most known for his designs of the National Archives and Records Administration building , the Jefferson Memorial and the West Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.-Biography:Pope was born in New York in 1874, the son of a successful...
, and fought in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
with the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
before moving to Tulsa in 1921, where he became associated with Tulsa architect John McDonnell He received his Oklahoma architect's license in 1925, and soon thereafter he was hired for what became one of his most famous buildings, the E. W. Marland Mansion
E. W. Marland Mansion
E. W. Marland Mansion, or Ernest Whitworth Marland Mansion or Marland Estate, in Ponca City, Oklahoma is a Mediterranean Revival style mansion significant for its architecture. The home was built by Oklahoma governor and oilman E. W...
in Ponca City. A room in the mansion is now dedicated to Forsyth's work.
Forsyth maintained a prolific practice. He left Oklahoma to serve with the U.S. Navy Seabee
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
s in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, went to California, then returned to Tulsa in the 1950s. Married six times during his life, Forsyth remained in Tulsa until his death in 1963. In 2007, John Brooks Walton, a Tulsa architect who had worked for Forsyth, published a biography entitled The Art and Architecture of John Duncan Forsyth.
Projects
- E. W. Marland MansionE. W. Marland MansionE. W. Marland Mansion, or Ernest Whitworth Marland Mansion or Marland Estate, in Ponca City, Oklahoma is a Mediterranean Revival style mansion significant for its architecture. The home was built by Oklahoma governor and oilman E. W...
(1928), 901 Monument Road in Ponca City, Oklahoma NRHP listed. - Royalty Building (1929), built by oilman E. W. MarlandE. W. MarlandErnest Whitworth Marland was an American lawyer, oil businessman, and politician who served as the tenth Governor of Oklahoma.-Career as an Oilman:...
, a mission style architecture building on 4th & East Grand Avenue in Ponca City with retail space on the lower floors and office space above for E. W. MarlandE. W. MarlandErnest Whitworth Marland was an American lawyer, oil businessman, and politician who served as the tenth Governor of Oklahoma.-Career as an Oilman:...
and the E. W. Marland Co. It was purchased from Marland in the 1940s and "is now owned by the Donahoes". - Lamerton HouseLamerton HouseThe Lamerton House is a two-story Tudor Revival house constructed in 1930 located on the Lamerton Terrace property Enid, Oklahoma in Garfield County, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1997. The home was designed in 1928 by John Duncan Forsyth of Tulsa,...
(1930) at 1420 W. Indian Drive in Enid, OklahomaEnid, OklahomaEnid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2010, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a...
, built in Tudor Revival style. NRHP listed #97000613. - Southern Hills Country ClubSouthern Hills Country ClubSouthern Hills Country Club is a private golf and country club in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the United States. It was established in 1936 from land donated by multimillionaire oilman Waite Phillips. The construction costs were raised by the founding members....
(1936), Tulsa (J.D. Forsyth and Donald McCormick, associate architects), designed in "European country house style", - John Duncan Forsyth Residence (1937, restored 1985), built in Streamline ModerneStreamline ModerneStreamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
style. - Will Rogers MemorialWill Rogers MemorialThe Will Rogers Memorial is a museum in Claremore, Oklahoma that memorializes entertainer Will Rogers. The museum houses artifacts, memorabilia, photographs, and manuscripts pertaining to Rogers' life, and documentaries, speeches, and movies starring Rogers are shown in a theater...
(1938), a stone museum and memorial to Oklahoma humorist Will RogersWill RogersWilliam "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, built on a hill overlooking Claremore, OklahomaClaremore, OklahomaClaremore is a city and the county seat of Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 18,581 at the 2010 census, a 17.1 percent increase from 15,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area and home to Rogers State University...
, later substantially expanded. - Daniel Webster High SchoolWebster High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)Daniel Webster High School is a high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is part of the Tulsa Public Schools, and is a public school for students from grades 9 through 12. The school opened in 1938 in the West Tulsa section of the city, and is housed in a PWA-style Art Deco building designed by...
(1938), a PWAPublic Works AdministrationThe Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
-style Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
building in West Tulsa (Arthur M. Atkinson, John Duncan Forsyth, Raymond Kerr, and William H. Wolaver, architects). - Bartlesville High SchoolBartlesville High SchoolBartlesville High School is a public high school located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Built in 1939, it was originally called College High School, and until 1950 housed a junior college as well as the high school. Its Streamline Moderne building was designed by Tulsa architect John Duncan...
(originally College High School) (1939), a Streamline ModerneStreamline ModerneStreamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
school in Bartlesville, OklahomaBartlesville, OklahomaBartlesville is a city in Osage and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 43,070 at the 2010 census. Bartlesville is located forty-seven miles north of Tulsa and very close to Oklahoma's northern border with Kansas. It is the county seat of Washington County, in...
.
- Pensacola DamPensacola DamThe Pensacola Dam, also known as the Grand River Dam, is a multiple-arch buttress dam on the Grand River in-between Disney and Langley in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The dam is operated by the Grand River Dam Authority and creates Grand Lake o' the Cherokees...
(1938–1940) at Grand Lake o' the CherokeesGrand Lake o' the CherokeesGrand Lake o' the Cherokees is situated in Northeast Oklahoma, nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountain Range. The "o'" in the name of the lake stands for of not over. Grand Lake Of the Cherokees is the official name. It is often simply called Grand Lake...
in Langley, OklahomaLangley, OklahomaLangley is a town in Mayes County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 819 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Langley is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
. Listed on the NRHPNational Register of Historic Places listings in Mayes County, OklahomaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Mayes County, Oklahoma.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Mayes County, Oklahoma, United States...
for Mayes County, OklahomaMayes County, OklahomaMayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899. According to the 2010 census the population was 41,259, a 7.5 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 38,369...
. As architect of record, Forsyth was responsible for the PWAPublic Works AdministrationThe Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
-style Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
design features of this structure, claimed to be the world's longest multiple arch damArch damAn arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
. - Jane Addams Hall (1940) at the University of Science and Arts of OklahomaUniversity of Science and Arts of OklahomaThe University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, or USAO, is a public liberal arts college located in Chickasha, Oklahoma. It is the only public college with a strictly liberal arts-focused curriculum in Oklahoma. It provides Bachelor's Degrees and many students move on to graduate schools across...
in ChickashaChickasha, OklahomaChickasha is a city in and the county seat, business and employment center of Grady County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 15,850 at the 2000 census. Chickasha is home to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and hosts an annual Festival of Light celebration located at...
, part of the Oklahoma College for Women Historic District, a collection of PWA buildings designed by different prominent Oklahoma architects. - All Souls Unitarian ChurchAll Souls Unitarian Church (Tulsa, Oklahoma)All Souls Unitarian Church is a Unitarian Universalist church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is one of the largest UU congregations in the world....
(1957) in Tulsa, one of the largest Unitarian Universalist congregations in the world. - B.B. Blair Mansion (1958) a Southern plantation style home adjoining the Arkansas RiverArkansas RiverThe Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
in Tulsa, inspired by BeauvoirBeauvoir (Biloxi, Mississippi)Beauvoir is the historic post-war home and Presidential library of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, begun in 1848 at Biloxi, Mississippi. The main house and library were badly damaged, and other outbuildings were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005...
, the Mississippi home of Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
.