Office of the Supervising Architect
Encyclopedia
The Office of the Supervising Architect was an agency
of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal
government buildings from 1852 to 1939.
The office handled some of the most important architectural commissions
of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Among its creations are the well-known State
, War
, and Navy
building (now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building
) in Washington, DC, the San Francisco Mint
Building, and smaller post office
s that have served communities for decades, many recognized as National Historic Landmarks, listed in the National Register of Historic Places
, or designated as local landmarks.
introduced a bill that allowed the Supervisory Architect to have competitions among private architects for major structures. Competitions were held for the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House
, Cleveland Federal Building, U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
in Baltimore, Maryland, and U.S. Customhouse in San Francisco, California (which are all now on the National Register of Historic Places) among others. The competitions were met with enthusiasm by the architect community but were also marred by scandal as when Taylor picked Cass Gilbert
for the New York Customs job. Taylor and Gilbert had been members of the Gilbert & Taylor architecture firm in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1913 the act was repealed.
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
government buildings from 1852 to 1939.
The office handled some of the most important architectural commissions
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Among its creations are the well-known State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
, War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
, and Navy
United States Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
building (now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Old Executive Office Building
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building , formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building and as the State, War, and Navy Building, is an office building in Washington, D.C., just west of the White House...
) in Washington, DC, the San Francisco Mint
San Francisco Mint
The San Francisco Mint is a branch of the United States Mint, and was opened in 1854 to serve the gold mines of the California Gold Rush. It quickly outgrew its first building and moved into a new one in 1874. This building, the Old United States Mint, also known affectionately as The Granite Lady,...
Building, and smaller post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
s that have served communities for decades, many recognized as National Historic Landmarks, listed in the 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...
, or designated as local landmarks.
Tarsney Act
Up until 1893 the office used in-house architects. In 1893 Missouri Congressman John Charles TarsneyJohn Charles Tarsney
John Charles Tarsney was a politician from the U.S. state of Missouri.One of Tarsney's most long lasting contributions was the "Tarsney Act" which permitted private architects to design federal buildings after being selected in a competition under the supervision of Supervising Architect of the...
introduced a bill that allowed the Supervisory Architect to have competitions among private architects for major structures. Competitions were held for the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House
Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House
The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House is a building in New York City, built 1902–1907 by the federal government to house the duty collection operations for the port of New York. It is located near the southern tip of Manhattan, next to Battery Park, at 1 Bowling Green...
, Cleveland Federal Building, U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
Baltimore City Circuit Courthouses
The Baltimore City Circuit Courthouses are located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. Facing each other in the 100 block of North Calvert Street, the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr, Courthouse and Courthouse East house the 30 judges of the 8th judicial circuit for the state of Maryland...
in Baltimore, Maryland, and U.S. Customhouse in San Francisco, California (which are all now on the National Register of Historic Places) among others. The competitions were met with enthusiasm by the architect community but were also marred by scandal as when Taylor picked Cass Gilbert
Cass Gilbert
- Historical impact :Gilbert is considered a skyscraper pioneer; when designing the Woolworth Building he moved into unproven ground — though he certainly was aware of the ground-breaking work done by Chicago architects on skyscrapers and once discussed merging firms with the legendary Daniel...
for the New York Customs job. Taylor and Gilbert had been members of the Gilbert & Taylor architecture firm in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1913 the act was repealed.
Heads of Office of the Supervising Architect
- Robert MillsRobert Mills (architect)Robert Mills , most famously known for designing the Washington Monument, is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect, though Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor...
, as Federal Architect, 1836 to 1842 - Ammi B. YoungAmmi B. YoungAmmi Burnham Young was an important 19th century American architect whose commissions transitioned from the Greek Revival to the Neo-Renaissance styles. His Second Vermont State House brought him fame and success, which eventually led him to become the first Supervising Architect of the U.S....
, as Architectural Advisor, 1842 to 1852 - Ammi B. Young, 1852 to 1862 (first Supervising Architect per se)
- Isaiah RogersIsaiah RogersIsaiah Rogers was a US architect who practiced in Mobile, Alabama, Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, and Cincinnati, Ohio.-Background:...
, 1863 to 1865 - Alfred B. MullettAlfred B. MullettAlfred Bult Mullett was an American architect who served from 1866 to 1874 as Supervising Architect, head of the agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings...
, 1865 to 1874 - William Appleton PotterWilliam Appleton PotterWilliam Appleton Potter was an American architect who designed numerous buildings for Princeton University, as well as municipal offices and churches. He served as a Supervising Architect of the Treasury from 1874 to 1877....
, 1874 to 1877 - James G. HillJames G. HillJames G. Hill was an American architect who, during the period 1876 to 1883, headed the Office of the Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury, which oversaw major Federal buildings....
, 1877 to 1883 - Mifflin E. BellMifflin E. BellMifflin Emlen Bell was an American architect who served from 1883 to 1886 as Supervising Architect of the US Treasury Department...
, 1883 to 1886 - William A. FreretWilliam A. FreretWilliam Alfred Freret was an American architect. He served from 1887 to 1888 as head of the Office of the Supervising Architect, which oversaw construction of Federal buildings....
, 1887 to 1888 - James H. WindrimJames H. WindrimJames Hamilton Windrim was a Philadelphia architect who specialized in public buildings.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he apprenticed under John Notman, and opened his own office in 1867...
, 1889 to 1890 - Willoughby J. EdbrookeWilloughby J. EdbrookeWilloughby James Edbrooke was an American architect and a bureaucrat who remained faithful to a Richardsonian Romanesque style into the era of Beaux-Arts architecture in the United States, supported by commissions from conservative federal and state governments that were spurred by his stint in...
, 1891 to 1892 - Jeremiah O'RourkeJeremiah O'RourkeJeremiah O'Rourke, FAIA, , was an Irish-American architect known primarily for his designs of Roman Catholic churches and institutions and Federal post offices...
, 1893 to 1894 - William Martin AikenWilliam Martin AikenWilliam Martin Aiken was an American architect who served as Supervising Architect of the United States Treasury and oversaw and participated in the design and construction of numerous federal buildings during his appointment that now reside on the National Register of Historic Places.-Early...
, 1895 to 1896 - James Knox TaylorJames Knox TaylorJames Knox Taylor was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ex officio as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings built throughout the United States during the period.-Early career:The son of H...
, 1897 to 1912 - Oscar WenderothOscar WenderothOscar Wenderoth served as director of the Office of the Supervising Architect during 1913-1914. As such, his name is credited with many buildings, including many listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places....
, 1913 to 1914 - James A. WetmoreJames A. WetmoreJames A. Wetmore was an American lawyer and administrator, best known as the Acting Supervising Architect of the U.S. Office of the Supervising Architect from 1915 through 1933. Wetmore is frequently and incorrectly described as the "architect" of the many federal buildings that bear his...
, as Acting Supervising Architect, 1915 to 1933 - Louis A. SimonLouis A. SimonLouis A. Simon was an American architect.Simon was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following a tour of Europe, he opened an architectural office in Baltimore, Maryland in 1894....
, 1933 to 1939