R. F. Graf
Encyclopedia
Richard Franklin Graf was an American architect, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee
, and the vicinity, in the early 20th century. His works include Stratford Mansion (1910), Sterchi Lofts (1921), St. John's Lutheran Church (1913), and the Journal Arcade (1924). His home, the Prairie School
-inspired Graf-Cullum House, is considered Knoxville's first modern home. Several buildings designed by Graf have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, 1865. His grandfather was one of several families to immigrate from Switzerland
to Morgan County in the late 1840s (Morgan County's Swiss immigrants also included the grandparents of one of Graf's future clients, James G. Sterchi
). Graf had relocated to Knoxville by 1884, when he was working at the Burr & Terry Sash Factory in what is now the Old City
.
In 1887, Graf cofounded a contracting firm, Vinson and Graf, which operated in Knoxville until 1891. In the early 1890s, Graf worked as a supervisor for the Knoxville Cabinet and Mantel Company. In 1894, he joined the firm of noted mail-order architect George Franklin Barber
(1854–1915), and was elevated to associate in 1901. He and Barber were still working together as late as 1907, when they designed a new building for Mechanics' National Bank.
Graf eventually formed an architectural firm with his two sons, John and Herbert, with Graf as supervising architect. In 1910, this firm designed an elaborate Neoclassical mansion, Stratford, for James G. Sterchi, as well as two buildings– the Bandstand and the Liberal Arts Building– for the Appalachian Exposition at Chilhowee Park. Three years later, Graf designed the Gothic-style St. John's Lutheran Church, which still stands across from Old Gray Cemetery on Broadway.
In 1920, Sterchi again commissioned Graf to design his furniture company's 10-story warehouse, now known as Sterchi Lofts, which was completed the following year. The Graf-Cullum House, the design of which was inspired by the Prairie School
movement, was completed in 1923. During this same period, Graf designed two dormitories for Maryville College
, Carnegie Hall (1917) and Thaw Hall (1923).
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, and the vicinity, in the early 20th century. His works include Stratford Mansion (1910), Sterchi Lofts (1921), St. John's Lutheran Church (1913), and the Journal Arcade (1924). His home, the Prairie School
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,...
-inspired Graf-Cullum House, is considered Knoxville's first modern home. Several buildings designed by Graf have been listed on 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...
.
Biography
Graf was born in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, 1865. His grandfather was one of several families to immigrate from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to Morgan County in the late 1840s (Morgan County's Swiss immigrants also included the grandparents of one of Graf's future clients, James G. Sterchi
James G. Sterchi
James Gilbert Sterchi was an American businessman, best known as the cofounder and head of the furniture wholesaler, Sterchi Brothers Furniture Company. At its height, Sterchi Brothers was the world's largest furniture store chain, with sixty-five stores across the southeastern United States and a...
). Graf had relocated to Knoxville by 1884, when he was working at the Burr & Terry Sash Factory in what is now the Old City
Old City (Knoxville)
The Old City is a neighborhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located at the northeast corner of the city's downtown area. Originally part of a raucous and vice-ridden section of town known as "The Bowery," the Old City has since been revitalized through extensive redevelopment efforts carried out...
.
In 1887, Graf cofounded a contracting firm, Vinson and Graf, which operated in Knoxville until 1891. In the early 1890s, Graf worked as a supervisor for the Knoxville Cabinet and Mantel Company. In 1894, he joined the firm of noted mail-order architect George Franklin Barber
George Franklin Barber
George Franklin Barber was an American architect best known for his residential designs, which he marketed worldwide through a series of mail-order catalogs. One of the most successful domestic architects of the late Victorian period in the United States, Barber's plans were used for houses in...
(1854–1915), and was elevated to associate in 1901. He and Barber were still working together as late as 1907, when they designed a new building for Mechanics' National Bank.
Graf eventually formed an architectural firm with his two sons, John and Herbert, with Graf as supervising architect. In 1910, this firm designed an elaborate Neoclassical mansion, Stratford, for James G. Sterchi, as well as two buildings– the Bandstand and the Liberal Arts Building– for the Appalachian Exposition at Chilhowee Park. Three years later, Graf designed the Gothic-style St. John's Lutheran Church, which still stands across from Old Gray Cemetery on Broadway.
In 1920, Sterchi again commissioned Graf to design his furniture company's 10-story warehouse, now known as Sterchi Lofts, which was completed the following year. The Graf-Cullum House, the design of which was inspired by the Prairie School
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,...
movement, was completed in 1923. During this same period, Graf designed two dormitories for Maryville College
Maryville College
Maryville College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee, near Knoxville. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The College is one of the fifty oldest colleges in the...
, Carnegie Hall (1917) and Thaw Hall (1923).
Works
The following were designed by Graf or his firm, R.F. Graf and Sons.| Name | Location | Completed | Status | Other information | Image | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller's Building (S. Gay St.) | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1905 | Standing | |||
| Chilhowee Park Bandstand (Chilhowee Park Chilhowee Park Chilhowee Park is a public park, fairgrounds and exhibition venue in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, located off Magnolia Avenue in East Knoxville. Developed in the late 19th century, the park is now home to the Tennessee Valley Fair, and hosts several dozen expositions annually... ) |
Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1910 | Standing | Built for the 1910 Appalachian Exposition | ||
| Appalachian Exposition main exhibition hall (Chilhowee Park) | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1910 | Burned | Built for the 1910 Appalachian Exposition; designed primarily by J.R. Graf | ||
| Stratford | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1910 | Standing | NRHP 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... (#09000536); designed for furniture magnate James G. Sterchi James G. Sterchi James Gilbert Sterchi was an American businessman, best known as the cofounder and head of the furniture wholesaler, Sterchi Brothers Furniture Company. At its height, Sterchi Brothers was the world's largest furniture store chain, with sixty-five stores across the southeastern United States and a... |
||
| St. John's Lutheran Church (Broadway) | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1913 | Standing | NRHP (#85000700) | ||
| 2809 Kingston Pike | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1915 | Standing | NRHP contributing property (Kingston Pike Historic District) | ||
| Carnegie Hall (Maryville College Maryville College Maryville College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee, near Knoxville. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The College is one of the fifty oldest colleges in the... ) |
Maryville, Tennessee Maryville, Tennessee Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its... |
1917 | Standing | NRHP contributing property (Maryville College Historic District) | ||
| Sterchi Lofts (S. Gay St.) | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1921 | Standing | NRHP contributing property (Southern Terminal and Warehouse Historic District) | ||
| Evarts High School | Evarts, Kentucky Evarts, Kentucky As of the census of 2000, there were 1,101 people, 428 households, and 299 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,828.0 people per square mile . There were 490 housing units at an average density of 813.6 per square mile... |
1923 | Standing | School closed in 2009 | ||
| Graf-Cullum House (Woodlawn Pike) | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1923 | Standing | |||
| Thaw Hall (Maryville College) | Maryville, Tennessee Maryville, Tennessee Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its... |
1923 | Standing | NRHP contributing property (Maryville College Historic District) | ||
| Journal Arcade (S. Gay St.) | Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region... |
1924 | Standing | NRHP contributing property (Gay Street Commercial Historic District) |
See also
- Charles I. BarberCharles I. BarberCharles Irving Barber was an American architect, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, and vicinity, during the first half of the 20th century...
- Baumann family (architects)Baumann family (architects)The Baumann family was a family of American architects who practiced in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the surrounding region, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It included Joseph F. Baumann , his brother, Albert B. Baumann, Sr. , and Albert's son, Albert B. Baumann, Jr....
- Thomas HopeThomas Hope (architect)Thomas Hope was an English-born American architect and house joiner, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Trained in London, Hope moved to Knoxville in 1795, where he designed and built several of the city's earliest houses...
- Bruce McCartyBruce McCartyBruce McCarty, FAIA is an American architect, founder and senior designer at McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects of Knoxville, Tennessee. During a career that has spanned more than a half-century, he has designed some of the city's iconic landmarks, and has been the city's most dedicated...
- Peter StaubPeter StaubPeter Staub was a Swiss-born American businessman, politician, and diplomat. He immigrated to the United States in 1854, and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1856, where he lived for most of the remainder of his life...