Walter William LaChance
Encyclopedia
Walter William LaChance was a Canadian architect best known for his designs of rural schools, although he also designed numerous buildings of other types. His commissions were concentrated in Cleveland, Ohio
, Hamilton, Ontario
, Welland, Ontario
, and various communities in Saskatchewan
. While his practice was varied in terms of building type, he designed at least 16 schools for various Saskatchewan communities from 1906 to 1914. He was also the author of two books, Modern Schoolhouses (Toronto, 1919) and Schoolhouses and Their Equipment (Niagara Falls, New York, 1925).
While LaChance received numerous commissions, some of them for large buildings, his career was marked by a lack of stability. He moved his architectural practice from city to city numerous times during his career, and was a partner in five different partnerships, all of them short-lived.
. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio
, where he claimed to have graduated from the Case School of Applied Science (predecessor to Case Western Reserve University
) in 1884, although there are serious doubts about whether he did, in fact, graduate. If LaChance's claim is truthful, this means he would have received his degree at age 14 or 15.
LaChance next moved to Virginia and Georgia where his practice consisted mainly of designing jails. In a 1909 advertisement by LaChance, he listed numerous buildings he claimed to have designed, of which seven were jails in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Georgia. Apart from LaChance's self-promotional efforts, little is known about this stage of his career, and the fact that he would have been a teenager during this period raises a number of questions.
In 1889, LaChance returned to Cleveland and worked for the architectural firm, Cramer and Fugman, until 1890. Next, he worked at Van Dorn Iron Works of Cleveland, where he patented an electric lock for prison doors. Following his employment at the iron works, LaChance conducted his architectural practice in Cleveland, both as a solo practitioner as well as in two short-lived partnerships. One partnership was with Alfred A. French (French and LaChance), and another was with Vincent E. Gregg (Gregg and LaChance).
LaChance was married to Sarah ("Sadie") Stoddard (1875–1941) of Milan, Ohio
. They later divorced.
In 1897 he moved to Hamilton, Ontario
, in 1905 he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan
, and later that same year he moved to Saskatoon
. In Saskatoon, he was in a brief partnership with C.H. Howenstein (LaChance and Howenstein) from 1912 to 1913.
LaChance's years in Saskatoon were particularly prosperous for him, as the province was in the midst of an economic boom. Regarding this period of LaChance's career, one biographer has written, "LaChance had a flamboyant, outspoken and confident character." The architect is described as "pushy" and quick to threaten legal action during arguments.
Later (year is uncertain), LaChance moved yet again, this time to Welland, Ontario
. In 1919, his 262-page opus, Modern Schoolhouses, was published. There was yet another short-lived partnership, this time with Norman A. Kearns of Welland, which lasted from 1919 to 1920.
LaChance continued to move his architectural office, to St. Catharines, Ontario
in 1920, and to Niagara Falls, New York
in 1921. In 1925 he formed yet another partnership, creating the firm of (James R.) White and LaChance. Also in 1925, while a partner of this firm, LaChance’s second book was published, Schoolhouses and Their Equipment. The year of his death is not available, but he likely died in Niagara Falls, New York, in the 1930s.
In chronological order:
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Welland, Ontario
Welland, Ontario
Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada.The city has been traditionally known as the place where rails and water meet, referring to the railways from Buffalo to Toronto and Southwestern Ontario, and the waterways of Welland Canal and Welland River,...
, and various communities in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. While his practice was varied in terms of building type, he designed at least 16 schools for various Saskatchewan communities from 1906 to 1914. He was also the author of two books, Modern Schoolhouses (Toronto, 1919) and Schoolhouses and Their Equipment (Niagara Falls, New York, 1925).
While LaChance received numerous commissions, some of them for large buildings, his career was marked by a lack of stability. He moved his architectural practice from city to city numerous times during his career, and was a partner in five different partnerships, all of them short-lived.
Biography
On April 12, 1870, LaChance was born in Brockville, OntarioBrockville, Ontario
Brockville is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Though it serves as the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Brockville is politically independent and is grouped with Leeds and Grenville for census purposes only.Known as the "City of the 1000...
. He moved to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where he claimed to have graduated from the Case School of Applied Science (predecessor to Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
) in 1884, although there are serious doubts about whether he did, in fact, graduate. If LaChance's claim is truthful, this means he would have received his degree at age 14 or 15.
LaChance next moved to Virginia and Georgia where his practice consisted mainly of designing jails. In a 1909 advertisement by LaChance, he listed numerous buildings he claimed to have designed, of which seven were jails in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Georgia. Apart from LaChance's self-promotional efforts, little is known about this stage of his career, and the fact that he would have been a teenager during this period raises a number of questions.
In 1889, LaChance returned to Cleveland and worked for the architectural firm, Cramer and Fugman, until 1890. Next, he worked at Van Dorn Iron Works of Cleveland, where he patented an electric lock for prison doors. Following his employment at the iron works, LaChance conducted his architectural practice in Cleveland, both as a solo practitioner as well as in two short-lived partnerships. One partnership was with Alfred A. French (French and LaChance), and another was with Vincent E. Gregg (Gregg and LaChance).
LaChance was married to Sarah ("Sadie") Stoddard (1875–1941) of Milan, Ohio
Milan, Ohio
Milan is a village in Erie and Huron counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,445 at the 2000 census.The Erie County portion of Milan is part of the Sandusky Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Huron County portion is part of the Norwalk Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History...
. They later divorced.
In 1897 he moved to Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, in 1905 he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, and later that same year he moved to Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
. In Saskatoon, he was in a brief partnership with C.H. Howenstein (LaChance and Howenstein) from 1912 to 1913.
LaChance's years in Saskatoon were particularly prosperous for him, as the province was in the midst of an economic boom. Regarding this period of LaChance's career, one biographer has written, "LaChance had a flamboyant, outspoken and confident character." The architect is described as "pushy" and quick to threaten legal action during arguments.
Later (year is uncertain), LaChance moved yet again, this time to Welland, Ontario
Welland, Ontario
Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada.The city has been traditionally known as the place where rails and water meet, referring to the railways from Buffalo to Toronto and Southwestern Ontario, and the waterways of Welland Canal and Welland River,...
. In 1919, his 262-page opus, Modern Schoolhouses, was published. There was yet another short-lived partnership, this time with Norman A. Kearns of Welland, which lasted from 1919 to 1920.
LaChance continued to move his architectural office, to St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
in 1920, and to Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
in 1921. In 1925 he formed yet another partnership, creating the firm of (James R.) White and LaChance. Also in 1925, while a partner of this firm, LaChance’s second book was published, Schoolhouses and Their Equipment. The year of his death is not available, but he likely died in Niagara Falls, New York, in the 1930s.
Notable commissions
(All are extant unless otherwise specified.)In chronological order:
- Van Rooy Coffee Company (1895, demolished), 2900 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.
- Hamilton Golf Club House (1897, demolished), Hamilton, Ontario. This was a modest one-story wood structure, not to be confused with the much larger clubhouse currently in use.
- Flanagan House HotelHotel Senator (Saskatoon)The Hotel Senator is a landmark building located in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The building was built as the Flanagan Hotel by James Flanagan. an early settler in Saskatoon and designed by Walter William LaChance, an architect who designed many local Saskatoon buildings at the turn...
(1907), 243 21st Street East at Third Avenue South, Saskatoon, now Hotel Senator. - Saskatoon City HospitalSaskatoon City HospitalSaskatoon City Hospital is a public hospital in the City Park neighborhood of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was originally opened in 1909, and it was the second municipal hospital in Canada. The hospital is operated by the Saskatoon Health Region....
(1907, demolished), Queen Street and Seventh Avenue, Saskatoon. - Bowerman Block (1906), 130 21st Street East, Saskatoon. Both exterior and interior have been extensively renovated. Now American Apparel.
- Chubb Block (1907), 227 21st Street East, Saskatoon. Now Marvel Beauty School.
- Bowerman HouseBowerman HouseThe Bowerman House is a designated Municipal Heritage Property located in the Holiday Park, neighborhood of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The home is of a crafts-man “Western Stick” style...
(1907), 1328 Avenue K South, Saskatoon. Designated as a Municipal Heritage Property. The house was designed to be used as a hunting lodge by Allan Bowerman, a developer, former postmaster, and former school principal. It is an example of the "western stick style," which is rooted in the Arts and Crafts MovementArts and Crafts movementArts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
. For many years, the house was the superintendent's residence for the now-defunct Saskatoon SanatoriumSaskatoon SanatoriumThe Saskatoon Sanatorium was a Tuberculosis Sanatorium established in 1925 by the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League as the second Sanatorium in the province in Wellington Park south or the Saskatoon neighborhood of Holiday Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada...
. - Victoria School (1909–1910), 639 Broadway Avenue at 12th Street East, Saskatoon.
- Willoughby-Sumner Building (1911–1912), 256 Third Avenue South at 20th Street East, Saskatoon. Both exterior and interior have been extensively renovated. Now, the K.W. Nasser Centre of the University of SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanThe University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
. - Ferguson Block (1910, destroyed by fire), 140 Second Avenue South, Saskatoon. This three story building was destroyed in a 1931 fire, and should not be confused with the 1931 structure of the same name (different architect) that currently sits at the same address.
- Odd Fellows TempleOdd Fellows Temple (Saskatoon)The Odd Fellows Temple Building is a landmark building located in downtown Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Built by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows the building served as a meeting place, ball room and temple until being sold in 1959 to the Saskatoon Labour Council. The building was...
(1912), 416 21st Street East, Saskatoon. Designated by the City of Saskatoon as a Municipal Heritage Property. - Battleford Town Hall and Opera House (1912), 92 23rd Street West, Battleford, Saskatchewan.
- Beamsville High School (1917), 4317 Central Avenue at Maple Street, Beamsville, Ontario. Now, Beamsville District Secondary SchoolBeamsville District Secondary SchoolBeamsville District Secondary School is a secondary school in Beamsville, Ontario, Canada, It is a very busy and active school, balancing the academic demands of classes with extracurricular activities.-History:...
. LaChance designed the portion of the building with the prominent pillars, and he described the building in detail in a 1917 article. - Central Fire Hall (1920), Hellems Avenue and Division Street, Welland, Ontario. Designated as a heritage property by the City of Welland.