Zachary Taylor Davis
Encyclopedia
Zachary Taylor Davis was the architect of several major Chicago
buildings, including St. Ambrose (1904) Old Comiskey Park
(1910), Wrigley Field
(1914), Mount Carmel High School
(1924), and St. James Chapel of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
(1918).
). He began his career working as a draftsman for Louis Sullivan
, along with Frank Lloyd Wright
.
In 1909, he designed the Kankakee County courthouse. A year later, he was hired by Charles Comiskey
to design Comiskey Park for the Chicago White Sox
. To prepare for the project, Davis toured ballparks around the country with White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh
. In 1914, he designed Weeghman Park for the Chicago Whales, a park which would later become Wrigley Field
.
Like other South Side
Chicagoans, he quietly worked at his home at 45th and Drexel in Kenwood, Chicago
. He was so quiet that one family member has referred to him as "the most significant lost architect in Chicago."
Davis's wife was named Alma, and she predeceased him. Their oldest son, Zachary Taylor Davis II, was born in 1898. He worked as a salesman for Monsanto Company and died of a heart attack on August 11, 1938 at his home in Evanston, Illinois
. The younger Davis was survived by his wife, Mary (née Ryan) and seven year old son, Zachary Taylor Davis III.
Davis and Alma also had two other sons, David and Lawrence, and a daughter, Mary Louise, who married Charles Allison.
of baseball
," Davis was one of the first architects to design ballparks with innovative steel-beam and concrete construction. Prior to his design of Comiskey Park, Chicago ballparks were wooden structures with minimal capital investment. This allowed both Chicago teams to move frequently, and also meant that demolition of the old parks was inexpensive. Davis's designs and their more solid construction ended this trend in Chicago.
When Comiskey Park needed to be expanded, in part to accommodate fans of the visiting Babe Ruth
, Davis oversaw the renovations. He also oversaw expansion of Wrigley Field in 1922.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
buildings, including St. Ambrose (1904) Old Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
(1910), Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
(1914), Mount Carmel High School
Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)
Mount Carmel High School is an all boys, Catholic high school in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, the school has been operated by the Carmelite order of priests and brothers since 1900...
(1924), and St. James Chapel of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary
Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary was an American seminary preparatory school administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago for young men considering the priesthood...
(1918).
Biography
Davis graduated from the Armour Institute of Technology (now the Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
). He began his career working as a draftsman for Louis Sullivan
Louis Sullivan
Louis Henri Sullivan was an American architect, and has been called the "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" He is considered by many as the creator of the modern skyscraper, was an influential architect and critic of the Chicago School, was a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, and an...
, along with Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
.
In 1909, he designed the Kankakee County courthouse. A year later, he was hired by Charles Comiskey
Charles Comiskey
Charles Albert "The Old Roman" Comiskey was a Major League Baseball player, manager and team owner. He was a key person in the formation of the American League and later owned the Chicago White Sox...
to design Comiskey Park for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. To prepare for the project, Davis toured ballparks around the country with White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh
Ed Walsh
Edward Augustine Walsh was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He holds the record for lowest career ERA, 1.82.-Baseball career:Born in Plains Township, Pennsylvania, Walsh had a brief though remarkable major league career...
. In 1914, he designed Weeghman Park for the Chicago Whales, a park which would later become Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
.
Like other South Side
South Side (Chicago)
The South Side is a major part of the City of Chicago, which is located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29,...
Chicagoans, he quietly worked at his home at 45th and Drexel in Kenwood, Chicago
Kenwood, Chicago
Kenwood, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the 77 well-defined Chicago community areas.Kenwood was part of Hyde Park Township, which was annexed by the City of Chicago in 1889....
. He was so quiet that one family member has referred to him as "the most significant lost architect in Chicago."
Davis's wife was named Alma, and she predeceased him. Their oldest son, Zachary Taylor Davis II, was born in 1898. He worked as a salesman for Monsanto Company and died of a heart attack on August 11, 1938 at his home in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. The younger Davis was survived by his wife, Mary (née Ryan) and seven year old son, Zachary Taylor Davis III.
Davis and Alma also had two other sons, David and Lawrence, and a daughter, Mary Louise, who married Charles Allison.
Ballparks
Known as the "Frank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
," Davis was one of the first architects to design ballparks with innovative steel-beam and concrete construction. Prior to his design of Comiskey Park, Chicago ballparks were wooden structures with minimal capital investment. This allowed both Chicago teams to move frequently, and also meant that demolition of the old parks was inexpensive. Davis's designs and their more solid construction ended this trend in Chicago.
When Comiskey Park needed to be expanded, in part to accommodate fans of the visiting Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Davis oversaw the renovations. He also oversaw expansion of Wrigley Field in 1922.