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William R. Walker & Son

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William R. Walker & Son
Practice information
PartnersWilliam R. Walker;
W. Howard Walker;
William R. Walker II
LocationProvidence, Rhode Island
The Cranston Street Armory in Providence is the firm's most visible work. It was designed in a fortified Gothic Revival style and completed in 1907, twelve years after the project was awarded to the firm.

William R. Walker & Son was an American architectural firm based in Providence, Rhode Island. From 1881 to 1936 it was led by three successive generations of the Walker family: founder William R. Walker, his son W. Howard Walker and his grandson William R. Walker II.

Firm history

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William R. Walker (1830 – 1905) began his architectural practice in Providence in 1864. From 1876 to 1880 he worked in partnership with Thomas J. Gould, an employee since 1868, under the name Walker & Gould. In January 1881 Walker took his son W. Howard Walker (1856 – 1922) into partnership to form the firm of William R. Walker & Son, Gould having withdrawn.The elder Walker retired in 1903 and died in 1905.[1] W. Howard Walker was sole proprietor of the firm until 1911, when he was joined by his son, William R. Walker II (1884 – 1936). W. Howard Walker died in 1922, at which point his son took charge until his own death in 1936.[2] After the death of the last Walker, the firm was briefly succeeded by Rice & Arnold, the partnership of George H. Rice (1881 – 1945) and Roy F. Arnold (1884 – 1972), both draftsmen in the Walker office. Both retired during the early years of World War II and the firm was finally dissolved.[3][4]

For forty years, the offices of the firm were in the Vaughan Building on Custom House Street, completed by Walker & Gould in 1879. They remained in the building even after it was gutted by fire in 1884, destroying their property.[5] During the year-long reconstruction of the building they were located in the Daniels Building across the street.[6] In 1921 they relocated to Hall's Building on Weybosset Street, where they remained until Arnold dissolved the firm.[7] Throughout the firm's history, it was known for the design of public buildings including state armories, town and city halls and public schools. All of the Walkers had important political connections which enabled them to obtain these commissions. Though never the most important part of their practice, the Walkers also designed churches, private homes, commercial buildings and movie theatres, the latter of which may have grown from their experience with wide-span structures in armories.[2]

Walker family biographies

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William Howard Walker
W. Howard Walker, c. 1891
Born(1856-01-19)January 19, 1856
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, US
DiedOctober 19, 1922(1922-10-19) (aged 66)
Providence, Rhode Island, US
NationalityAmerican
OccupationArchitect
William Russell Walker II
Born(1884-01-28)January 28, 1884
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, US
DiedSeptember 26, 1936(1936-09-26) (aged 52)
Providence, Rhode Island, US
NationalityAmerican
OccupationArchitect
The former Masonic Temple in Providence, designed by the firm in the Queen Anne style and completed in 1886.
The George Hail Free Library in Warren, designed by the firm in the Richardsonian Romanesque style and completed in 1889.
The former Fall River City Hall, designed by the firm in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1890. Demolished in 1962.
The Henry P. Kinkead House in Lexington, Kentucky, designed by the firm in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1893.
The Boston Store in Providence, designed by the firm in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and completed in 1894.
The Warwick City Hall, designed by the firm in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1894.
The Cumberland Town Hall in Valley Falls, designed by the firm in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1895.
The Pawtucket Armory, designed by the firm in a fortified Gothic Revival style and completed in 1895.
The Pawtucket Times Building, designed by the firm in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and completed in 1896.
The Woonsocket District Courthouse, designed by the firm in a hybrid Richardsonian Romanesque and Neoclassical style and completed in 1896.
The Oliver School in Bristol, designed by the firm in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1901.
The Westerly Armory, designed by the firm in a fortified Gothic Revival style and completed in 1902.
The Caesar Misch Building in Providence, designed by the firm in the Neoclassical style and completed in 1904.
The Westerly Town Hall, designed by the firm in the Neoclassical style and completed in 1912.
The Majestic Theatre in Providence, now home to the Trinity Repertory Company, designed by the firm in the Neoclassical style and completed in 1917.
The former Rhode Island College of Pharmacy in Providence, designed by the firm in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1924.

William R. Walker

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Main article: William R. Walker (architect)

W. Howard Walker

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William Howard Walker (January 19, 1856 – October 19, 1922) was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He was educated in the Pawtucket public schools and at Mowry & Goff's preparatory English and Classical School in Providence before joining his father's office as a student draftsman at the age of 19. After the withdrawal of Thomas J. Gould, his father's partner, he took his place. Between his father's retirement in 1903 and his son's return from Europe in 1911, Walker was sole proprietor of the firm.[8][9]

Walker was married in 1881 to Hattie Boone Newell of Providence. They had three children, including two sons and one daughter. Like his father, Walker was prominent in the Rhode Island militia and in Freemasonry, retiring from the former in 1912 with the rank of Quartermaster General. While a sole proprietor Walker completed the Cranston Street Armory (1907) and designed the Attleboro (1910) and Woonsocket (1912) armories. He was also a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Rhode Island Philatelic Society, Sons of the American Revolution and the To Kalon Club and served two terms in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. He died at home in Providence at the age of 66 after an illness of ten months.[9][10]

William R. Walker II

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William Russell Walker II (January 28, 1884 – September 26, 1936) was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He was educated in the Pawtucket public schools and at Brown University before transferring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in 1910. He then spent a year abroad, studying in a Beaux-Arts atelier in Paris. He returned to Providence in 1911 and joined his father's firm. He became its head after his father's death in 1922. Like his father and grandfather, he continued the firm's focus on institutional work. In 1932 he was chosen by United States Commissioner of Education William John Cooper to be an advisory architect for school construction.[9][11]

Walker was married in 1914 to Jessie Philpott of Providence. They had three children, all daughters. Unlike his father and grandfather, Walker was not affiliated with the state militia, but was prominent in masonic circles. He was also a member of the AIA, the Rhode Island Country Club and the Turks Head Club. He died at home in Providence of a heart attack at the age 52.[11][12][13]

Legacy

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The Walker office was the first employer of Albert H. Humes, later a noted Pawtucket architect and Central Falls mayor,[14] and of Franklin R. Hindle, partner in the ecclesiastical architectural firm of Murphy, Hindle & Wright.[15] They also employed Thomas J. Gould, former partner of William R. Walker, at the end of his career, from 1919 to 1923.[16]

At least sixteen works completed by the firm have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and over fifty more contribute to listed historic districts.

Architectural works

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In Providence, Rhode Island

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Elsewhere in Providence County, Rhode Island

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In Kent County, Rhode Island

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In Bristol County, Rhode Island

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In Washington County, Rhode Island

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In Massachusetts

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In other states

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References

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  1. ^ "Gen. William R. Walker dead," Providence Journal, March 12, 1905.
  2. ^ a b William H. Jordy and Christopher P. Monkhouse, Buildings on Paper: Rhode Island Architectural Drawings, 1825-1945 (1982): 237-238.
  3. ^ “George H. Rice dead, his age 64,” Providence Journal, November 11, 1945.
  4. ^ “Roy Franklin Arnold,” Providence Journal, June 1, 1972.
  5. ^ "An alarming conflagration," Providence Journal, January 18, 1884.
  6. ^ "Removal," Providence Journal, January 20, 1885.
  7. ^ "Business" in American Contractor 42, no. 23 (June 4, 1921): 47.
  8. ^ a b c d Robert Greive and John P. Fernald. The Cotton Centennial, 1790-1890 (Providence: J. A. & R. A. Reid, 1891): 149-150.
  9. ^ a b c "Walker" in New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial 4, ed. William Richard Cutter (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1915): 2274-2276.
  10. ^ "Gen. W. H. Walker dead at his home," Providence Journal, October 20, 1922.
  11. ^ a b "Walker, William Russell" in National Cyclopedia of American Biography 27 (New York: James T. White & Company, 1939): 451.
  12. ^ "Brunonians Far and Near" in Brown Alumni Monthly 37, no. 4 (November, 1936): 106.
  13. ^ "William Walker, architect, dead," Providence Journal, September 27, 1936.
  14. ^ a b c Historic Resources of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, NRHP Nomination (1983)
  15. ^ Murphy, Hindle & Wright Architects records
  16. ^ "Former leading architect dead," Providence Journal, September 4, 1923.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i William McKenzie Woodward and Edward F. Sanderson, Providence: A Citywide Survey of Historic Resources, ed. David Chase (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1986)
  18. ^ American Architect and Building News (August 4, 1883): 54.
  19. ^ a b Lewis McGowan and Daniel Brown, Images of America: Providence (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2006)
  20. ^ Sanitary Engineer (August 30, 1883): 307.
  21. ^ Sanitary Engineer (August 2, 1883): 211.
  22. ^ Edmund V. Gillon, Early Illustrations and Views of American Architecture (1971)
  23. ^ a b John Hutchins Cady, The Civic and Architectural Development of Providence, 1636–1950 (Providence: The Book Shop, 1957)
  24. ^ Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Buildings, for the Year Ending December 31, 1886 (Providence: City of Providence, 1886)
  25. ^ "Freemasons' Hall, Providence" in Freemasons' Repository (February 1886): 212-217.
  26. ^ Engineering and Building Record (October 8, 1887): 528.
  27. ^ Engineering and Building Record (July 6, 1889): 84.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wm. R. Walker & Son, Architectural Portfolio (New York: Architectural Engraving and Publishing Company, 1895)
  29. ^ Downtown Providence Historic District NRHP Nomination (1984)
  30. ^ "Buildings". Engineering News and American Railway Journal. Vol. XXXVI, no. 14. 1 October 1896. p. 108. Retrieved 11 May 2022 – via Google Books. PROVIDENCE R. I.—S. B. Lederer, 100 Stewart St., who are to erect a 12 story office building on Mathewson St., have awarded the contract for the construction to M. J. Houlihan. Archs., Wm. R. Walker & Son, 17 Custom House.
  31. ^ Brickbuilder (October 1897): 238.
  32. ^ American Architect and Building News (October 2, 1897): 2.
  33. ^ Providence City Documents for the Year 1898 (Providence: City of Providence, 1898)
  34. ^ Engineering Record (January 24, 1903): 118.
  35. ^ Dedication plaque
  36. ^ William McKenzie Woodward, Downtown Providence: Statewide Historical Preservation Report P-P-5, ed. David Chase and Bernard Mendillo (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1981)
  37. ^ a b Annual Report of the State Auditor (Providence: State of Rhode Island, 1915)
  38. ^ "in Providence, RI - Cinema Treasures".
  39. ^ American Contractor (June 5, 1915): 71.
  40. ^ American Contractor (October 30, 1916): 48.
  41. ^ Sheet Metal Worker (February 9, 1921): 26.
  42. ^ Providence Magazine (October 1916): 663.
  43. ^ American Contractor (May 20, 1916): 59.
  44. ^ American Contractor (June 3, 1916): 36.
  45. ^ "The New Majestic Theatre" in Providence Magazine (April 1916): 283.
  46. ^ American Contractor (December 30, 1916): 39.
  47. ^ American Contractor (October 4, 1919): 62.
  48. ^ Power (April 19, 1921): 645.
  49. ^ American Contractor (February 17, 1923): 46.
  50. ^ a b c Martha Bowers, Elizabeth S. Warren and Pamela Kennedy, Rhode Island: State-owned Historic Properties, ed. Robert Owen Jones (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1989)
  51. ^ American Architect and Building News (May 3, 1884): 210.
  52. ^ Building (September 1881): 162.
  53. ^ Sanitary Engineer (August 2, 1883): 211.
  54. ^ Quality Hill Historic District NRHP Nomination (1986)
  55. ^ Sanitary Engineer (May 29, 1884): 620.
  56. ^ Central Falls, Rhode Island: Statewide Historical Preservation Report P-CF-1 (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1978)
  57. ^ East Providence Historical Society, Images of America: East Providence (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 1997)
  58. ^ a b East Providence Rhode, Island: Statewide Preservation Report P-EP-1 (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1976)
  59. ^ a b c d e Church Hill Grammar School NRHP Nomination (2010)
  60. ^ Norwood Avenue Historic District NRHP Nomination (2002)
  61. ^ Electrical World (February 23, 1895): 233.
  62. ^ Historic and Architectural Resources of Cumberland, Rhode Island (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1998)
  63. ^ Engineering Record (April 7, 1894): 308.
  64. ^ School Journal (November 2, 1895): 403.
  65. ^ St. Charles Borromeo Church Complex NRHP Nomination (1983)
  66. ^ Brickbuilder (February 1897): 41.
  67. ^ a b Annual Report of the State Auditor (Providence: State of Rhode Island, 1913)
  68. ^ American Contractor (September 20, 1919): 52.
  69. ^ Worcester Historical Museum, Landscape of Industry (Worcester: Worcester Historical Museum, 2009)
  70. ^ a b Cranston, Rhode Island: Statewide Historical Preservation Report P-C-1 (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1980)
  71. ^ Historic and Architectural Resources of North Providence, Rhode Island (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1978)
  72. ^ Domestic Engineering (1927): 106.
  73. ^ Bridgemen's Magazine (1930): 614.
  74. ^ Bridgemen's Magazine (1935): 682.
  75. ^ a b Warwick, Rhode Island: Statewide Historical Preservation Report K-W-1 (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1981)
  76. ^ a b Donald A. D'Amato, Images of America: Warwick (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 1996)
  77. ^ Conley, Patrick T.; Jones, Owen Robert; Woodward, William McKenzie (1988). The State Houses of Rhode Island: An Architectural and Historical Legacy. Providence: Rhode Island Historical Society and Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission. ISBN 0932840043.
  78. ^ Domestic Engineering (June 12, 1915): 323.
  79. ^ Iron Age (1926): 667.
  80. ^ Bridgemen's Magazine (1932): 162.
  81. ^ a b St. Matthew's Episcopal Church NRHP Nomination (1991)
  82. ^ "Library History". http://www.georgehail.org/. n.d.
  83. ^ William H. Jordy, Buildings of Rhode Island, ed. Ronald J. Onorato and William McKenzie Woodward (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004)
  84. ^ Report of the Commissioner of Public Schools of Rhode Island, 1896 (Providence: State of Rhode Island, 1896)
  85. ^ Richard V. Simpson, Bristol: Montaup to Poppasquash (2002)
  86. ^ Engineering Record (April 6, 1901): 337.
  87. ^ Engineering and Contracting (May 29, 1907): 16.
  88. ^ American Architect and Building News (April 13, 1883)
  89. ^ "First Universalist Church". http://www.nattleboro.com/. n.d.
  90. ^ New England Families: Genealogical and Memorial 2, ed. William Richard Cutter (1914).
  91. ^ "Centenary United Methodist Church". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  92. ^ Sanitary Engineer (July 16, 1885): 136.
  93. ^ George H. Tilton, A History of Rehoboth, Massachusetts (1918)
  94. ^ Electrical World (November 3, 1888): 247.
  95. ^ "Anthony, Byron W. House". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  96. ^ "Luxurious extravangance," Fall River Evening News, December 5, 1890.
  97. ^ Daily Globe, August 21, 1890.
  98. ^ "Fall River National Bank Building". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  99. ^ "Bronson Building - Attleboro Masonic Hall". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  100. ^ "Massachusetts National Guard Armory". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  101. ^ Bridgemen's Magazine (May 1917): 261.
  102. ^ Report of the Chief of the Massachusetts District Police for 1918 (Boston: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1919)
  103. ^ American Contractor (May 4, 1918): 63.
  104. ^ "First Bristol County National Bank". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  105. ^ "Smart Memorial Library". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  106. ^ "Rehoboth Village Cemetery - Lake, Hiram Chapel". mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n.d. Web.
  107. ^ Sanitary Engineer (June 21, 1883): 67.
  108. ^ Board of Trade Journal (February 1905): 503.
  109. ^ Bryant F. Tolles Jr., Summer by the Seaside (Lebanon: University Press of New England, 2008)
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