James Riely Gordon

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James Riely Gordon
AZ State Capitol Building 80731.JPG
Arizona State Capitol Building
Designed by James Riely Gordon
Born (1863-08-02)August 2, 1863
Winchester, Virginia
Died March 16, 1937(1937-03-16) (aged 73)
Pelham, New York
Cause of death Stroke
Occupation Architect
Known for Historic courthouses
Religion Episcopalian
Spouse(s) Mary Lamar Sprigg
Children One daughter

James Riely Gordon (August 2, 1863 – March 16, 1937) was an architect of courthouses throughout the United States and the state of Texas in particular. Gordon's specialty was constructing public buildings mainly in the Romanesque Revival style. His most successful plan was that of a Greek cross with a square central stairwell and quarter-circular entrance porches in each corner. He built a dozen courthouses of this type in Texas between 1891 and 1900. Among his other notable buildings were the Arizona State Capitol at Phoenix. Gordon designed 72 courthouses during his career. In Maryland, he designed the Garrett County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[1]

Contents

Courthouses[edit]

  • Comal County: The 1899 Romanesque Revival Comal County Courthouse designed by Gordon for New Braunfels was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1993.[6][7]
  • Waxahachie County: Another Richardson Romanesque design by Gordon is in Waxahachie where the 1897 courthouse appears on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the larger Ellis County Courthouse Historic District.[8] The courthouse itself was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1969.[9]
  • Erath County: In 1891, county commissioners awarded Gordon a contract to design the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville, which was completed in 1892. The Romanesque courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[10] It became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1963.[11]
  • Bexar County: In 1891, Gordon won first prize of $1,000 in a county-wide competition to design the new Bexar County Courthouse in San Antonio. Groundbreaking was in 1891, and the Romanesque courthouse was completed in 1896. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[12] It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1976.[13]
  • Gonzales County: Gonzales is the location of Gordon's Romanesque Revival Gonzales County Courthouse, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and became a Texas Historic Landmark in 1966.[17][18]
  • Hopkins County: Hopkins County Courthouse in Sulphur Springs is the only structure in Hopkins County on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added in 1977.[22] The 1895 structure was designed by Gordon in the Romanesque Revival style at a cost of $75,000. It was designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1975.[23]
  • Lee County: Gordon's Lee County Courthouse in Giddings was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[24] His Romanesque Revival style building was constructed of red brick in 1899 and designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1968.[25]
  • Wise County: County commissioners awarded a design contract in 1895 to Gordon for the Wise County Courthouse located in Decatur. Construction was completed in 1897. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976,[30] and designated a Texas Historic Landmark in 1964.[31]
  • Van Zandt County: He also designed the Van Zandt county courthouse in Canton in 1892 which was razed in 1936 for the current courthouse.

Other buildings[edit]

Among his non-public designs is the 1890 Protestant Home for Destitute Children at 802 Kentucky Ave in San Antonio. The building was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1991.[32] The Stevens Building which Gordon designed at 315 E. Commerce received the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark designation in 1984.[33] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.[34]

Gordon designed was the Texas Pavilion at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.[35]

In 1894, Gordon designed the Staacke Brothers Building at 309 E. Commerce for the carriage trade of August Frederick Staacke. The building became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984.[36] The Staacke building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.[37]

Although Gordon is best known for public buildings, he did design a few notable houses for wealthy clients. In Gonzales, Texas, for example, he not only designed the courthouse, but also at least three houses. In 1895, he designed 621 St. Louis St. for lumberman J.B. Kennard. The home of James F. Miller at 121 St. Joseph St., known as Walnut Ridge, was completed in 1901. And, in 1911, Gordon also designed the D.S. Dilworth House in Gonzales for a wealthy banker and businessman.

The J.B. Kennard House is a National Register property.
Despite many years of neglect by its owners, Walnut Ridge remains a structurally sound landmark at the southern entrace to downtown Gonzales, Texas.
The R.S. Dilworth House at 903 St. Lawrence St., Gonzales, Texas was built in 1911 using St. Louis pressed brick and eight massive, Corinthian columns.

Gordon designed the cottage in 1890 for Gordon for August Thiele, Jr., which is listed since 1983 on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Thiele House and Thiele Cottage.[38] The cottage itself was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984.[39] The Queen Anne style Thomas H. Franklin House was designed by Gordon and built in 1891 for a local attorney. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[40]

Gordon's designs are also represented in the residential Monte Vista Residential Historic District, featured on the National Register of Historic Places since 1998.[41]

Personal[edit]

In 1889, Gordon married Mary Lamar Sprigg. The couple had one daughter.[42]

In 1904, Gordon moved to New York. He formed a partnership with architects Evarts Tracy and Egerton Swartwout.[43] In 1910, in the Gramercy Park area of New York, he designed the apartment house Thirty-six Gramercy Park East.[44]

Gordon served 13 terms as the president of the New York Society of Architects.

He died of a stroke on March 16, 1937.[42][45]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. 
  2. ^ "Aransas Co Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  3. ^ "Old Brazoria Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  4. ^ "1894 Brazoria Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  5. ^ "TE-Brazoria Courthouse". Texas Escapes. Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  6. ^ "THC-RTHL Comal Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  7. ^ "NRHP Comal County". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  8. ^ "NRHP-Ellis Co Courthouse District". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 7 September 2011. 
  9. ^ "RTHL Ellis County". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  10. ^ "NRHP Erath Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  11. ^ "RTHL Erat Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  12. ^ "NRHP-Bexar Co Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  13. ^ "RTHL Bexar Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  14. ^ "NRHP Fayette Courthouse and Jail". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  15. ^ "NRHP Fayette Courthouse Square". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  16. ^ "RTHL-Fayelle Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  17. ^ "THC-NHRP". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  18. ^ "THC-RTHL Gonzales Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  19. ^ "RE-Harrison Co". Texas Escapes. Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  20. ^ "NRHP-Harrison Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  21. ^ "RTHL-Harrison County Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  22. ^ "NRHP-Hopkins Co Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. 
  23. ^ "RTHL-Hopkins County". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  24. ^ "NRHP-Lee Co Courthouse". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  25. ^ "RTHL-Lee Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  26. ^ "NRHP-McLennan". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  27. ^ "RTHL Van Zandt County". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  28. ^ "NRHP-Victoria". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  29. ^ "RTHL Victoria". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  30. ^ "NRHP Wise Co". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  31. ^ "RTHL Wise County". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  32. ^ "Destitute Children". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  33. ^ "Stevens Building". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  34. ^ "NRHP Stevens Bldg". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  35. ^ Gerem, Yves (2011). A Marmac Guide to San Antonio. Pelican Publishing Company, Incorporated. p. 215. ISBN 978-1-56554-821-3. 
  36. ^ "RTHL Staacke". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  37. ^ "NRHP-Staacke". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  38. ^ "NRHP Thiele". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  39. ^ "RTHL Thiele". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  40. ^ "NRHP Franklin". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  41. ^ "Monte Vista". Texas Historical Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  42. ^ a b Patton, Glenn N. "J. Gordon Riely". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 5 September 2011. 
  43. ^ Lurie, Maxine N; Mappen, Marc (2004). Encyclopedia of New Jersey. Rutgers University Press. p. 324. ISBN 978-0-8135-3325-4. 
  44. ^ Morrone, Francis; Iska, James (2002). The Architectural Guidebook to New York City. Gibbs Smith. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-58685-211-5. 
  45. ^ "James R. Gordon, Architect, Dead. Designer of Public Buildings All Over the Country Succumbs in Pelham Heights. Vigorous Defender of City Park System. Long a Leader of His Professional Society.". New York Times. March 17, 1937. Retrieved 2008-07-31. "James Riely Gordon, architect and member of many civic committees in this field for the last thirty years, died yesterday at his residence, 159 Corlies Avenue, Pelham Heights, N. Y., after an illness of two weeks. He was 74 years old." 

External links[edit]

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