George Gilliam Steele
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George Gilliam Steele Sr. (April 1, 1798 - October 21, 1855) was a prominent architect in Huntsville, Alabama.[1]
Early life and family
Steele was born April 1, 1798 in Bedford County, Virginia. Around 1818, he moved from his home in Virginia to Huntsville, Alabama. He married Eliza Ann Weaver (1808-1891) in December 1823, and had eight children.[1]
One of his sons, Matthew W. Steele became an architect as well.[2] It is not clear whether George or Matthew designed Quietdale.[3] Another son, Col. Jno. Steele was a civil engineer.[2]
Architectural career
Steele began his architectural career as a builder, constructing his own personal house in 1824. Initially self taught, he attended architecture lectures in New York.[4] Steele constructed good quality, pleasing designs, and acquired a reputation as a talented architect.[1]
Much of the labor involved in building Steele's designs was done by slaves. Steele owned 74 slaves at the time of his death, many of whom were trained in construction. He would rent more slaves if a job required it. If slaves could not be found, he contracted work out to white tradesmen.[1]
Over the course of his career, he designed several major buildings in the city. Several were demolished in the 1960s as city leaders sought to modernize and accommodate aerospace industry.[1]
Steele died on October 21, 1855. He was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery.[1]
Selected Works
- Former Madison County Courthouse, demolished ca. 1965[2]
- First National Bank
- Oak Place (1840)
- Huntsville Female College, destroyed by fire in 1895[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Bayer, Linda (Spring 1979). "George Steele: Huntsville's Antebellum Architect" (PDF). The Historic Huntsville Quarterly. 5 (3): 3–22.
- ^ a b c Tabler, Dave (May 5, 2017). "Underneath the Huntsville courthouse, yawning caverns".
- ^ Gamble, Robert S. (January 1981). "Robinson, Mrs. William, House". National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014. See also: "Accompanying photos". Archived (PDF) from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
- ^ Thomas, Leslie Nicole (2015). Legendary Locals of Huntsville. OCLC 932593739.
- ^ "Site of Huntsville Female College Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.
External links
Category:1798 births
Category:1855 deaths
Category:Architects from Alabama
Category:19th-century American architects