Richard Bond (1798–1861) was an early American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

who practiced primarily in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, Massachusetts.

Life and career

Richard Bond, son of a farmer, was born March 5, 1798, in

Conway, Massachusetts Conway is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,761 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History English colonists first settled Conway in 1 ...

. He was drawn to the study of architecture by the construction of the First Parish Church in nearby

Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...

, which was completed in 1812 and designed by Asher Benjamin. As a young adult, Bond moved to Boston and established himself as a carpenter. Bond is known to have been working as an architect-builder beginning in the mid-1820s, later crossing over into pure architecture. In 1833 he became the partner of Isaiah Rogers and formed Rogers & Bond. The firm lasted only until the following year, when Rogers left Boston to reestablish his office in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Bond worked alone until 1850, when he made architect

Charles Edward Parker Charles Edward Parker (1826–1890) was an American architect from Boston, Massachusetts. Life and career After growing up in Keene, New Hampshire, Parker moved to Boston in the 1840s, where he worked for architect Gridley J. F. Bryant. Around ...

a partner. Bond & Parker lasted until 1853, when both resumed his independent practice. Bond continued his practice alone until his death. Bond was one of the architects who met in 1836 in New York's

Astor House The Astor House was a luxury hotel in New York City. Located on the corner of Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway and Vesey Street in what is now the Civic Center, Manhattan, Civic Center and Tribeca neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan, it opened in 18 ...

(designed by Rogers) to form the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

. Bond died at his home in Roxbury on August 6, 1861. He was survived by his wife, and he left his architectural reference library of 61 books to the library of

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...

. Noted architect Alexander Rice Esty worked for Bond during the 1840s.O'Gorman, James F. ''On the Boards: Drawings by Nineteenth-Century Boston Architects''. 1989.

Works

Richard Bond, before 1833

Rogers & Bond, 1833-1834

Richard Bond, 1834-1850

Bond & Parker, 1850-1853

Richard Bond, from 1853

Gallery

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bond, Richard 19th-century American architects Architects from Boston 1861 deaths 1798 births People from Conway, Massachusetts