Cassius Emlen Urban (February 26, 1863 – May 21, 1939) was a

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster ( ) is a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, eighth-most populous ci ...

-based

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 ...

. He was the leading architect in Lancaster from the 1890s to the 1920s.

Biography

He was born on February 26, 1863, to Barbara Hebble and Amos S. Urban in Conestoga Township,

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Lancaster County (; ), sometimes nicknamed the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 United States ...

. He graduated from Lancaster’s Boys High School in 1880, and then apprenticed as a

draftsman A drafter (also draughtsman / draughtswoman in British and Commonwealth English, draftsman / draftswoman, drafting technician, or CAD technician in American and Canadian English) is an engineering technician who makes detailed technical drawi ...

at the E. L. Walter architectural firm in

Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton is a city in and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Scranton is the most populous city in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the ...

. Emlen also worked in the office of

Willis G. Hale Willis Gaylord Hale (January 1848, Seneca Falls, New York – August 29, 1907, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a late-19th century architect who worked primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His flamboyant, highly-ornate style ...

in Philadelphia. He returned to Lancaster in 1886. He designed many of Lancaster’s notable buildings including the

Farmer's Southern Market Farmer's Southern Market is a historic farmer's market located in downtown Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was designed by noted Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban and built in 1888. It is a brick building consisting of a three-stor ...

on Queen Street in 1888, the Watt & Shand Department Store in 1898, and the Y.M.C.A., Harold's Building, Unitarian Church, and St. James Episcopal Church parish House on Duke Street in 1903. ''Note:'' This includes His designs embraced architectural styles as diverse as Queen Anne, Beaux-Arts, and

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the arch ...

. His work forms a bridge between the Victorian Era and the Modern Age. C. Emlen Urban also worked in

Hershey, Pennsylvania Hershey is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is home to the Hershey Company, which was founded by candy magnate Milton S. Hershey ...

during its developing period. Urban knew

Milton Hershey Milton Snavely Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) was an American chocolatier, businessman, and philanthropist. Trained in the confectionery business, Hershey pioneered the manufacture of caramel, using fresh milk. He launched ...

through Lancaster's Hamilton Club. As Hershey developed, Urban designed all of the main buildings constructed between 1903 and 1926, including the Original Hershey Chocolate Company Offices and factory (1903), Cocoa House (1 Chocolate Avenue) (1905), Hershey Trust Company (1 W. Chocolate Avenue) (1914), Community Building and Hershey Theatre (14 E. Chocolate Avenue) (1915, 1928-1932), and Convention Hall (former Hershey Museum building) (1915). He died on May 21, 1939, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Selected works

Individual listings on the National Register of Historic Places

* 1888:

* 1891:

Charlie Wagner's Cafe Charlie Wagner's Cafe is a small historic building in the shadow of the Lancaster County Courthouse in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From 1891 to 1963 the building housed a bar, rather than a cafe, and a few hotel rooms. It has also served as a wareho ...

, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1904-1905: Stevens High School, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1910: Lancaster Trust Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1910-1911:

Reilly Brothers and Raub Building The Reilly Brothers and Raub Building is an historic, American commercial building that is located in Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. History and architectural feature ...

, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1910-1911:

Hager Building The Hager Building is an historic commercial building which is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Designed by noted Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban, it was built between 1910 and 1911. It was added ...

, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1911-1912:

Kirk Johnson Building The Kirk Johnson Building is an historic, American commercial building that is located in Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. History and architectural features Designed by ...

, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1915, 1928-1932: Hershey Community Center Building,

* 1924-1925: W. W. Griest Building, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Contributing properties to historic districts

1035 President Lancaster Township LanCo PA

* Lancaster City Historic District * Ephrata Commercial Historic District * Manheim Borough Historic District * Northeast Lancaster Township Historic District

C. Emlen Urban Awards

The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County holds an annual meeting and awards banquet in honor of Urban. The C. Emlen Urban Awards are given to individuals and organizations for their work in protecting and preserving historical structures in Lancaster County. Past Award Recipients: *

Central Market Central Market may refer to: Fresh food markets *Adelaide Central Market, Australia * Cardiff Central Market, Wales *Central Market, Hong Kong * Central Market, Casablanca, Morocco *Riga Central Market, Latvia * Central Market (Columbus, Ohio), Uni ...

* Ephrata National Bank * Excelsior * Fulton Elementary School * Lancaster Ironworks Apartments * Luca Restaurant * Nissley Vineyards * Rock Ford Plantation * Urban Place * Wilbur Chocolate Factory

References

External links

"To Build Strongand Substantial: The Career of Architect C. Emlen Urban," Produced by The City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 2009
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Urban, C. Emlen 1863 births 1939 deaths Architects from Pennsylvania Artists from Lancaster, Pennsylvania People from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania