David F. Creighton (March 1858 - November 30, 1936) was an architect, mechanical engineer, and construction manager from Pennsylvania. He designed worker housing in

Gary, Indiana Gary ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 69,093 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it Indiana's List of municipalities in Indiana, eleventh-most populous city. The city has been historical ...

that incorporated concrete and terraces in what was termed terraced housing "based on the Philadelphia plan". It was progressive and "homey" and imaginative in its details. About 77 of the houses that he designed in Gary survive.

Life and career

Creighton was a Pennsylvania native who worked in Allegheny and

Ambridge, Pennsylvania Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. Incorporated in 1905 as a company town by the American Bridge Company, Ambridge is located 16 miles (25 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River. The population ...

until at least 1910.Census entry for D. F. Creighton. 1910 U.S. Census. Census Place: Harmony, Beaver, Pennsylvania; Roll: T624_1310; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 0031; Image: 512; FHL microfilm: 1375323. (The 1910 Census has an entry for a D. F. Creighton, a Pennsylvania native living in

Harmony Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania Harmony Township is a township and census-designated place in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,195 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Geography Harmony Township is located in ...

. He was 51 years old and living with his wife Amanda A. His occupation was listed as a "Mechanical Engineer" for a "Sheet & Tin Plate Co.") As of 1910, he was employed as a mechanical engineer by the United States Sheet and Tin Plate Company. By 1911, he moved to Gary, Indiana, where he lived until 1920 at least. Between 1910 and 1913, Creighton designed worker housing in Gary for the Sheet and Tin Plate Company. He also worked for a time for the

American Bridge Company The American Bridge Company is a heavy/civil construction firm that specializes in building and renovating bridges and other large, complex structures. Founded in 1900, the company is headquartered in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsb ...

. By 1930, he returned to Pennsylvania. He died in Pittsburgh in 1936.

Selected works

A number of his works are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. *

American Sheet and Tin Mill Apartment Building The American Sheet and Tin Mill Apartment Building, one of the Edison Concept Houses, is a historic building at 633 West 4th Avenue in Gary, Indiana. The building was designed by D. F. Creighton and constructed in 1910. It was added to the Nation ...

, 633 W. 4th Ave., Gary. * Jackson-Monroe Terraces Historic District, 404-423 Jackson St. and 408-426 Monroe St., Gary. * Monroe Terrace Historic District, 304-318 Monroe St., Gary. *

Polk Street Terraces Historic District Polk Street Terraces Historic District is a national historic district located in the First Subdivision of Gary, Indiana. The district encompasses 20 contributing buildings in a residential section of Gary. The buildings were designed by D. ...

, 404-422 and 437-455 Polk St., Gary. *

Van Buren Terrace Historic District Van Buren Terrace Historic District is a national historic district located in the First Subdivision of Gary, Indiana. The district encompasses 10 contributing buildings in a residential section of Gary. The buildings were designed by D. F. ...

, 336-354 Van Buren St., Gary.

Gallery

References

External links

Flickr pics collection with many photos of D. M. Creighton-designed cast concrete row housing with detailsConcrete Utopia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Creighton, D.F. 1858 births 1936 deaths Architects from Pennsylvania People from Ambridge, Pennsylvania People from Gary, Indiana