James Renwick Jr. (November 11, 1818 – June 23, 1895) was an American architect known for designing churches and museums. He designed the

Smithsonian Institution Building The Smithsonian Institution Building, more commonly known as the Smithsonian Castle or simply The Castle, is a building on the National Mall housing the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center. Built as the first ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. ''The Encyclopedia of American Architecture'' calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".

Early life and education

Renwick was born in Bloomingdale in

Upper Manhattan Upper Manhattan is the northern section of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, 110th Street (the northern boundary of Central Park), 1 ...

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 ...

on November 11, 1818, to a wealthy and well-educated family. His mother, Margaret Brevoort, was from a wealthy and socially prominent New York City family. His father, James Renwick, was an engineer, architect, and professor of natural philosophy at Columbia College, which is now

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

. His two brothers went on to become engineers. Renwick was not formally trained as an architect, but his ability and interest in building design were nurtured through his cultivated upbringing, which granted him early exposure to travel, and through a broad cultural education that included architectural history. He learned most of his skills from his father, and then studied engineering at Columbia College, now

, in Manhattan. He entered Columbia at age twelve and graduated in 1836. He received a M.A. three years later.

Career

After graduating from Columbia College, Renwick took a position as a structural engineer with

Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Northeastern United States, originally connecting Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, New York. The railroad expanded west to Chicago following its 1865 ...

and subsequently served as supervisor on Croton Reservoir, serving as an assistant engineer on the

Croton Aqueduct The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water supply network, water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842. The great aqueduct (water supply), aqueducts, which were among the first in t ...

in New York City. Renwick received his first major commission at the age of twenty-five in 1843, in which he won a competitive bidding process to design Grace Church, an Episcopal Church in New York City, which was built in English Gothic style. In 1846, Renwick won a competition to design of the

Built between 1847 and 1855, the Smithsonian's many-turreted building, often referred to as "the Castle", was designed in Romanesque style, as requested by the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, and was built with red sandstone quarried at Seneca Quarry in Seneca, Maryland. The Smithsonian Institution Building proved influential in inspiring the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

in the United States. In 1849, Renwick designed the Free Academy Building at present-day

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...

at Lexington Avenue and 23rd Street in New York City. It was one of the first Gothic Revival college buildings on the U.S. East Coast. By 1852, he had come to Fredericksburg, VA -- a small city 50 miles south of Washington -- to design and build a courthouse building which still stands. He got into a dispute with the City Council, which then paid Renwick his $27,000 fee. The city then built the courthouse using his plans and reducing its dimensions to fit the local budget. Renwick went on to design St. Patrick's Cathedral, on the corner of

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

and 51st Street, which is considered his most notable architectural achievement. He was chosen as architect for the Roman Catholic cathedral in 1853; construction began in 1858, and the cathedral opened in May 1879. The cathedral is the most ambitious Gothic-style structure, and includes a mixture of German, French, and English Gothic influences. Another of the prominent buildings Renwick designed was

Corcoran Gallery of Art The Corcoran Gallery of Art is a former art museum in Washington, D.C., that is now the location of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, a part of the George Washington University. Founded in 1869 by philanthropist William Wilson Corco ...

, now home to the

Renwick Gallery The Renwick Gallery is a branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum located in Washington, D.C. that displays American craft and decorative arts from the 19th to 21st century. The gallery is housed in a National Historic Landmark building that ...

in Washington, D.C., which was designed in Second Empire style. Other works by Renwick include the first major buildings on the campus of

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Town of Poughkeepsie, New York (state), New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie i ...

(1861–1865), including the Main Hall (1860), Saint Bartholomew's Church (1871–1872) at

Madison Avenue Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stree ...

and 44th Street in New York City (since demolished), the All Saints' Roman Catholic Church (1882–1893) in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

in the Victorian Gothic style, and many mansions for the wealthy of the area, including the Peter Aims-Aimes house, known as "Martinstow", in

West Haven, Connecticut West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located on the coast of Long Island Sound. The city is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, South Central Connecticut Planning Region. At the 2 ...

. Renwick was the architect of Ascension Memorial Church in

Ipswich, Massachusetts Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,785 at the 2020 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island. A res ...

, whose cornerstone was laid in October 1869. Renwick also designed the

St. Anthony Hall St. Anthony Hall or the Fraternity of Delta Psi is an American fraternity and literary society. Its first chapter was founded at Columbia University on , the feast day of Saint Anthony the Great. The fraternity is a non–religious, nonsectar ...

, the first chapter house for Delta Psi, the secret fraternal college society founded at

in 1847. Even though the 1879 structure at 29 East 28th Street is marred now by a street level storefront, Christopher Gray wrote in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' in 1990 that, "Old photographs show a high stoop arrangement with the figure of an owl on the peaked roof and a plaque with the Greek letters Delta Psi over the windowless chapter room. In 1879, The ''

New York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' (from 1914: ''New York Tribune'') was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s ...

'' called it

French Renaissance The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15th and early 17th centuries. The period is associated with the pan-European Renaissance, a word first used by the French historian Jules Michelet to define ...

, but the stumpy pilasters and blocky detailing suggest the Neo-Grec style then near the end of its popularity." In 1899, the fraternity moved to a new chapter house on Riverside Drive and for a few years the original building was kept as a clubhouse for graduate members. At that time a newspaper account described it as a "perfect Bijou of tasteful decoration". Among his other designs were banks, the Charity and Smallpox Hospitals on

Roosevelt Island Roosevelt Island is an island in New York City's East River, within the Borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan. It lies between Manhattan Island to the west, and the borough of Queens, on Long Island, to the east. It is about long, wit ...

, the main building of the Children's Hospital on

Randall's Island Randalls Island (sometimes called Randall's Island) and Wards Island are conjoined islands, collectively called Randalls and Wards Island, in New York City.

, the Inebriate and Lunatic Asylums on

Wards Island Randalls Island (sometimes called Randall's Island) and Wards Island are conjoined islands, collectively called Randalls and Wards Island, in New York City.

, and the former facade of the

New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is the List of stock exchanges, largest stock excha ...

. Renwick was the supervising architect for the Commission of Charities and Correction. A small group of Renwick's architectural drawings and papers are held by the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at

. Renwick was also the designer of the bell tower of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine in

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

, which was commissioned by

Standard Oil Standard Oil Company was a Trust (business), corporate trust in the petroleum industry that existed from 1882 to 1911. The origins of the trust lay in the operations of the Standard Oil of Ohio, Standard Oil Company (Ohio), which had been founde ...

partner Henry M. Flagler who was building luxury hotels in the historic city at the time. Renwick and his wife Anna Aspinwall lived and owned property in the lighthouse area on Anastasia Island in Florida. In Spring 1890, Renwick listened to Franklin W. Smith deliver a speech to garner support for his ''Design and Prospectus for a National Gallery of History of Art at Washington''. Renwick endorsed the idea and offered to provide drawings, plans, and illustrations for the project. Smith gratefully accepted, and the firm of Renwick, Aspinwall & Russell spent six months completing their contribution.Smith, Franklin W.
"Design and Prospectus for a National Gallery of History of Art at Washington"
Page 10, Gibson Brothers 1891

Firm history

In the late 1850s, already well-established, Renwick formed a partnership with Richard T. Auchmuty (1831–1893). In 1859 they were joined by Joseph Sands (1830–1879), a son of Ferdinand Sands, and the firm was renamed Renwick, Auchmuty & Sands. Beyond his description as a "convinced Gothicist," little is known of Sands. In 1861 Auchmuty withdrew to serve in the army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, and the firm was shortened to Renwick & Sands. Renwick's partnership with Sands proved to be his longest-enduring. Their commissions included the

Church of the Holy Sepulchre The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also known as the Church of the Resurrection, is a fourth-century church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, Old City of Jerusalem. The church is the seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchat ...

in New York City in 1869, and the former New York City Public Charities Building (since razed) at 66

Third Avenue Third Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, as well as in the center portion of the Bronx. Its southern end is at Astor Place and St. Mark's Place. It transitions into Cooper Square ...

(1868–1871). Sands withdrew from the firm in 1877, two years before his death.John Zukowsky and Robbe Pierce Stimson, ''Hudson River Villas'' (New York: Rizzoli, 1985): 221. For the next six years Renwick was again a sole practitioner. In 1883 he formed the new partnership of Renwick, Aspinwall & Russell with J. Lawrence Aspinwall (1854–1936), his wife's cousin, and William Hamilton Russell (1856–1907), his grand nephew. Both had worked for him as draftsmen since the 1870s. After his graduation from

Russell became a protégé of his great uncle, who designed the chapter house of Russell's fraternity, St. Anthony Hall, on East 28th Street. It is likely Russell contributed work to both his fraternity's first chapter house during his apprenticeship. Russell withdrew in 1891 and the firm was reorganized as Renwick, Aspinwall & Renwick with the addition of William W. Renwick (1864–1933), Renwick's nephew. One of the last major works completed by the firm during the elder Renwick's lifetime was the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

, dedicated about two months before his death.

Death and legacy

After Renwick's death in 1895, the organization initially continued as Renwick, Aspinwall & Renwick before being changed to Renwick, Aspinwall & Owen with the addition of Walter Tallant Owen (1864–1902), who had been the principal designer of the Springfield art museum. In 1904, it became known as Renwick, Aspinwall & Tucker, then Renwick, Aspinwall & Guard by the late 1920s. Aspinwall was head of the firm until his own death. He was elected an AIA Fellow in 1914. Renwick died in New York City. He is buried with his wife and father in

Green-Wood Cemetery Green-Wood Cemetery is a cemetery in the western portion of Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope, Brooklyn, South Slope/Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn, Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, Win ...

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

Notable employees

Several of Renwick's employees and protégés became influential architects, including: * Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, whose designs included the Wolf's Head Secret Society Hall at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, the Nebraska State Capitol building in

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...

, Balboa Park in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, and the chapel at the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York (state), New York, General George Washington stationed his headquarters in West Point in the summer and fall of 1779 durin ...

. He began his apprenticeship at Renwick, Aspinwall and Russell in 1884, and his apprenticeship ended in 1891 when he won a national design competition for St. Matthew's in

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

. His first years with Renwick's firm partly coincided with Russell's first years. * John Wellborn Root, one of the founders of the Chicago School-style of architecture. Other notable employees include: * Franz J. Berlenbach Jr., architect of

. * H. Edwards Ficken of

. *

Albert Hamilton Kipp Albert Hamilton Kipp (November 14, 1850 – May 22, 1906) was an architect from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Career Albert Hamilton Kipp was born in New York City on November 14, 1850, but grew up at Mount Pleasant, New York where his step-father, ...

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Wilkes-Barre ( , alternatively or ) is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It ...

. * Guy Kirkham of

. * Joseph Ladd Neal of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

. * Edwin A. Quick of

Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is the List of municipalities in New York, third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the most-populous City (New York), city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County. A centrally locate ...

Major buildings designed

* The Reformed Church of Saugerties, 173 Main St., Saugerties, NY (1852) * Mark Twain House, 21 Fifth Avenue, NYC (; razed 1953) * Grace Church, New York (1843–1846) *

, Washington, D.C. (1847–1855) * Calvary Church, New York (1848) * Free Academy Building,

, Lexington Avenue and 23rd Street, New York City (1849) * Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel, Washington, D.C. (1850) * Rhinelander Gardens, 110-124 West 11th Street, NYC, a three-story above raised basement row of houses (; razed 1956) * Trinity Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C. (1851; razed 1936) * Municipal Courthouse, 817 Princess Anne Street,

Fredericksburg, Virginia Fredericksburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 27,982. It is south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond, Virginia, R ...

(1852) * St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, (1858–1879) *

(currently the

), Washington, D.C. (1859–1871) * Main Building,

, Poughkeepsie, New York (1861–1865) * Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour,

Faribault, Minnesota Faribault ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Rice County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 24,453 at the 2020 census. Faribault is approximately south of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Interstate 35 and Minnesota State Highwa ...

(1862–1869) * Church of St. Barnabas expansion,

Irvington, New York Irvington, sometimes known as Irvington-on-Hudson, is a suburban Administrative divisions of New York#Village, village of the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Greenburgh, New York, Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, Un ...

(1863) * St. Ann's Church, Clinton and Livingston, Brooklyn, New York (1866-1869) * St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC (1867). * Greymore Friars' Residence, NYC (1869) * Cathedral High School, NYC (1869) * First Presbyterian Church of

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

(1870; Renwick & Sands) * Basilica of St. John the Baptist,

Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in Stark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, eighth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 70,872 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Canton–Massillo ...

(1871) * St. Bartholomew's Church,

and East 44th Street, NYC (1871–1872; razed) * Second Presbyterian Church, Chicago (1872–1874) * St. Claire's Chapel, St. Mary Help of Christians Church,

Aiken, South Carolina Aiken is the most populous city in, and the county seat of, Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. According to 2020 census, the population was 32,025, making it the 15th-most populous city in South Carolina, and one of the two largest ci ...

(1879) * Former

Chapter House, New York () * St. Nicholas of Myra Church, East 10th Street, NYC (1882–1883) * Demarest Building, Fifth Avenue and East 33rd Street, NYC () * George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum,

(1895)

Gallery

File:Grace Church E9 jeh.jpg, Grace Church
(1846)
Manhattan, New York City File:Calvary-church 1 crop.jpg, Calvary Church
(1848)
Manhattan, New York City File:Freeacad.jpg, The Free Academy
(1847)
Manhattan, New York City File:Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel, DC.jpg, Oak Hill Cemetery
(1850)
Georgetown, Washington D.C. File:Trinity Episcopal Church (Washington, D.C.) in color.jpg, Trinity Episcopal Church
(1851)
Washington, D.C. File:Old Main, Vassar College edit1.jpg, Old Main,

(1861)

File:CathedralFaribaultMN.JPG, Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour
(1869)

File:Brooklyn. Saint Ann's Church.jpg, St. Ann's Episcopal Church
(1869)

, New York City File:Canton, Ohio - St. John's 2011-02-04.JPG, alt=Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, Canton, Ohio, Basilica of St. John the Baptist (1871)
Canton, Ohio File:Renwick Gallery - Pennsylvania Avenue.JPG,

(1874)
Washington D.C. File:St. Bartholomew's Church (1876) crop.jpg, St. Bartholomew's Church
(1871–72)
Manhattan, New York City File:St. Nicholas of Myra Church 2.jpg, St. Nicholas of Myra Church
(1883)
Manhattan, New York City File:George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum - Springfield, MA - DSC03512.JPG, George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum
(1895)

References

External links

Selma Rattner research papers on James Renwick, 1856-2001 (bulk 1960s-2001) Held in the Dept. of Drawings & Archives, Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York CityArt and the empire city: New York, 1825-1861
an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Renwick Jr. (see index)
Renwick Family Letters and Manuscripts 1794-1916
*
James Renwick and James Renwick, Jr. architectural drawings and papers, circa 1813-1960, held by the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Renwick, James Jr. 1818 births 1895 deaths American ecclesiastical architects American neoclassical architects Gothic Revival architects Architects of cathedrals Architects of Roman Catholic churches Architects from New York City Smithsonian Institution people Fellows of the American Institute of Architects Columbia College (New York) alumni Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery People from Essex County, New York Defunct architecture firms based in New York City 19th-century American architects