Lorimer Rich (December 24, 1891 – June 2, 1978) was an American architect, born in Camden, New York. He is now best remembered for collaborating with sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones on the winning entry in a nationwide competition to create a design for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

. Rich graduated from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

in 1914. This was followed by further studies in Europe, a standard path for many young American architects of that era. Shortly thereafter he joined the US Army and served in World War I. Upon returning to the United States, he worked for the prestigious architectural firm

McKim, Mead and White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm based in New York City. The firm came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in ''fin de siècle'' New York. The firm's founding partners, Cha ...

, based 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 ...

. In 1928 he established his own firm there. He gained a reputation as a designer of post offices for the federal government. Rich returned to Camden after retiring from practice; he died there in 1978. He was buried in

not far from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Later his wife Martha Ross Leigh (1894–1987) was buried with him. f

Commissions

* Second Corps Area Headquarters – Pershing Hall, Fort Jay,

Governors Island Governors Island is a island in New York Harbor, within the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located approximately south of Manhattan Island, and is separated from Brooklyn to the east by the Buttermilk ...

, New York, 1934. * Great Barrington Main Post Office,

Great Barrington, Massachusetts Great Barrington is a New England town, town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,172 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Bot ...

, 1935 * Flatbush Sub-station of the

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 ...

Post Office, 1935 * Station "A", Brooklyn Post Office 1935 * Kensington Post Office, 1935 * Morris Heights Post Office,

Bronx, New York The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

* Madison Square Branch, Post Office 1937 * Forest Hills Post Office, 1937 * Johnstown Post Office –

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is the largest city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, it is the principal city of the Metropolitan statistical area ...

, 1938 * Joe and Emily Lowe Gallery,

, 1952 * Archbold Gymnasium, additions to, Syracuse University, 1952 * Women's Building, Syracuse University, 1953 * Ernest I White Law College, Syracuse, university, 1954 * "and various dormitories" at Syracuse University Hardin, Evamaria, ''Syracuse Landmarks: An AIA Guide to downtown and Historic Neighborhoods'', Onondaga Historical Society Association, Syracuse University Press, 1993 pp. 228, 231, 232 * New York State Insurance Fund Building, 199 Church Street, New York City, 1955 * Rich Hall of the State University of New York at Oswego named after Grace Ellingwood Rich, the sister of Lorimer Rich * Camden United Methodist Church, 132 Main Street, Camden New York 1969 * Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers of the American Revolution, 201 North James Street, Rome New York 1976

References

External links

* 1891 births 1978 deaths 20th-century American architects Syracuse University School of Architecture alumni Burials at Arlington National Cemetery {{US-architect-19C-stub