Abraham H. Albertson

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Abraham H. Albertson
Seattle, Washington
, U.S.
OccupationArchitect

Abraham Horace Albertson (April 14, 1872 – April 18, 1964) was an American architect who was one of

Seattle, Washington's most prominent architects of the first half of the 20th century. He was born in New Jersey and educated at Columbia University in New York. Early in his career, he moved to Seattle in the employ of a well-known New York architectural firm with that was developing a large area in downtown. He worked on many projects in Seattle from around 1910 through the 20s and early 30s. Some of his designs are Seattle landmarks and/or listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.

Early life

Albertson was born April 14, 1872, in

Columbia School of Architecture[2] with a Ph.B in 1895.[1]

He served in

Col. Theodore Roosevelt at the Battle of San Juan Hill and the Siege of Santiago. After the war, he returned to New York.[3]

Career

Northern Life Tower

Albertson worked in New York City for the architectural firm

draftsman[1]
.

Albertson moved to

Howells and Stokes. He was joined in the Seattle office by Joseph W. Wilson and Paul D. Richardson, who became his future partners.[1]

Albertson remained in Seattle after Howells and Stokes dissolved in 1917, and was the principal in several firms—Howells and Albertson (1920–28) (which succeeded the local office of Howells and Stokes after that firm closed); Albertson and Associates (1920–1933); and Albertson, Wilson, and Richardson (1935–1937) which reflected his associates becoming full partners. The latter firm, however, had little work due to the

Federal Housing Authority from 1939 until his retirement in 1949.[3]

Projects

Alberston was the local representative of Howells and Stokes planning the redevelopment of the original downtown Seattle site of the

Royal Insurance Building.[1] After the demise of Howells and Stokes, Albertson (with Wilson and Richardson) continued on to complete most of the remaining buildings in the Metropolitan Tract.[5]

Albertson designed a significant modification to the waterfront for a new Seattle Railroad and Marine Terminal, but the project was abandoned due to the more pressing needs of

Bremerton, and various apartments, houses, and schools.[1]

The Stuart/Balcom House, called the Mrs. Grant Smith residence when Albertson designed it

Albertson supervised the construction of the White-Henry-Stuart Building (1923),

Stuart/Balcom House), St. Anne’s Convent (1930), and an addition to the former Children’s Orthopedic Hospital.[6]

The architectural styles produced by Albertson varied greatly, including

Art Deco, and Collegiate Gothic.[5]

Affiliations and legacy

Albertson became a member of the American Institute of Architects in 1910 and was once the national director. He was a chairman Seattle's building code committee, wrote the Seattle Tenement House Law, and was a director of the Seattle Social Welfare League, chairman of the Bi-state Federal Historical Monuments Survey, vice-chairman of the Washington State Emergency Public Works Board among other public positions.[3]

Seattle's University Street station, built in 1990, contains a staircase with quotations inscribed on the risers from Albertson describing the Cobb Building, served by the station and located just across University Street.[7] In addition to sentence-long quotations, the public art installation includes a silhouette of Albertson.[7]

Personal

In 1915, Albertson married Claire D. Fox, who was born in Illinois c. 1872, in Kitsap County, Washington. After her death in 1946, Albertson married Elizabeth G. Henry in Seattle. Albertson died April 18, 1964, in Seattle after a short illness.[3]

Projects

National Register

The following buildings he designed are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

San Francisco

The following building is a

San Francisco Designated Landmark
:

  • Royal Insurance Building,[20] San Francisco (supervised construction)[1]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-295-80689-1
    . Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  2. ^ "Historic Property Inventory Report for Security Building" (PDF). olympiahistory.org. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Abraham Horace Albertson". washington.edu. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  4. ^ Cobb Building, Seattle, A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary, National Park Service. Accessed September 24, 2007.
  5. ^ a b "Abraham H. Albertson". wa.gov. Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. July 22, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  6. ^ "Seattle Historical Sites/Women't University Club". seattle.gov. Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "University Street Station–a Touch of High-Tech". King County Metro. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  8. ^ "National Register Information System – (#90000674)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  9. ^ "National Register Information System – (#83003345)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  10. ^ "National Register Information System – (#860030920)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  11. ^ "National Register Information System – (#09000507)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  12. ^ "National Register Information System – (#06000371)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  13. ^ "National Register Information System – (#75001857)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  14. ^ "National Register Information System – (#77001337)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  15. ^ "Monte Cristo Hotel". washington.edu. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  16. ^ "National Register Information System – (#76001907)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  17. ^ "National Register Information System – (#84003485)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  18. ^ "National Register Information System – (#16000294)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  19. ^ "National Register of Historic PlacesRegistration Form Hotel Morck" (PDF). wa.gov. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  20. ^ "San Francisco Preservation Bulletin No. 0 San Francisco Landmarks" (PDF). City of San Francisco. Retrieved October 21, 2012.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abraham_H._Albertson&oldid=1149989400"