Johnston, Clarence H. (Clarence Howard), 1859-1936

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Clarence Johnston was born in Waseca County MN. After apprenticeship training in architecture in the St. Paul offices of A. Radcliffe and E.P. Bassford, Johnston studied architecture at MIT and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Johnston worked for Herter Brothers, and C.B. Atwood in New York City, where he also helped found the New York Sketch Club (later known as the Architectural League of New York). In 1883, Johnston opened an office in St. Paul, and had a partnership for a time with William H. Willcox. Johnston became a Fellow of the AIA in 1889, and in 1901 becaue an Architect to the State Board of Control, in which capacity he designed dozens of state-owned buildings. Johnston was also appointed architect to the Board of Regents of the Univ. of Minn. and was responsible for many buildings erected between 1904 and 1936.

Clarence Howard Johnston, Jr. succeeded his father in the firm and maintained it until his death in 1960. Many designs executed after about 1930 are by Johnston, Jr.

From the description of Clarence H. Johnston papers, 1889-1955. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 63279893

Clarence Johnston was born in Waseca County, MN, on August 28, 1859. He was educated in the public schools of St. Paul and received an apprenticeship training in architecture in the offices of Abraham Radcliffe and Edward P. Bassford in St. Paul after completing high school. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received formal architectural education, but left after one year because of financial stringencies. He returned to St. Paul for a brief time, then moved to New York City and worked for Herter Brothers and C.B. Atwood. Johnston helped found the New York Sketch Club, which later became the Architectural League of New York. He came back to St. Paul in 1882 and opened his own office.

In 1885 Johnston entered partnership with William H. Willcox (1832-1929) until 1889. The firm produced many notable buildings, including Summit Terrace (St. Paul), the residence of F. Scott Fitzgerald; First Baptist Church (Chicago); the main building of Macalester College (St. Paul); the Mercantile Library (Peoria, IL); Shattuck School and St. Mary's Hall (Faribault, MN); and residences for W.R. Merriam, F. Driscoll, C.W. Griggs, and A.G. Foster, all in St. Paul. He was elected a fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1889. In 1901, Johnston was retained as architect to the State Board of Control and later by the Commission of Administration & Finance of Minnesota, in which capacity he designed literally dozens of state-owned office buildings, schools and institutional facilities, and the state prison. He also was appointed architect to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota at about the same time, and many of the buildings on the Twin Cities campuses dating from the period between 1904 and 1936 are from his firm. In addition to this enormous volume of business, Johnston carried on a lucrative private practice in the course of which he designed many commercial structures, institutional buildings, and residences. He died in St. Paul on December 31, 1936.

From the guide to the Clarence H. Johnston papers, 1889-1955, (University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division [naa])

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Minnesota Home School for Girls. General plan of grounds, 1921 September. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn St. Paul-Ramsey Hospital. Miscellaneous records, 1897-1951. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Audio-visual Materials., 1923-1984. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Fergus Falls State Hospital. Architectural drawings, 1906-1907, 1922. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Photographs and architectural drawings. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Minnesota. State Building Commission. Building Commission records, 1928-1933. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Saint Paul (Minn.). City Planning Board. Maps and drawings, 1922-1975. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Fergus Falls State Hospital. Superintendent's correspondence, 1901-1969. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Hall (Dr. Pearl M.) Memorial Committee correspondence, 1928-1930. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Steward's files, 1922-1961. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Plymouth Congregational Church (Saint Paul, Minn.). Parish records, 1858-1926. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Adams, Frank, 1875-1967. Memorandum on Problem 22, Central Valley Project studies / Frank Adams and Clarence N. Johnston. Water Resources Collections and Archives
referencedIn Gillette State Hospital for Crippled Children. Superintendent's correspondence, 1911-1926. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Saint Paul Public Schools. School building drawings and blueprints, [undated] and 1881-1959. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Clarence H. Johnston papers, 1889-1955 University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division
referencedIn Photographs and architectural drawings., [circa 1927]-1981. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Saint Paul (Minn.). Dept. of Public Works. Bridge Division. Drawings, blueprints, and plans, 1872-2002. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Superintendent's files, 1907-1962. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Brioschi, Charles, 1879-1941. Charles Brioschi papers, [ca. 1926]-1941. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn University of Minnesota. Dept. of Botany. University of Minnesota Dept. of Botany papers, 1847-1982, 1989. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Maps and drawings., 1922-1975. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Blueprints and drawings., undated, 1910-1963. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Johnston, Clarence H. (Clarence Howard), 1859-1936. Clarence H. Johnston papers, 1878-1898. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Architectural drawings., 1910-1984. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Dimond, Grover W. (Grover Willard), 1888-1977. Grover W. Dimond Associates papers, 1912-1971. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Minnesota. Dept. of Administration. Architectural drawings on aperture cards, [ca. 1904] - 1970. [microform]. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Minnesota. State Reformatory for Women, Shakopee. Architectural drawings, 1917-1919, [post-1940]. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf McMillan, Samuel James Renwick, 1826-1897. Samuel McMillan and family papers, 1842-1913. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Johnston, Clarence H. (Clarence Howard), 1859-1936. Clarence H. Johnston papers, 1889-1955. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Mount Zion Hebrew Congregation (Saint Paul, Minn.). Mount Zion Hebrew Congregation records, 1853-1958. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Faribault State School and Hospital. Architectural drawings, 1902-1964. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Willmar State Hospital. Architectural drawings, 1910-1984. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Architectural drawings., 1906-1907, 1922. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Department of Botany records, 1893-1989, (bulk 1921-1982) University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc]
referencedIn Hospital and Medical Center Records., 1897-1986. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn St. Peter State Hospital. Blueprints and drawings, undated, 1910-1963. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adams, Frank, 1875-1967. person
associatedWith Brioschi, Charles, 1879-1941. person
associatedWith Cambridge State Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith Faribault State School and Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith Fergus Falls State Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith Gilbert, Cass, 1859-1934. person
associatedWith Gillette State Hospital for Crippled Children. corporateBody
associatedWith Johnston, Clarence Howard, 1888-1960. person
associatedWith Massachusetts Institute of Technology. corporateBody
associatedWith McKim, Mead & White. corporateBody
associatedWith McMillan, Samuel James Renwick, 1826-1897. person
associatedWith Minnesota. Dept. of Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota Home School for Girls. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota Sanatorium for Consumptives. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota. State Building Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota State Capitol (Saint Paul, Minn. : 1905- ). corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota. State Reformatory for Women, Shakopee. corporateBody
associatedWith Mount Zion Hebrew Congregation (Saint Paul, Minn.) corporateBody
associatedWith Plymouth Congregational Church (Saint Paul, Minn.) corporateBody
associatedWith Richardson, H. H. (Henry Hobson), 1838-1886. person
associatedWith Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, 1848-1907. person
associatedWith Saint Paul (Minn.). City Planning Board. corporateBody
associatedWith Saint Paul (Minn.). Dept. of Public Works. Bridge Division. corporateBody
associatedWith Saint Paul Public Schools. corporateBody
associatedWith Shaw, Richard Norman, 1831-1912. person
associatedWith St. Paul-Ramsey Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center. corporateBody
associatedWith St. Peter State Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith Street, George Edmund, 1824-1881. person
associatedWith Taylor, James Knox. person
associatedWith University of Minnesota. Department of Botany. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Minnesota. Dept. of Botany. corporateBody
associatedWith U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. corporateBody
associatedWith Willmar State Hospital. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Minnesota--Saint Paul
Minnesota
Saint Paul (Minn.)
France
England
United States
Europe
Subject
Architects
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture
Architecture, Modern
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1859-08-28

Death 1936-12-29

Americans

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