Kerr, Frank

Francis (Frank) K. Kerr was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on May 22, 1914. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1935, having moved from Montreal in 1923. He attended George Washington University and received a B. Arch. in 1938 from that institution.

He began his architectural career as an architectural aide in the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) in Washington, D.C., remaining with that organization as an underwriter and cost engineer until 1946. After practicing for a year with an architectural firm in Washington, D.C., he was commissioned to do design work for the noted firm of Hills, Gilbertson and Hayes in 1948, and re-located to Minneapolis, MN.

He had joined forces in 1947 with Harlan McClure to form McClure and Kerr Architects, working evenings and weekends at first. He practiced architecture with the firm of McClure and Kerr Architects until 1955, after which he was in independent practice until 1957. At that time he formed the firm of Kerr-Johnson, partnering with Harley H. Johnson. They were selected to continue the practice of Bard and Vanderbilt, a well-known local architecture firm specializing in churches. The firm of Kerr-Johnson was dissolved in 1960 and Frank Kerr continued in active practice.

Frank Kerr’s architectural practice has included institutional, commercial and residential buildings, and town planning throughout his career. In addition to his architectural work, Mr. Kerr was active in various civic and cultural organizations, including the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Artists Association.

From the guide to the Frank Kerr Papers, 1942-1989, (University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division [naa])