Curtiss, Louis Singleton, 1865-1924
Variant namesBiographical notes:
Louis Singleton Curtiss was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, on July 1, 1865, the fourth of six children and the second son of Frances Eliva and Don Carlos Curtiss. He enrolled in the University of Toronto in 1884; it is not known whether he graduated. From Toronto he went to Paris, reportedly on a scholarship, to study architecture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts.
Louis Curtiss came to Kansas City about 1890. Soon after his arrival, Curtiss established a partnership with Frederick C. Gunn (1865-1959). The firm of Gunn & Curtiss, which lasted approximately from 1890-1898, was the only partnership Curtiss ever engaged in.
Curtiss is best known for the following buildings:
- 1) Missouri State Building, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. Gunn & Curtiss architects.
- 2) The Baltimore Hotel for the Corrigan Brothers Reality Company, Kansas City, Missouri, 1898-1899.
- 3) Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad and Fred Harvey Houses in Kansas, New Mexico, Texas and Missouri, ca. 1905-1912.
- 4) The Willis Wood Theater, Kansas City, Missouri, 1908. (The earliest known example of steel and glass wall construction.)
- 5) The Boley Clothing Store, Kansas City, Missouri, 1908. (The earliest known example of steel and glass wall construction.)
- 6) Curtiss' own office and studio at 1118 McGee Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 1908.
- 7) The Bernard Corrigan house, Kansas City, Missouri, 1912.
From the guide to the Louis Singleton Curtiss papers, 1893-1912, (University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library Kansas Collection)
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Subjects:
- Architecture
- Architecture
- Architecture
- Architecture
- Chicago. World's Columbian Exposition, 1893. Missouri State Building
- Kansas City, Kansas. Bernard Corrigan House
- Kansas City, Kansas. J.A. Hoel House
- Kansas City, Missouri. Boley Building
- Kansas City, Missouri. Louis Curtiss office building
- Kingsville, Texas. Casa Guertrudis
- Toronto. Wookey House
Occupations:
Places:
- Kansas City, Missouri. Dean Brothers Realty Company building. (as recorded)
- Wellington, Kansas. Santa Fe' Station. (as recorded)
- Lubbock, Texas. Santa Fe' Station. (as recorded)
- Emporia, Kansas. Santa Fe' Station. (as recorded)
- Wichita, Kansas. Wichita Union Terminal building. (as recorded)
