Ellerbe, Thomas Farr (American architect, 1892-1987)

Thomas Ellerbe, the son of architect Franklin Ellerbe, was born in St. Paul in 1892. Nothing is known of his education. He entered his father's firm following military duty before and during World War I with the Minnesota National Guard. After his father's death in 1921, Ellerbe led his company in an expansion that resulted in the creation of the largest architectural practice in Minnesota. The firm specialized in the design of medical facilities, educational, industrial, and commercial structures. Among them are the Plummer Building of the Mayo Clinic (1922-1928); St. Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Court House (1931-1932); Cardozo Building (St. Paul) (1931); College of St. Thomas (St. Paul) (1928-1946); the Northwest Airlines hanger at Holman Field (St. Paul) (1942-1943); Cleveland (OH) Clinic and Hospital (1922); Mayo Clinic Diagnostic Building (1953-1969); and Sacred Heart Church (St. Paul) (1949). The firm also completed a number of buildings for the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN) and for State Farm Insurance Company. Thomas Ellerbe retired in 1966 and died in St. Paul on November 5, 1987.

From the guide to the Thomas Ellerbe papers, 1966-1986, (University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division [naa])