Litchfield, Electus D. (Electus Darwin), 1872-1952

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Well known in the field of architecture, Litchfield began his career at the firm of Carrere and Hastings, where he worked until 1908. Over the following 42 years he worked at a number of firms as well as founding his own, Litchfield and Rogers, but spent most of his career in private practice. A versatile designer, Litchfield was responsible for numerous public buildings, monuments, and private residences. Throughout his career he advocated historic preservation and urged the construction of parks and playgrounds. In addition to his design work, Litchfield served on several of New York's city planning commissions.

From the description of Papers, 1904-1952. (Navy Department Library, Naval History & Heritage Command). WorldCat record id: 52218722

Litchfield was born in New York, graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in 1889 and attended the M.E. Stevens Institute of Technology in 1892. He worked for two years for Carrere & Hastings, and then became a member of Lord & Hewlett, architects, from 1901-1908. Litchfield became a partner in Tracy, Swartwout & Litchfield (1908-1913) before starting an independent office. In 1919, he entered the partnership that became Electus D. Litchfield & Rogers, but started an independent practice again in 1926.

Litchfield designed many prominent buildings throughout the United States, including the Denver Post Office and Courthouse, the St. Paul Public Library and the James J. Hill Reference Library (St. Paul), the Albany (N.Y.) Post Office, Brooklyn Masonic Temble, New York City Club (800 Park Ave.),and Great Northern Railroad monuments in Oregon, Washington State, and other places. Kirk Hall on Macalester College campus was designed (1926) by Litchfield in collaboration with William Ingemann of St. Paul.

From the description of Electus Litchfield papers, 1913. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 63300471

Architect.

Litchfield was active in New York City. He worked independently, and in partnership with Pliny Rogers (1882-1930) as Electus D. Litchfield & Rogers, and with Tracy, Swartout & Litchfield from 1908-1912.

From the description of Electus D. Litchfield architectural drawings and photographs, circa 1912-1940. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 505720145

Electus Darwin Litchfield was born in New York on April 25, 1872. He graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in 1889 and attended the M.E. Stevens Institute of Technology in 1892. He worked for two years in the firm of Carrere & Hastings, then became a member of the firm of Lord & Hewlett, architects (1901-1908). He was a partner in the practice of Tracy, Swartwout & Litchfield (1908-1913), before setting up his own office. In 1919, he created the firm of Electus D. Litchfield & Rogers, and in 1926, he again went into private practice. Litchfield died in New York on November 27, 1952.

Litchfield designed a number of prominent buildings throughout the United States, including the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Denver; the St. Paul Public Library and James J. Hill Reference Library, St. Paul; the Astoria Column, Astoria, Oregon; and the U.S. Post Office, Courthouse, and Custom House, Albany, New York. He also designed several structures in New York, including the Brooklyn Masonic Temple; the City Club, 800 Park Avenue; numerous apartment buildings; and was town planner of Yorkship Village, a permanent industrial town of 1,700 built during World War I for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, New York Shipbuilding Company. In addition, he designed several monuments in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota for the Great Northern Railroad. Litchfield associated with William Ingemann of St. Paul in the design of Kirk Hall (1926) on the campus of Macalester College, St. Paul.

From the guide to the Electus Litchfield papers, 1913, (University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division [naa])

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Joint Advisory Committee on Planning and Development of the United Nations Headquarters. Joint Advisory Committee on Planning and Development of the United Nations Headquarters Records, 1934-1948, (bulk 1946-1947). Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Pope, William Cox, 1841-1917. William Cox Pope and family papers, 1858-1976. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Litchfield, Electus D.,. Memorial column at Astoria, Or. plans [manuscript], 1926. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Memorial column at Astoria, Or. plans, 1926 Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Gottscho, Samuel H. (Samuel Herman), 1875-1971. Samuel Gottscho American architecture : photographs and negatives, circa 1925-1939. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Litchfield, Electus D. (Electus Darwin), 1872-1952. Papers, 1904-1952. Operational Archive Branch, Naval History Center
referencedIn Oswald Garrison Villard papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Joint Advisory Committee on Planning and Development of the United Nations Headquarters Records, 1934-1948, (bulk 1946-1947) Columbia University. Avery Architecture and Fine Arts Library. Department of Drawings and Archives.
creatorOf Litchfield, Electus D. (Electus Darwin), 1872-1952. Electus D. Litchfield architectural drawings and photographs, circa 1912-1940. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Litchfield, Electus Darwin, 1872-. Electus Litchfield papers, 1913. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
creatorOf Electus Litchfield papers, 1913 University of Minnesota Libraries. Northwest Architectural Archives, Manuscripts Division
creatorOf Litchfield, Electus D. (Electus Darwin), 1872-1952. Astoria Column [model]. Centre canadien d'architecture, | Canadian Centre for Architecture | CCA
referencedIn Miscellaneous glass negatives collection, [ca. 1904-1914] New York State Historical Documents Inventory
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith 800 Park Avenue (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Albany Post Office (Albany, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Chesapeake (Frigate) corporateBody
associatedWith Cox, William S. (William Sitgreaves), 1790-1874. person
associatedWith Electus D. Litchfield & Rogers. corporateBody
associatedWith Gander, Gander & Gander. corporateBody
associatedWith Gottscho, Samuel H. (Samuel Herman), 1875-1971. person
associatedWith Joint Advisory Committee on Planning and Development of the United Nations Headquarters. corporateBody
associatedWith Litchfield, Electus D. family
associatedWith Museum of the City of New York. corporateBody
associatedWith Pope, William Cox, 1841-1917. person
associatedWith Rogers, Pliny, 1882-1930. person
associatedWith Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. person
associatedWith Saint Paul Public Library corporateBody
associatedWith Theodore Roosevelt Memorial (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Tracy, Swartwout & Litchfield. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Navy corporateBody
correspondedWith Villard, Oswald Garrison, 1872-1949 person
associatedWith Yorkship Village (Camden, N.J.) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Oregon--Astoria
Minnesota--Saint Paul
New York (State)--Oyster Bay
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (Oyster Bay, N.Y.)
New York (State)--Albany
New York (State)--New York
United States
New York (State)
Astoria (Or.)
Astoria (Or.)
New Jersey--Camden
Subject
Architecture, Domestic
Apartment houses
Architectural design
Architecture
Architecture
Historic sites
Public libraries
Memorials
Memorials
Memorials
Oregon
Post office buildings
Public buildings
Working class
Occupation
Architect
Activity

Person

Birth 1872

Death 1952

Americans

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