Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson

Last updated
Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson
Type Private
Industry Architecture
PredecessorHirsch & Helfensteller
Founded1907
FounderErnest Helfensteller
William Albert Hirsch
Jesse N. Watson
Fate1940
Headquarters,
Area served
United States
Key people
Ernest Helfensteller
William Albert Hirsch
Jesse N. Watson
ServicesArchitecture

Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson was an early twentieth-century American architectural firm from St. Louis, Missouri. It succeeded Hirsch and Helfensteller which had been founded in 1903. The firm's partners included Ernest Helfensteller, William Albert Hirsch and Jesse N. Watson. The firm quickly gained prominence with its 1912 design of the Moolah Temple in St. Louis.

Contents

History

Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson was founded in 1907 by Ernest Helfensteller, William Albert Hirsch and Jesse N. Watson. [1] [2] [3] [4] The firm operated until 1940. [5] The firm had been preceded by the architectural firm of Hirsch and Helfensteller which operated from 1903 to 1907. [1] With the addition of principal architect Jesse N. Watson to the firm it became Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson.

The Moolah Temple

Moolah Temple Moolah temple.jpg
Moolah Temple

The Moolah Temple of St. Louis, designed in 1912 by Helfensteller of Helfensteller, Hirsch and Watson, has been described as an "architectural gem". [1] [6] Helfensteller gave the building "a Moorish feel with a brick facade, winding staircases, vaulted ceilings and ornate, boldly colored tile. The whole thing costed $250,000."

The building was vacant for 20 years. The Medinah Temple portion of the building was renovated by 2008 at a cost of $7 million USD. [7] The Moolah Temple is a contributing building in St. Louis's Midtown Historic District, and was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The district's NRHP nomination describes the building's architecture as "colorful": "Near Eastern/Arabic forms and symbols parade and dance across the front elevation. The center bay makes the statement for the structure.... Gold terra cotta outlines the foundation and covers arches, cornice, moldings and columns; door and window frames are painted bright blue; decorative terra cotta in blue, green and gold emphasize round arch forms and articulate corners and peaks." [8]

Peer reviews

Andover Chapter House, in 2011 Andover Chapter House.jpg
Andover Chapter House, in 2011

Photos of two of the firms' works, the Moolah Temple and the New Grand Central Theatre, were selected for inclusion in a June 1916 issue of the Western Architect which covered architecture of St. Louis. [9]

Principal works of Hirsch reported in a 1962 American Institute of Architects (AIA) directory include the Liederkranz Club, the Moolah Temple, the Missouri Theatre Office Building, the Louis Latzer Memorial Library and others, all in or near St. Louis. Hirsch served as president of the St. Louis chapter of the AIA during 1923-24. [2]

Other works

The architectural firm designed for a variety of clients. For client Edward Gardner Lewis, publisher of Woman's Magazine, once the largest circulation magazine in the nation, the firm designed standard plans for women's club buildings. A number of their works, including 12 women's club buildings, are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. [10]

Notable works by the firm or its partners include (attribution):

Firm's characterization

Helfensteller has been informally characterized as being "no big shot like that Tadao Ando fella who built ... the Pulitzer Foundation, [neighboring building to the Moolah Temple designed by Helfensteller]. Still, he had style." [7]

Related Research Articles

Hartwell and Richardson American architectural firm

Hartwell and Richardson was a Boston, Massachusetts architectural firm established in 1881, by Henry Walker Hartwell (1833–1919) and William Cummings Richardson (1854–1935). The firm contributed significantly to the current building stock and architecture of the greater Boston area. Many of its buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Barnett, Haynes & Barnett

Barnett, Haynes & Barnett was a prominent architectural firm based in St. Louis, Missouri. Their credits include many familiar St. Louis landmarks, especially a number related to the local Catholic church. Their best-known building is probably the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. A number of the firm's works are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Albert B. Groves American architect

Albert Bartleton Groves, also known as A.B. Groves or Albert B. Groves, was an American architect who practiced in the St. Louis, Missouri area.

Domenic Thomas Russillo, AIA (1902-1980), was a minor American architect who practiced in mid-20th-century Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Moolah Temple Historic site in St. Louis, Missouri

The Moolah Temple, formally the Moolah Temple of the Mystic Shrine, is a historic building located at 3821 Lindell, in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built in 1912 for use as a meeting place, and is "a brick and tile building in the Moorish style.

Frederick George "Fritz" Clausen (1848–1940) was a Danish-born architect who came to the United States in 1869 and founded an architectural practice in Davenport, Iowa. The firm that he founded, presently named Studio 483 Architects, is still in business today, the oldest firm in continuous practice in the state of Iowa. Clausen has been termed the "premier 19th century architect" of Davenport, Iowa.

Edward F. Neild American architect

Edward Fairfax Neild Sr., was an American architect originally from Shreveport, Louisiana. He designed the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. He was selected for the task by U.S. President Harry Truman.

Alton Chapter House United States historic place

The Alton Chapter House is a historic building located at 509 Beacon St. in Alton, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Alton's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Alton Chapter House is an example of a Class II building, which was designed for clubs with 60 to 100 members. The building was designed in the Prairie School style and cost $2,500. After the club disbanded, the building was converted to a private home.

American Womens League Chapter House (Peck, Idaho) United States historic place

The American Women's League Chapter House in Peck, Idaho was built in 1909. It was designed with Prairie School style elements by St. Louis architects Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson. It was deemed historically significant as "a nearly unaltered example of AWL architecture", being the only one of Idaho's two American Women's League chapter houses that survives, and "for its association with the AWL movement and for its role as a center for local social and educational activities."

Andover Chapter House United States historic place

The Andover Chapter House is a historic building located on Locust Street northwest of 5th Avenue in Andover, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Andover's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Andover Chapter House is an example of a Class I building, which was designed for clubs with 30 to 60 members. The building was designed in the Prairie School style and cost $1,200. After the club disbanded, the building was converted to a private home.

Annawan Chapter House United States historic place

The Annawan Chapter House is a historic building located at 206 S. Depot St. in Annawan, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Annawan's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Annawan Chapter House is an example of a Class I building, which was designed for clubs with 30 to 60 members. The building was designed in the Prairie School style and cost $1,200. After the club disbanded, the building was converted to a private home.

Carlinville Chapter House United States historic place

The Carlinville Chapter House is a historic building located at 111 S. Charles St. in Carlinville, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Carlinville's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Carlinville Chapter House is an example of a Class I building, which was designed for clubs with 30 to 60 members. The building was designed in the Prairie School style and cost $1,200. After the club disbanded, the building was converted to a private home.

Edwardsville Chapter House United States historic place

The Edwardsville Chapter House is a historic building located at 515 W. High St. in Edwardsville, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Edwardsville's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Edwardsville Chapter House is an example of a Class II building, which was designed for clubs with 60 to 100 members. The building was designed in the Prairie School style and cost $2,500. After the club disbanded, the building was converted to a private home.

Maywood Womans Club United States historic place

The Maywood Woman's Club, also known as the American Woman's League Building, located in Corning, Tehama County, California.

Princeton Chapter House United States historic place

The Princeton Chapter House is a historic building located at 1009 N. Main St. in Princeton, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Princeton's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Princeton Chapter House is the only Class IV chapter house ever built; the Class IV plan was one of the larger buildings and was designed for clubs with 140 to 200 members. The building was designed in the Mission Revival style and cost $5,000. After the club disbanded, it served as a public library before being converted to a business.

Liederkranz Club German-American social club

The Liederkranz Club of St. Louis, Missouri was a German-American social club and the term also refers to its building. The building was a work of William Albert Hirsch of the St. Louis architectural firm Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson.

Midtown Historic District (St. Louis) Historic district in Missouri, United States

The Midtown Historic District in St. Louis, Missouri is a historic district that was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Carmi Chapter House United States historic place

The Carmi Chapter House is a historic building located at 604 W. Main St. in Carmi, Illinois. The building was constructed between 1909 and 1910 as a meetinghouse for Carmi's chapter of the American Woman's League. The American Woman's League was a political and social organization founded by magazine publisher Edward Gardner Lewis in 1908. The organization was created to promote feminist causes, particularly the women's suffrage movement; Lewis also intended for the organization to promote and sell his women's magazines. Lewis commissioned the St. Louis architectural firm of Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson to design five classes of buildings which the League would use as meetinghouses. The Carmi Chapter House is an example of a Class II building, which was designed for clubs with 60 to 100 members. The building was designed in the Prairie School style and cost $2,500. After the club disbanded, it was converted to a private home.

George William Hellmuth (1870-1955) was an American architect based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Bonsack & Pearce was an architectural firm in St. Louis, Missouri in the United States. It was a partnership between Frederick Charles Bonsack III and Harvey J. Pearce. Several of their buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

References

  1. 1 2 3 CheckMate Designs: completed projects: moolah place.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 AIA directory volume H
  3. AIA directory volumen W
  4. Parkview: A St. Louis Urban Oasis. By Jean Eberle, Judith Little Mary Henderson Gass.
  5. Meyer, Pauline (July 18, 1980). "American Woman's League Chapter Houses Thematic Resources".
  6. The Western Architect. Vol 23-24. Includes photo.
  7. 1 2 Diane Toroian Keaggy (27 July 2008). "A century of Moolah Since 1912, the Moolah Temple on Lindell Boulevard has been home to Shriners and superheroes alike". St. Louis Post - Dispatch. p. F.4.
  8. Carolyn Hewes Toft and Katherine Neilson Kurtz (August 22, 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Midtown / Midtown Historic District" (PDF). p. 22 for text, p.112–113 for photo and caption.
  9. "architecture of St. Louis?" (PDF). The Western Architect. June 1916. p. 60 and 98 (PDF page 146 and 184).
  10. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  11. University City Public Library. University City, Missouri. 2009.
  12. Helfensteller, Hirsch & Watson. Cinema Treasures. 2011.