From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Mills Van Osdel (July 31, 1811 – December
21, 1891)[1]
was an American
architect who is
considered the first Chicago
architect.[2] He
is considered a peer of the most prominent architects in the history of
Chicago. He has also done significant work throughout Illinois and the Midwest, although much of it
no longer exists.
Chicago
firsts
Born in Baltimore,
Maryland, Van Osdel planned the first architect-designed house
in Chicago for the first Mayor of Chicago, William
Ogden. The house was located on Rush
Street.[3][4]
Ogden commissioned Van Osdel, who came from New York to Chicago for
the job. By 1844, he had opened Chicago's first architectural
firm.[4] In
addition, he secured passage of the city's first building code.[1]
Reputation
He is considered a Chicago school architect
and a peer of William LeBaron
Jenney, Dankmar
Adler, Louis
Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, John Wellborn
Root and Frank Lloyd Wright.[2] In
fact, he and William W. Boyington are
considered the most prominent Chicago architects of the period from
the city's incorporation in 1837 until the Great Chicago
Fire of 1871.[5]
Other
buildings
Much of his work has been destroyed by fire, [5] but
remaining structures stand as local landmarks, with many listed on
the National Register of
Historic Places. Van Osdel designed the Palmer House, Tremont House and Page
Brothers Building in Chicago,[1][6]
the Illinois Executive Mansion
in Springfield, the state
capital,[7] the Old McHenry County
Courthouse, Old Main at the University of Arkansas, and some
courthouses in
Indiana.[4] He
also designed the first cast-iron building for the Lake Street central business
district.[2] Chicago City
Hall sits on the site of a former Van Osdel building that
housed a county courthouse and city hall.[8]
Van Osdel's 1872 McCarthy Building was demolished
along with the rest of Block 37 in 1987 despite its Chicago Landmark status.[9]
Van Osdel died at age 80 in Chicago.
Notes
References
- Clark, Herma, "Let's Walk Along Rush Street," Tribune Company,
1952.
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