Charles L. Thompson and associates is an architectural group that was established in Arkansas since the late 1800s. It is now known as Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc.. This article is about Thompson and associates' work as part of one architectural group, and its predecessor and descendant firms, including under names Charles L. Thompson,Thompson & Harding,Sanders & Ginocchio, and Thompson, Sanders and Ginocchio.
The firm was the "most prolific architectural firm" practicing in Arkansas in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and produced more than 2,000 buildings. The architectural group used standard and custom designs that both led and evolved with changing architectural taste in Arkansas. The group built a wide range of types of works, including large public buildings, commercial buildings, mansions, and small houses. Many works by Thompson and the associated firms survive and are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Charles L. Thompson
Charles Louis Thompson (16 November 1868 – December 30, 1959)[3] was the original head of the firm. Thompson was born in 1868 in
Danville, Illinois. Orphaned at age fourteen, he and siblings moved to Indiana, where Charles began work at a mill, and in off hours began to learn drafting.[3] Thompson's son-in-law, Edwin Boykin Cromwell (1909–2001) later headed the firm.[4]
Thematic Resources study
A total of 143 properties in thirty Arkansas counties were nominated for NRHP listing in the 1982 study, "Charles L. Thompson Design Collection Thematic Resources", written by multiple authors. F. Hampton Roy, a Little Rock ophthalmologist, began cataloging the architectural drawings, expecting to complete a book. His collection eventually inspired this study, as Thompson and associates had such influence on Arkansas architecture. The properties listed under this study were selected from review of a large collection of original drawings by Charles L. Thompson, Fred J. H. Rickon, Thomas Harding Jr., Theo Sanders, and Frank Ginocchio. The collection of drawings covered 2500 properties representing a wide range of types and styles geographically distributed over the entire state of Arkansas. The authors wrote: "The 143 structures selected for nomination exemplify the firm's remarkable versatility and productivity from 1896 through 1931," and "Charles L. Thompson was the constant motivating force behind the firm's immense productivity and influence upon the state's built environment. Today the firm he established continues this legacy."[5]
Ginocchio and Sanders
Frank Ginocchio and Theodore M. Sanders, partners since 1919, joined Thompson in partnership in 1927. Both had studied at the
University of Illinois and Sanders had studied further at the
Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. They brought design ideas of
Prairie Style, influenced by
Frank Lloyd Wright, and
Art Deco architecture to the firm.[5]
Theo Sanders designed several houses in Little Rock's Hillcrest neighborhood.[6]
Others
Architect
John Parks Almand worked for the firm during 1912 to 1914 before forming his own practice.
Works
Works (with variations in attribution indicated) include:
BPOE Elks Club (Little Rock, Arkansas), 4th and Scott Sts., Little Rock, AR (Saunders, Theo), Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, 2nd Renaissance Revival, Theo Saunders was an architect in the firm, and this work was specifically included in the Thematic Resources listing,
Brown House, 1604 Caldwell St., Conway, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
Bush House, 1516 Ringo St., Little Rock, AR (Thompson & Harding) NRHP-listed[2]
Caldwell Hall, University Drive, Pine Bluff, AR (Thompson, Sanford, & Ginnochio) NRHP-listed[2]
Hospital and Benevolent Association, 11th and Cherry, Pine Bluff, AR (Thompson, Charles L.), NRHP-listed on December 22, 1982 with reference number 82000841. Removed from NRHP, January 25, 2010[2] (which happens usually after a building has been demolished).
One or more works in
Fordyce Commercial Historic District, Roughly bounded by Oak, 5th & Spring Sts. & AR 274, Fordyce, AR (Thompson, Charles) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Governor's Mansion Historic District, Roughly bounded by Louisiana St., Twenty-Third St. & Roosevelt Rd., Chester and State Sts., & Thirteenth & Twelfth Sts., Little Rock, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District, Roughly bounded by N. Walnut, W. Ridge, N. Willow, and W. Stephenson Sts., Harrison, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Hillcrest Historic District, Bounded by Woodrow, Jackson and Markham Sts. and N. Lookout Rd., Little Rock, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Pine Bluff Commercial Historic District, Roughly bounded by US 65B, Walnut St., 10th Ave. & S. Alabama St., Pine Bluff, AR (Thompson, Charles) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Robinson Historic District, Roughly bounded by Cross, Prince, Faulkner, and Watkins Sts., and Robinson Ave., Conway, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
Charles L. Thompson and associates is an architectural group that was established in Arkansas since the late 1800s. It is now known as Cromwell Architects Engineers, Inc.. This article is about Thompson and associates' work as part of one architectural group, and its predecessor and descendant firms, including under names Charles L. Thompson,Thompson & Harding,Sanders & Ginocchio, and Thompson, Sanders and Ginocchio.
The firm was the "most prolific architectural firm" practicing in Arkansas in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and produced more than 2,000 buildings. The architectural group used standard and custom designs that both led and evolved with changing architectural taste in Arkansas. The group built a wide range of types of works, including large public buildings, commercial buildings, mansions, and small houses. Many works by Thompson and the associated firms survive and are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Charles L. Thompson
Charles Louis Thompson (16 November 1868 – December 30, 1959)[3] was the original head of the firm. Thompson was born in 1868 in
Danville, Illinois. Orphaned at age fourteen, he and siblings moved to Indiana, where Charles began work at a mill, and in off hours began to learn drafting.[3] Thompson's son-in-law, Edwin Boykin Cromwell (1909–2001) later headed the firm.[4]
Thematic Resources study
A total of 143 properties in thirty Arkansas counties were nominated for NRHP listing in the 1982 study, "Charles L. Thompson Design Collection Thematic Resources", written by multiple authors. F. Hampton Roy, a Little Rock ophthalmologist, began cataloging the architectural drawings, expecting to complete a book. His collection eventually inspired this study, as Thompson and associates had such influence on Arkansas architecture. The properties listed under this study were selected from review of a large collection of original drawings by Charles L. Thompson, Fred J. H. Rickon, Thomas Harding Jr., Theo Sanders, and Frank Ginocchio. The collection of drawings covered 2500 properties representing a wide range of types and styles geographically distributed over the entire state of Arkansas. The authors wrote: "The 143 structures selected for nomination exemplify the firm's remarkable versatility and productivity from 1896 through 1931," and "Charles L. Thompson was the constant motivating force behind the firm's immense productivity and influence upon the state's built environment. Today the firm he established continues this legacy."[5]
Ginocchio and Sanders
Frank Ginocchio and Theodore M. Sanders, partners since 1919, joined Thompson in partnership in 1927. Both had studied at the
University of Illinois and Sanders had studied further at the
Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. They brought design ideas of
Prairie Style, influenced by
Frank Lloyd Wright, and
Art Deco architecture to the firm.[5]
Theo Sanders designed several houses in Little Rock's Hillcrest neighborhood.[6]
Others
Architect
John Parks Almand worked for the firm during 1912 to 1914 before forming his own practice.
Works
Works (with variations in attribution indicated) include:
BPOE Elks Club (Little Rock, Arkansas), 4th and Scott Sts., Little Rock, AR (Saunders, Theo), Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, 2nd Renaissance Revival, Theo Saunders was an architect in the firm, and this work was specifically included in the Thematic Resources listing,
Brown House, 1604 Caldwell St., Conway, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
Bush House, 1516 Ringo St., Little Rock, AR (Thompson & Harding) NRHP-listed[2]
Caldwell Hall, University Drive, Pine Bluff, AR (Thompson, Sanford, & Ginnochio) NRHP-listed[2]
Hospital and Benevolent Association, 11th and Cherry, Pine Bluff, AR (Thompson, Charles L.), NRHP-listed on December 22, 1982 with reference number 82000841. Removed from NRHP, January 25, 2010[2] (which happens usually after a building has been demolished).
One or more works in
Fordyce Commercial Historic District, Roughly bounded by Oak, 5th & Spring Sts. & AR 274, Fordyce, AR (Thompson, Charles) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Governor's Mansion Historic District, Roughly bounded by Louisiana St., Twenty-Third St. & Roosevelt Rd., Chester and State Sts., & Thirteenth & Twelfth Sts., Little Rock, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Harrison Courthouse Square Historic District, Roughly bounded by N. Walnut, W. Ridge, N. Willow, and W. Stephenson Sts., Harrison, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Hillcrest Historic District, Bounded by Woodrow, Jackson and Markham Sts. and N. Lookout Rd., Little Rock, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Pine Bluff Commercial Historic District, Roughly bounded by US 65B, Walnut St., 10th Ave. & S. Alabama St., Pine Bluff, AR (Thompson, Charles) NRHP-listed[2]
One or more works in
Robinson Historic District, Roughly bounded by Cross, Prince, Faulkner, and Watkins Sts., and Robinson Ave., Conway, AR (Thompson, Charles L.) NRHP-listed[2]