William R. Walker & Son was an American architectural firm in
Providence, Rhode Island, active during the years 1881 to 1936. It included partners
William Russell Walker (1830–1905), William Howard Walker (1856–1922) and later William Russell Walker II (1884–1936).
Firm history
William R. Walker began his architectural practice in 1864. Between 1876 and 1881 he partnered with
Thomas J. Gould in Walker & Gould. In 1881, the two parted ways to start independent firms.[1] Walker took his son W. Howard Walker into partnership to form the firm of William R. Walker & Son. William R. Walker died in 1905. W. Howard Walker died in 1922, at which point his son William R. Walker II took charge until his own death in 1936.[1]
After the death of the last Walker, the firm was briefly succeeded by Rice & Arnold, the partnership of George H. Rice (1881-1945) and Roy F. Arnold (1884-1972), both draftsmen in the Walker office. Arnold continued to practice architecture in Providence and Pawtucket into the 1950s.[2]
Throughout the firm's history, it was known for its educational buildings. All of the Walkers had important political connections, enabling them to obtain the commissions for these and other civic structures. The part of the Walker legacy that is most commonly passed over is their residential and commercial commissions. Prominent commercial commissions include Providence's Lederer Building (1897), Attleboro's Bronson Building (1903), and the Washington Building (1921) in Providence.
William R. Walker was born April 14, 1830, in
Seekonk, Massachusetts. He established his architecture practice in 1864, and in 1876 formed the firm of Walker & Gould with Thomas J. Gould. In 1881 Walker formed a partnership with his son, W. Howard Walker, who remained his partner for the rest of his career.
Walker died March 11, 1905, in Pawtucket.
William Howard Walker
W. Howard Walker was born January 19, 1856, in
Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He attended the public schools and joined his father's office as a draftsman in 1874, becoming his partner in 1881. After his father's death in 1905, he was sole proprietor in the firm until the return of his son from Europe. Like his father, he was an officer in the
Rhode Island militia.[3][4] He joined the
American Institute of Architects in 1921.[5]
In 1881 he was married to Hattie B. Hewell of Providence.[4] He died October 19, 1922, in
Seekonk, Massachusetts.
William Russell Walker II
William R. Walker II was born January 28, 1884, in Pawtucket. He attended the Pawtucket schools and
Brown University before transferring to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in 1910. He then studied for a year abroad, travelling in
Paris and
Rome. In 1911 he returned to Providence, joining his father's firm.[4] Upon his father's death in 1922, he became head of the firm. Like his father and grandfather, he continued the firm's focus on institutional work. In 1932 he was chosen by
United States Commissioner of EducationWilliam John Cooper to be an advisory architect for school construction.[6] He joined the
American Institute of Architects alongside his father in 1921.[7] Unlike his father and grandfather, he apparently had no affiliation with the state militia.
In 1914 he was married to Jessie Philpott of Providence, and they had three daughters. He died September 26, 1936, in Providence.[8][6]
^"Buildings". Engineering News and American Railway Journal. Vol. XXXVI, no. 14. 1 October 1896. p. 108. Retrieved 11 May 2022 – via
Google Books. PROVIDENCE R. I.—S. B. Lederer, 100 Stewart St., who are to erect a 12 story office building on Mathewson St., have awarded the contract for the construction to M. J. Houlihan. Archs., Wm. R. Walker & Son, 17 Custom House.
William R. Walker & Son was an American architectural firm in
Providence, Rhode Island, active during the years 1881 to 1936. It included partners
William Russell Walker (1830–1905), William Howard Walker (1856–1922) and later William Russell Walker II (1884–1936).
Firm history
William R. Walker began his architectural practice in 1864. Between 1876 and 1881 he partnered with
Thomas J. Gould in Walker & Gould. In 1881, the two parted ways to start independent firms.[1] Walker took his son W. Howard Walker into partnership to form the firm of William R. Walker & Son. William R. Walker died in 1905. W. Howard Walker died in 1922, at which point his son William R. Walker II took charge until his own death in 1936.[1]
After the death of the last Walker, the firm was briefly succeeded by Rice & Arnold, the partnership of George H. Rice (1881-1945) and Roy F. Arnold (1884-1972), both draftsmen in the Walker office. Arnold continued to practice architecture in Providence and Pawtucket into the 1950s.[2]
Throughout the firm's history, it was known for its educational buildings. All of the Walkers had important political connections, enabling them to obtain the commissions for these and other civic structures. The part of the Walker legacy that is most commonly passed over is their residential and commercial commissions. Prominent commercial commissions include Providence's Lederer Building (1897), Attleboro's Bronson Building (1903), and the Washington Building (1921) in Providence.
William R. Walker was born April 14, 1830, in
Seekonk, Massachusetts. He established his architecture practice in 1864, and in 1876 formed the firm of Walker & Gould with Thomas J. Gould. In 1881 Walker formed a partnership with his son, W. Howard Walker, who remained his partner for the rest of his career.
Walker died March 11, 1905, in Pawtucket.
William Howard Walker
W. Howard Walker was born January 19, 1856, in
Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He attended the public schools and joined his father's office as a draftsman in 1874, becoming his partner in 1881. After his father's death in 1905, he was sole proprietor in the firm until the return of his son from Europe. Like his father, he was an officer in the
Rhode Island militia.[3][4] He joined the
American Institute of Architects in 1921.[5]
In 1881 he was married to Hattie B. Hewell of Providence.[4] He died October 19, 1922, in
Seekonk, Massachusetts.
William Russell Walker II
William R. Walker II was born January 28, 1884, in Pawtucket. He attended the Pawtucket schools and
Brown University before transferring to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in 1910. He then studied for a year abroad, travelling in
Paris and
Rome. In 1911 he returned to Providence, joining his father's firm.[4] Upon his father's death in 1922, he became head of the firm. Like his father and grandfather, he continued the firm's focus on institutional work. In 1932 he was chosen by
United States Commissioner of EducationWilliam John Cooper to be an advisory architect for school construction.[6] He joined the
American Institute of Architects alongside his father in 1921.[7] Unlike his father and grandfather, he apparently had no affiliation with the state militia.
In 1914 he was married to Jessie Philpott of Providence, and they had three daughters. He died September 26, 1936, in Providence.[8][6]
^"Buildings". Engineering News and American Railway Journal. Vol. XXXVI, no. 14. 1 October 1896. p. 108. Retrieved 11 May 2022 – via
Google Books. PROVIDENCE R. I.—S. B. Lederer, 100 Stewart St., who are to erect a 12 story office building on Mathewson St., have awarded the contract for the construction to M. J. Houlihan. Archs., Wm. R. Walker & Son, 17 Custom House.