Arthur R. Nichols was a

landscape architect A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manageme ...

who practiced in New York City and Minnesota in a long career from 1902 through 1960. He was a very productive landscape architect who was instrumental in bringing the field of landscape architecture to Minnesota. Nichols was born in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

on April 15, 1881. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was the first graduate from its landscape architecture program in 1902. He started his career in the office of

Charles Wellford Leavitt Charles Wellford Leavitt (1871–1928) was an American landscape architect, urban planner, and civil engineer who designed everything from elaborate gardens on Long Island, New York and New Jersey estates to federal parks in Cuba, hotels i ...

and worked there until 1909. One of the projects that Leavitt's firm had designed was

Glensheen Historic Estate Glensheen, the Historic Congdon Estate is a 20,000 square foot mansion in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, operated by the University of Minnesota Duluth as a historic house museum. Glensheen sits on 12 acres of waterfront property on Lake Supe ...

in Duluth, Minnesota. Nichols worked on that project, along with Anthony Morell, and the two of them moved to Minnesota and established an architectural partnership in 1909.

Works

Nichols' career in Minnesota included consulting for the University of Minnesota in 1912 through 1914, the

Minnesota Highway Department The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT, ) oversees transportation by all modes including land, water, air, rail, walking and bicycling in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The cabinet-level agency is responsible for maintaining the state ...

in 1930 through 1940, and the Minnesota State Parks Department from 1950 through 1960. Some of his more notable projects include the site plan for the Minnesota State Capitol approach in St. Paul, Northrop Mall at the University of Minnesota, Cambridge State Hospital, Willmar State Hospital,

St. Catherine University St. Catherine University (St. Kate's) is a private Catholic university in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was established as one of the first institutions of higher learning specifically for women in the Midwest and was known as the College of St. C ...

, and University of Minnesota Duluth. He retired in 1953 and died in

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota, the city is the home and birthplace of the renowned Mayo Clinic. Acco ...

on January 23, 1970. Other works listed on the National Register of Historic Places include: * Cascade River Wayside, 3481 Minnesota State Highway 61, near Grand Marais, MN * Craigie Flour Mill Historical Marker,

Minnesota State Highway 78 Minnesota State Highway 78 (MN 78) is a highway in west-central Minnesota, which runs from State Highway 79 near Erdahl and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with U.S. Highway 10 in Perham. Route description Stat ...

at Balmoral Cr., Otter Tail Township, MN * Dickinson State Normal School Campus District, Roughly bounded by State Ave., Fairway St., 8th Ave., W., and 2nd St., W.,

Dickinson, ND Dickinson is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 25,679 at the 2020 census. Dickinson is home to the Ukrainian Cultural Institute, which has a museum and holds events year round for the ...

(Morell and Nichols, et al.) * Graceville Historical Marker, Minnesota State Highway 28, Graceville, MN * Hinckley State Line Marker,

Minnesota State Highway 48 Minnesota State Highway 48 (MN 48) is a highway in east-central Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 ...

, Ogema, MN *

Inspiration Point Wayside Rest Inspiration Point Wayside Rest is a state highway wayside rest located along Minnesota State Highway 16 southwest of Lanesboro, Minnesota, Lanesboro, Minnesota, Fillmore County, Minnesota. Minnesotan architect Arthur R. Nichols designed the waysi ...

Minnesota State Highway 16 Minnesota State Highway 16 (MN 16) is a two-lane highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate Highway 90 in Dexter and continues east to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line concurrent with U.S. H ...

near Lanesboro *

Lester River Bridge The Lester River Bridge (Bridge 5772) is a historic road bridge carrying Minnesota State Highway 61 (London Road) over the Lester River in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. Structurally it is a reinforced concrete arch bridge with decorative sto ...

, London Rd. over the Lester River, Duluth, MN (Nichols, Arthur R., et al.) * Orr Roadside Parking Area,

U.S. Route 53 U.S. Route 53, or U.S. Highway 53 (U.S. 53), is a north–south U.S. highway that runs for 404 miles (650 km) from La Crosse, Wisconsin to International Falls, Minnesota. It is the primary north–south route in northwestern Wisconsin ...

at First Ave. Orr, MN *

Preston Overlook Preston Overlook is a historic scenic overlook in Preston, Minnesota, United States, North America. History In 1937–38, the overlook was built by the Minnesota Department of Highways under the program of Federal Relief Construction in Minnesota ...

, On

U.S. Route 52 U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...

, Preston, MN *

Reads Landing Overlook The Reads Landing Overlook is a scenic overlook on U.S. Route 61 in Pepin Township, Minnesota, United States. It was built from 1939 to 1940 as a New Deal project to provide motorists with a scenic view of Lake Pepin. It was designed by lands ...

U.S. Route 61 U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...

, Pepin Township, MN * Stillwater Overlook, Lookout Trail near 63rd St. N., Oak Park Heights, MN (Nichols, Arthur R.; Olsen, Harold E.)

References

1881 births 1970 deaths American landscape architects Architects from Minnesota Architects from Springfield, Massachusetts 20th-century American architects {{US-architect-stub

Works

See also

References