Cassius Emlen Urban (February 26, 1863 – May 21, 1939) was a

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population amon ...

-based

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

. He was the leading architect in Lancaster from the 1890s to the 1920s.

Biography

He was born on February 26, 1863, to Barbara Hebble and Amos S. Urban in Conestoga Township,

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Lancaster County (; Pennsylvania Dutch: Lengeschder Kaundi), sometimes nicknamed the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in the south central part of Pennsylvania. ...

. He graduated from Lancaster’s Boys High School in 1880, and then apprenticed as a draftsman at the E. L. Walter architectural firm in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Emlen also worked in the office of

Willis G. Hale Willis Gaylord Hale (January 1848, Seneca Falls, New York – August 29, 1907, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a late-19th century architect who worked primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His flamboyant, highly-ornate style ...

in Philadelphia. He returned to Lancaster in 1886. He designed many of Lancaster’s notable buildings including the Farmer's Southern Market on Queen Street in 1888, the Watt & Shand Department Store in 1898, and the Y.M.C.A., Harold's Building, Unitarian Church, and St. James Episcopal Church parish House on Duke Street in 1903. ''Note:'' This includes His designs embraced architectural styles as diverse as Queen Anne, Beaux-Arts, and Colonial Revival. His work forms a bridge between the Victorian Era and the Modern Age. C. Emlen Urban also worked in Hershey, Pennsylvania during its developing period. Urban knew

Milton Hershey Milton Snavely Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) was an American chocolatier, businessman, and philanthropist. Trained in the confectionery business, Hershey pioneered the manufacture of caramel, using fresh milk. He launched ...

through Lancaster's Hamilton Club. As Hershey developed, Urban designed all of the main buildings constructed between 1903 and 1926, including the Original Hershey Chocolate Company Offices and factory (1903), Cocoa House (1 Chocolate Avenue) (1905), Hershey Trust Company (1 W. Chocolate Avenue) (1914), Community Building and Hershey Theatre (14 E. Chocolate Avenue) (1915, 1928-1932), and Convention Hall (former Hershey Museum building) (1915). He died on May 21, 1939, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Selected works

Individual listings on the National Register of Historic Places

* 1888: Farmer's Southern Market,

* 1891: Charlie Wagner's Cafe, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1904-1905: Stevens High School, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1910: Lancaster Trust Company, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1910-1911: Reilly Brothers and Raub Building, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1910-1911:

Hager Building The Hager Building is an historic commercial building which is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Designed by noted Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban, it was built between 1910 and 1911. It was added t ...

, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1911-1912: Kirk Johnson Building, Lancaster, Pennsylvania * 1915, 1928-1932:

Hershey Community Center Building The Hershey Community Center Building is an historic building which is located in Hershey, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. History and architectural features Designed by architect P ...

, Hershey, Pennsylvania * 1924-1925:

W. W. Griest Building The W.W. Griest Building, also known as the Lancaster Federal Building and PP&L Building, is a historic skyscraper located in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was designed by noted Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban and built 1924–1925 ...

, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Contributing properties to historic districts

1035 President Lancaster Township LanCo PA

Lancaster City Historic District The Lancaster City Historic District is a national historic district that is located in Lancaster and Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. History and architectu ...

Ephrata Commercial Historic District Ephrata Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 36 contributing buildings in the central business district of Ephrata. It has notable examples of the ...

Manheim Borough Historic District The Manheim Borough Historic District is a national historic district that is located in Manheim, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. History and architectural features This distr ...

Northeast Lancaster Township Historic District The Northeast Lancaster Township Historic District, locally known as School Lane Hills, is a national historic district that is located in Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Pl ...

C. Emlen Urban Awards

The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County holds an annual meeting and awards banquet in honor of Urban. The C. Emlen Urban Awards are given to individuals and organizations for their work in protecting and preserving historical structures in Lancaster County. Past Award Recipients: * Central Market * Ephrata National Bank * Excelsior * Fulton Elementary School * Lancaster Ironworks Apartments * Luca Restaurant * Nissley Vineyards *

Rock Ford Plantation Historic Rock Ford or the General Edward Hand House is an historic house in southeastern Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Although the property is surrounded by Lancaster County Central Park, it is privately owned and operated by the Rock Ford Foundatio ...

* Urban Place * Wilbur Chocolate Factory

References

External links

"To Build Strongand Substantial: The Career of Architect C. Emlen Urban," Produced by The City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 2009
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Urban, C. Emlen 1863 births 1939 deaths Architects from Pennsylvania Artists from Lancaster, Pennsylvania People from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania