Dudley St. Clair Donnelly
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Dudley St. Clair Donnelly (1870-1937) was an American architect practicing in
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.


Life and career

Dudley St. Clair Donnelly was born September 17, 1870, in
Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
to Henry C. Donnelly and Catharine (Barry) Donnelly. In 1875 the family moved to
Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. Developed along the Hudson River, it is the third most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City and Buffalo. The population of Yonkers was 211,569 as enu ...
, where Donnelly was educated, graduating from high school in 1888. He received his architectural training in the offices of
Benjamin Silliman Benjamin Silliman (August 8, 1779 – November 24, 1864) was an early American chemist and science educator. He was one of the first American professors of science, at Yale College, the first person to use the process of fractional distillat ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
and
Arthur F. Gray Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...
in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. In 1892 he was employed by Cole & Chandler, architects of New London and Boston.''A Modern History of New London County, Connecticut'', vol. 3, ed. Benjamin Tinkham Marshall (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922): 289-290. Cole died in New London in 1893, and
Chandler Chandler or The Chandler may refer to: * Chandler (occupation), originally head of the medieval household office responsible for candles, now a person who makes or sells candles * Ship chandler, a dealer in supplies or equipment for ships Arts ...
consolidated his practice in Boston. Donnelly then opened his own office in New London. He worked alone until 1899 when he formed a partnership with Louis R. Hazeltine. The partnership of Donnelly & Hazeltine was dissolved in December, 1906, after which Donnelly returned to private practice. After fifteen more years in New London, in 1919 Donnelly began to live and work in Florida for part of the year.Morton Freeman Plant Hunting Lodge NRHP Registration Form
(1988)
He moved full-time to Coral Gables in 1925.Dudley St. Clair Donnelly
" aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net, AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, n. d. Accessed April 9, 2021.
During the
land boom A real-estate bubble or property bubble (or housing bubble for residential markets) is a type of economic bubble that occurs periodically in local or global real-estate markets, and typically follow a land boom. A land boom is the rapid increase ...
many northern architects moved to Florida. The local economy collapsed following the hurricanes of
1926 Events January * January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece. * January 8 **Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz. ** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of V ...
and
1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
, and with the start of the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
Donnelly returned to New London in 1930. He then served as city building inspector, and supervised the construction of
WPA WPA may refer to: Computing *Wi-Fi Protected Access, a wireless encryption standard *Windows Product Activation, in Microsoft software licensing * Wireless Public Alerting (Alert Ready), emergency alerts over LTE in Canada * Windows Performance An ...
projects.


Personal life

Donnelly married Joanna E. Hurley of New London, and they had two sons. He served on the city council. Donnelly was a member of the
American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
from 1921 to 1929. Donnelly died March 5, 1937, in New London.


Legacy

Like many of his contemporaries, Donnelly was an eclectic designer and drew on different historical styles for each project. He was especially fond of the
Renaissance Revival Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as "Neo-Renaissance") is a group of 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range o ...
style, which he used extensively in his commercial and institutional projects. Other buildings utilized the
Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archi ...
or the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
styles, while some residential projects were inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the
American Craftsman American Craftsman is an American domestic architectural style, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, which included interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts, beginning in the last years of the 19th century. Its ...
style. One of his major clients was
Morton Freeman Plant Morton Freeman Plant (August 18, 1852, Branford, Connecticut – November 4, 1918, New York City) was a United States financier. Biography Morton Freeman Plant was the son of Henry Bradley and Ellen Elizabeth (Blackstone) Plant. His father was a pi ...
, who commissioned him to design an office building in New London, his hunting lodge in East Lyme, a garage on his Groton estate and golf clubs in Groton and Belleair, Florida. At least four buildings designed by Donnelly have been listed on the United States
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, though one has been demolished. Others contribute to listed historic districts.


Architectural works

* House for Dudley St. Clair Donnelly,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1897)Montauk Avenue Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1990) * House for Col. Augustus C. Tyler,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1897, demolished) * Groton Congregational Church,
Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town in New London County, Connecticut located on the Thames River. It is the home of General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy. The Naval Submarine Base New London is ...
(1902) * Saltonstall School (former),
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1902–03) * Savings Bank of New London Building,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1903–05) * House for Leander K. Shipman,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1904)Williams Memorial Park Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1987) * Expansion of the Crocker House,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1905) * New London Manual Training and Industrial School (former),
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1905–06, demolished) * Mariners Savings Bank Building,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1906, demolished) * ''
Day A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two so ...
'' Building,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1907) * Hunting lodge for
Morton Freeman Plant Morton Freeman Plant (August 18, 1852, Branford, Connecticut – November 4, 1918, New York City) was a United States financier. Biography Morton Freeman Plant was the son of Henry Bradley and Ellen Elizabeth (Blackstone) Plant. His father was a pi ...
,
East Lyme, Connecticut East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,693 at the 2020 census. The villages of Niantic and Flanders are located in the town. Geography East Lyme is located in southern New London County, west ...
(1908, NRHP 1988) * Expansion of the
New London County Courthouse The New London County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at 70 Huntington Street at the top of State Street in New London, Connecticut. It was built in 1784–86, and its design is attributed to Isaac Fitch. It is the oldest courthouse i ...
,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1909, NRHP 1970)New London County Courthouse NRHP Registration Form (1970) * Garage at " Branford Farm" for
Morton Freeman Plant Morton Freeman Plant (August 18, 1852, Branford, Connecticut – November 4, 1918, New York City) was a United States financier. Biography Morton Freeman Plant was the son of Henry Bradley and Ellen Elizabeth (Blackstone) Plant. His father was a pi ...
,
Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town in New London County, Connecticut located on the Thames River. It is the home of General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy. The Naval Submarine Base New London is ...
(1910, NRHP 1984, demolished) * Groton Heights School,
Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town in New London County, Connecticut located on the Thames River. It is the home of General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy. The Naval Submarine Base New London is ...
(1912) * Manwaring Building,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1913) *
Natchaug School Natchaug Elementary School is a public elementary school in Willimantic, Connecticut, United States. The school opened in 1865 and is located at the junction of Milk Street and Jackson Street in downtown Willimantic. It is one of four elementary ...
,
Willimantic, Connecticut Willimantic is a city located in the town of Windham, Connecticut, Windham in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It is a former Census-designated place and Borough (Connecticut), borough, and is currently organized as one of two Local gov ...
(1913) * Clubhouse, Shennecossett Country Club,
Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town in New London County, Connecticut located on the Thames River. It is the home of General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is the major contractor for submarine work for the United States Navy. The Naval Submarine Base New London is ...
(1914) * Plant Building,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1914) * Y. M. C. A. Building (former),
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1915)Downtown New London Historic District (Boundary Increase) NRHP Registration Form (1988) * March Building,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1916) * Winthrop House,
Connecticut College Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...
,
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1916) * Clubhouse, Belleview Country Club,
Belleair, Florida Belleair is a town in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 3,869. History Belleair traces its origins to 1896 as a planned resort town with the construction of the Belleview Hotel by railroad ...
(1919, demolished) * Ohev Sholem Synagogue (former),
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1919, NRHP 1995) * Receiving Building, Connecticut State Farm and Reformatory for Women (former),
Niantic, Connecticut Niantic is a census-designated place (CDP) and village in the town of East Lyme, Connecticut in the United States. The population was 3,114 at the 2010 census. It is located on Long Island Sound, the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant in nearby Waterfo ...
(1920) * Governor Waller School (former),
New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
(1923) * House for Greta Hughes,
Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248. Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...
(1926)Lauren Weiss Bricker, ''The Mediterranean House in America'' (New York: Abrams, 2008)


Gallery of architectural works


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Donnelly, Dudley St. Clair Architects from Connecticut 20th-century American architects People from New London, Connecticut 1870 births 1937 deaths