Franz Joseph Untersee (1858-1927) was a Swiss-American architect who designed many

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

churches throughout the eastern part of United States. Born and educated in Glarus,

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, he was sent to

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

for technical training, and after receiving his degree in architecture from Stuttgart University, returned to his native country. He served for a time as assistant to the City Architect of

Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

but left to broaden the scope of his education in other cities of the continent. In 1882, Untersee sailed for America and having established residence in

Brookline Brookline may refer to: Places in the United States * Brookline, Massachusetts, a town near Boston * Brookline, Missouri * Brookline, New Hampshire * Brookline (Pittsburgh), a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania * Brookline, Vermont See ...

, a suburb of

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 ...

, opened an office where he continued active for forty years. He was elected to the Boston Society of Architects in 1896 and in 1901 became an Associate 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 ...

. Many of his early works were in Brookline including the old Public Bath House (1896), the Manual Training Center (1901) and Brookline Savings Bank (both old and new buildings). It was however in the field of church design that he was best known. Many Roman Catholic buildings of the then popular Romanesque type were built from his plans in New England and New York State. His last work completed just before his death was the Mission High School,

Roxbury, Massachusetts Roxbury () is a Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury is a Municipal annexation in the United States, dissolved municipality and one of 23 official neighborhoods of Boston used by the city for n ...

Works

* Basilica and Rectory of Our Lady of Perpetual Help,

Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county i ...

St. Patrick's Church
East Jaffrey, NH *St. Patrick's Church,

Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach is a village district, census-designated place, and beach resort in the town of Hampton, New Hampshire, United States, along the Atlantic Ocean. Its population at the 2020 census was 2,598. Hampton Beach is in Rockingham County, abo ...

*St Peter & Paul Church and Rectory,

Jamestown, NY Jamestown is a city in southern Chautauqua County, in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 28,712 at the 2020 census. Situated between Lake Erie to the north and the Allegheny National Forest to the south, Jamestown is the largest pop ...

*Buildings for the Mt. Saint Alphonsus Retreat Center for the Redemptorist Fathers, Esopus-on-the-Hudson, NY *The towers for the Mission Church, Boston together with a renovation of the interior. *St. Alphonsus Hall

*The tower for St. Columbkille Church,

Brighton, MA Brighton is a former town and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, located in the northwestern corner of the city. It is named after the English city of Brighton. Initially Brighton was part of Cambridge, and known as ...

*St. Columbkille School,

*St. Anthony Church,

Allston, MA Allston is an officially recognized neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was named after the American painter and poet Washington Allston. It comprises the land covered by the zip code 02134. For the most part ...

*St. Mary Star of the Sea Church,

East Boston, MA East Boston, nicknamed Eastie, is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts annexed by the city of Boston in 1637. Neighboring communities include Winthrop, Revere, and Chelsea. It is separated from the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown and d ...

*St. Lawrence Church,

Brookline, MA Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːs ...

*House of the Good Shepherd,

(5 buildings, demolished in the 1960s)http://www.historicnewengland.org/collections-archives-exhibitions/collections-access/photography/education/search?b_start:int=30&_namedquery=education photograph of one of the buildings of the House of the Good Shepherd, Roxbury, MA. Possibly not one of the buildings attributed to Untersee

Buildings attributed to Untersee

*St John\St Hugh Church,

Roxbury, MA Roxbury () is a neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts. Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and one of 23 official neighborhoods of Boston used by the city for neighborhood services coordination. The city states that Roxbury se ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Untersee, Franz Joseph 1858 births 1927 deaths Architects of Roman Catholic churches Swiss emigrants to the United States University of Stuttgart alumni People from Bern Architects from Boston People from Brookline, Massachusetts