George H. Guernsey (December 10, 1839 – November 28, 1900) was an American

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 ...

from

Montpelier, Vermont Montpelier () is the capital city of the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Washington County. The site of Vermont's state government, it is the least populous state capital in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population w ...

Life

Guernsey was born on December 10, 1839, in

Calais, Vermont Calais is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,661 at the 2020 census. Calais is homophonous with ''callous''. Calais contains the unincorporated communities of Adamant, East Calais, North Calais, Kent's Co ...

, to Gilman and Clotina (Southwick) Guernsey. He served in the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, after which he relocated to Montpelier. After working as a builder, he established himself as an architect. He would go on to become the leading architect in Vermont.Papazian, Lyssa. "Guernsey, George H". ''The Vermont Encyclopedia''. Ed. John J. Duffy, Samuel B. Hand, and Ralph H. Orth. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont Press, 2003. In 1897, he was elected as Montpelier's third mayor. He died of tuberculosis at home in 1900. Guernsey was buried at Green Mount Cemetery in Montpelier.

Legacy

Many of Guernsey's buildings contribute to historic districts on the

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 ...

, in addition to one individual structure. In 2013, a book called ''Vermont's Elusive Architect: George H. Guernsey'' was published by the

Bethel Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanct ...

Historical Society, where Guernsey had designed the town hall. The book found Guernsey to be one of the most influential 19th century architects in Vermont.Lilly, Amy
"A New Book Remembers Vermont Architect George Guernsey "
''http://www.sevendaysvt.com/''. Seven Days Vermont, 16 April 2014.

Architectural works

* 1875 - French's Block, 32 Main St, Montpelier, VermontMontpelier Historic District NRHP Nomination
1978. * 1875 - Union Block, 26 State St, Montpelier, Vermont ** Burned in 1914. * 1878 - Universalist Church (former), 201 Bridge St, Richmond, Vermont * 1879 - Walton Block, 17 State St, Montpelier, Vermont * 1880 - George H. Guernsey House, 68 E State St, Montpelier, Vermont ** The architect's own residence. * 1883 - Blanchard Block, 73 Main St, Montpelier, Vermont * 1884 - St. Charles R. C. Church, 31 Cherry Hill St,

Bellows Falls, Vermont Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,747 at the 2020 census. Bellows Falls is home to the Green Mountain Railroad, a heritage railroad; the ...

* 1885 - Holy Angels R. C. Church, 246 Lake St, St. Albans, Vermont * 1886 - Notre Dame de Victoire R. C. Church, Main & Winter Sts,

St. Johnsbury, Vermont St. Johnsbury (known locally as "St. J") is the shire town (county seat) of Caledonia County, Vermont, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 7,364. St. Johnsbury is situated ...

** Burned in 1966. * 1887 - Barton M. E. Church (former), Church St,

Barton, Vermont Barton is a town in Orleans County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,872 at the 2020 census. The town includes two incorporated villages, Barton and Orleans. Approximately a quarter of the town's population lives in each of th ...

* 1888 - Christ M. E. (St. John's) Church, 135 Main St,

Lancaster, New Hampshire Lancaster is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Coös County, New Hampshire, Coös County, New Hampshire, United States. The town is named after the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancaster in England. As of the 2020 ce ...

* 1888 - St. Francis de Sales R. C. Church, 238 Main St, Bennington, Vermont * 1889 - Edward Dewey House, 128 State St, Montpelier, Vermont * 1890 - John W. Burgess House (Redstone), 26 Terrace St, Montpelier, Vermont * 1891 - Bethel Town Hall, 134 S Main St, Bethel, Vermont * 1891 - Dodge Hall,

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...

, Northfield, Vermont ** Demolished. * 1891 - Immaculate Heart of Mary R. C. Church, 18 Lincoln Ave,

Rutland, Vermont Rutland, Vermont may refer to: *Rutland (city), Vermont * Rutland (town), Vermont *Rutland County, Vermont *West Rutland, Vermont West Rutland is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,214 at the 2020 census. The t ...

* 1891 -

United Baptist Church United Baptist is name of several diverse Baptist groups of Christianity in the United States and Canada. History The name "United Baptist" appears to have arisen from two separate unions of Baptist groups: (1) the union of Regular Baptists and S ...

, 23 Park St,

Lakeport, New Hampshire Lakeport is a neighborhood in the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, in the United States. It was once known as "Lake Village" and is centered on a power dam on the short river channel between Paugus Bay (an arm of Lake Winnipesauk ...

United Baptist Church of Lakeport NRHP Nomination
1985. * 1891 - St. Thomas R. C. Church, 6 Green St, Underhill, Vermont * 1892 - Ludlow Baptist Church, 99 Main St, Ludlow, Vermont * 1892 - St. Augustine R. C. Church, 16 Barre St, Montpelier, Vermont * 1892 - Whiting Library, 117 Main St,

Chester, Vermont Chester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,005 at the 2020 census. History The town was originally chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth as Flamstead in 1754. The terms of the charter were n ...

* 1893 - Bradford Academy, 172 N Main St,

Bradford, Vermont Bradford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,790 at the 2020 census. Bradford is located on the county's eastern border, bordering both the Connecticut River and New Hampshire, and is a commercial center for ...

* 1893 -

Debevoise Hall Debevoise Hall is the main academic building of the Vermont Law School, in South Royalton, Vermont. The Queen Anne-style structure was built in 1892 as Royalton's schoolhouse, and became the law school's first building in 1973. The building co ...

, Vermont Law School, South Royalton, Vermont * 1893 - Plymouth Congregational Church (Remodeling), 4 Post Office Sq,

Plymouth, New Hampshire Plymouth is a rural New England town, town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States, in the White Mountains Region. It has a unique role as the economic, medical, commercial, and cultural center for the predom ...

** Burned. * 1894 - Brownell Block, 20 Main St, Essex Junction, Vermont * 1895 - Hotel Barton, 569 Main St, Barton, VermontYoung, Darlene. ''A History of Barton, Vermont". Barton (VT): Crystal Lake Falls Historical Association, 1998. ** Burned.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guernsey, George H. 1839 births 1900 deaths 19th-century American architects Architects from Vermont People from Montpelier, Vermont Burials at Green Mount Cemetery (Montpelier, Vermont)