Harold Eugene Wagoner (February 27, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was a prominent twentieth-century American ecclesiastical architect who designed many notable churches, including Coral Ridge Presbyterian and National Presbyterian, as well as helping design the interior of the
United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel
The United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, completed in 1962, is the distinguishing feature of the Cadet Area at the United States Air Force Academy north of Colorado Springs. It was designed by Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill ...
. His firm was entirely devoted to ecclesiastical work and had more than 500 commissions in 36 states. He was an instructor in architecture at the Drexel Institute of Technology for more than twenty years.
Biography
Wagoner was born in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
to Harriet and Jesse Wagoner and earned a degree in architecture from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, now
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...
. Immediately after graduation in 1926 he went to work for the Methodist Bureau of Architecture in Philadelphia where he would continue until its demise in 1933, during 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 ...
. In that year he went to
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau (; ) is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the ''arrondissement ...
to study at the ''École Americaine des Beaux-Arts''. After his time in France he moved back to
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
where he was associated with the firm of Thomas & Martin followed by Wenner & Chance. From 1942 to 1944, during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he served as Chief of the Camouflage Unit, U.S. Army Engineers.
In 1944 he was invited by Walter H. Thomas to form the firm Thomas & Wagoner. At the time of Thomas's death in 1948, the firm had approximately 30 church-related projects underway in 16 states. After Thomas's death, Wagoner formed Wagoner and Associates, which continued into the 1980s. In 1948, he was given the Award of Merit by his alma mater, the Carnegie Institute, and during the 1950s and 60s he dominated the awards of the Church Architecture Guild of America. Wagoner was vice-president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA and also served as chairman of the Commission on Architecture, Lutheran Society of Music, Worship and the Arts and President of the Church Architectural Guild of America. He was succeeded in his firm by Henry Jung.
Style
Wagoner, a
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
, was among the most notable architects of
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
churches in mid-twentieth century America, with a reputation and impact that few could match. He first received accolades for his designs for First Presbyterian of Vero Beach and St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran in
Savannah
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...
, with the later being called, "one of the truly great churches of the South." Some of his commissions were more modest, such as First Baptist in Levittown, but his work was primarily on the high-end for wealthier congregations.
In contrast to
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
, the most prominent architect of the time, Wagoner was quite attuned to client wishes. Where Wright would create "client proof" buildings intended to fulfill his own original vision rather than any desire of the customer, Wagoner's hallmark was adapting to congregational needs and desires. If the congregation wished a Colonial Revival church, as with Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery, then that is what he delivered. If they wished something modern, such as at Wesley United Methodist in Urbana, then he would create a modern design. His work is thus quite eclectic, ranging from the Indiana Limestone-clad First Presbyterian in South Bend, to the very modern glass and concrete Second Presbyterian, and towering Coral Ridge Presbyterian, in Fort Lauderdale. The Thomas & Wagoner design for Community Methodist Church in
Westwood, Los Angeles
Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Bordering the campus on the south ...
used so much concrete that
Civil Defense
Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, miti ...
authorities declared it the most
Atom bomb
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...
proof building in the city.
Wagoner himself worried privately to his friends that he was merely a competent architect rather than a great one. Vincent Kling said of Wagoner that:
''No two buildings are alike which, in my opinion, is a great asset. He has always been able to select the architectural mood which is most suited to the environment of the community in which he works. When the site and the sponsorship suggested a very dramatic building, Mr. Wagoner has risen to the occasion and produced good architecture. On the other hand, when the established community and its sponsorship suggested a modest building in character with the neighborhood, Mr. Wagoner again was sensitive to the situation and produced good architecture.''
Select works
Note: Projects initiated during the Thomas & Wagoner period (1944-1948) were designed by Walter H. Thomas and their construction was completed by Wagoner. In a 1956 list of "Ecclesiastical Work", Wagoner states that "Certain of the foregoing projects were undertaken with local architects, or were executed under the firm name of Thomas and Wagoner." Projects executed under the firm name of Thomas and Wagoner are marked with an * in the list below.
*Immanuel Lutheran Church
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Early English
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 ...
style (1949) *
*Grace United Methodist Church,
Wilmington, NC
Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States.
With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is th ...
(1950) *
*Community Methodist Church,
Westwood, Los Angeles
Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Bordering the campus on the south ...
, First Award for Large Churches, Church Architectural Guild of America (1951) *
* Second Presbyterian Church,
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
, Second Award for Large Churches, Church Architectural Guild of America (1952) *
* Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, Georgia, blending of the Gothic and Modern architecture (1952)
*First Presbyterian Church,
South Bend, Indiana
South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...
, First Award for Large Churches, Church Architectural Guild of America (1952) *
* Trinity Presbyterian Church,
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...
(1952) *
*Davidson College Presbyterian Church,
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowan†...
,
Davidson, NC
Davidson is a suburban town located in northern Mecklenburg and Iredell counties, North Carolina, United States, on the banks of Lake Norman. It is a suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 10,944 at the 2010 census, and ...
(1952) *
*First Presbyterian Church,
Burlington, North Carolina
Burlington is a city in Alamance County, North Carolina, Alamance and Guilford County, North Carolina, Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Are ...
, Honorable Mention for Large Churches, Church Architectural Guild of America (1953) *
*Margate Community Church,
Margate, New Jersey
Margate City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, Margate City's population was 5,317, a reduction of 1,037 over the previous decade.First Baptist Church, Washington D.C. (1955) *
*Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church,
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...
(1955) *
*St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...
, Award, Guild for Religious Architecture (1957)
*Saint Mark Lutheran Church,
Salem, Oregon
Salem ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County, Oregon, Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river ...
(1957)
*Belmont Avenue Baptist Church, Marple Township, Pennsylvania, Third Award for design, Church Architectural Department of the Baptist Sunday School Board (1957)
*First Presbyterian Church, Vero Beach, Florida, First Award, Small Church, Guild for Religious Architecture (1958)
*Wesley United Methodist in
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Urbana had a population of 38,336. As of the 2010 United States Census, Urbana is the List of municipalities in Illinois, 38th-most pop ...
,
Expressionistic
Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...
version of
Late 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 ...
Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville (; locally ) is a city in and the seat of Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 census, it is the sixth-largest city in the state. Greenville is located approximately halfway be ...
(1959)
*St. Mark's Lutheran Church,
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populous ...
(1960)
*
Cathedral of the Rockies
Cathedral of the Rockies, also known as the Cathedral of the Rockies First United Methodist Church, is a United Methodist church located in the historic North End district of Boise, Idaho, United States. The church is the largest United Methodist C ...
, Boise, Idaho (1960)
*Highland Presbyterian Church, Fayetteville, NC (1960) *
*First Presbyterian Church, Elkhart, Indiana, Special Mention Award, Indiana Society of Architects (1961)
*First Presbyterian Church,
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, West Virginia, Wood County, West Virginia. Located at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Little Kanawha River, Little Kanawha rivers, it is the state's fourth-largest city and ...
New York, New York
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...
Staunton, VA
Staunton ( ) is an independent city in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,750. In Virginia, independent cities are separate jurisdictions from the counties that surround them, so the government offi ...
(1962)
*University Presbyterian Church, Chapel Hill, NC (1962)
*Grace Lutheran Church, State College, PA, Award, Guild for Religious Architecture (1964)
*Haymount United Methodist Church, Fayetteville, NC (1964) *
*First Presbyterian Church,
Avenel, New Jersey
Avenel is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Woodbridge Township, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States.Scottsdale, Arizona
, settlement_type = City
, named_for = Winfield Scott
, image_skyline =
, image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg
, image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg
, nick ...
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, ...
, Third Award for Design, Church Architectural Department of the Baptist Sunday School Board (1968)
*Shrine of the Ages at the
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...
(1970)
*
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a Christian megachurch within the Presbyterian Church in America located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in 1960 by D. James Kennedy (1930–2007), who served as the church's senior pastor until s ...
,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...
(1973)
Sources:
*
*
*
Gallery
File:Entrance of the First Baptist Church Washington DC.JPG, First Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.*
File:Shrine-arches.JPG, Shrine of the Ages, Grand Canyon, AZ
File:View of sanctuary of National Presbyterian Church.JPG, The Sanctuary of National Presbyterian Church
File:2ndPresbyterianMemphisTN.jpg, Second Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee*
File:First Presbytarian Church, St. Petersburg, Florida.jpg, First Presbyterian Church, St. Petersburg, Florida
File:Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer nave.jpg, Interior of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta, Georgia