Leoni W. Robinson (1851-1923) was a leading

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 ...

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

Life and career

Leoni Warren Robinson was born September 26, 1851, in

, to Warren Robinson, a builder, and Sarah Howard (Woodward) Robinson. He was one of eight children. The family lived in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

from 1854 to 1857 and in

Janesville, Wisconsin Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...

, from 1857 to 1863 before returning to New Haven."Leoni Warren Robinson" in ''A Modern History of New Haven and Eastern New Haven County'', vol. 2, ed. Everett G. Hill (New York: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1918): 130."Edwin W. Robinson" in
Quarter Centenary Record of the Class of 1888, Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University
' (New Haven, 1915): 88-89. He attended the local public schools and received preliminary architectural training in the office of Henry Austin.James F. O'Gorman,
Henry Austin: In Every Variety of Architectural Style
' (Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2008) In 1870 he moved to

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 joined the office of architect Robert G. Hatfield. In 1874, on Hatfield's recommendation, he joined the

Office of the Supervising Architect The Office of the Supervising Architect was an agency of the United States Treasury Department that designed federal government buildings from 1852 to 1939. The office handled some of the most important architectural commissions of the nineteenth ...

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

, where he worked on large Federal projects under Supervising Architects

Alfred B. Mullett Alfred Bult Mullett (April 7, 1834 – October 20, 1890) was a British-American architect who served from 1866 to 1874 as Office of the Supervising Architect, Supervising Architect, head of the government agency, agency of the United States Treas ...

, William A. Potter and

James G. Hill James G. Hill (1841–1913) was an American architect who, during the period 1876 to 1883, headed the Office of the Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury, which oversaw major Federal buildings. During that period ...

. In 1877 and 1878 he traveled in Europe, and when he returned to the United States he opened his own office as an architect in New Haven. Robinson practiced continuously in New Haven until his death in 1923. Though he was best known for the design of schools, Robinson designed all types of buildings, including the First National Bank Building of 1895, New Haven's first skyscraper. By this time he was the leading architect in New Haven. From 1878 to 1894 he was architect to the Board of Education of New Haven, and from 1903 to 1913 was secretary of the commission charged with the construction of the

Connecticut State Library The Connecticut State Library is the state library for the U.S. state of Connecticut and is also an executive branch agency of the state. It is located in Hartford, Connecticut directly across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol. The Sta ...

and

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

Building in

Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, for which

Donn Barber Donn Barber FAIA (October 19, 1871 – May 29, 1925) was an American architect. Biography Barber was born on October 19, 1871 in Washington DC, the son of Charles Gibbs Barber, and the grandson of Hiram Barber. He studied at Holbrook Mili ...

and Edward T. Hapgood of Hartford were chosen architects. After his death, his practice was succeeded by the firm of Gray & Lawrence, and later by George Herbert Gray alone. Gray & Lawrence were responsible for the Little Theatre of New Haven, built in 1924 and listed 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 1984. In 1883 Robinson joined 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 ...

, and became a Fellow in 1889. For a time he was president of the Connecticut chapter. Robinson was also affiliated with the

Architectural League of New York The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture, urbanism, and related disciplines". The league dates from 1881, when Cass Gilbert organized meetings at the Salmagundi Club for ...

and the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers. For two years he was a member of the Board of Education of New Haven.

Personal life

In 1883 Robinson married Mina J. de Moss of

Coshocton, Ohio Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States approximately 63 mi (102 km) ENE of Columbus. The population was 11,216 at the 2010 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Cos ...

, and they had three daughters. The family lived at 220 Canner Street in New Haven, a house designed by and built for Robinson in 1894.
City Year Book for the City of New Haven for 1894
' (New Haven: City of New Haven, 1895) Robinson died February 12, 1923, at home in New Haven at the age of 71."Leoni W. Robinson" in
Pencil Points
' 4, no. 3 (March, 1923): 35.A. B. Hill, "Leoni W. Robinson" in
The Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers: Papers and Transactions for 1923 and Proceedings of the Thirty-Ninth Annual Meeting
' (New Haven: Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers, 1923): 113-114.

Legacy

In 1917 Robinson was among the founders of the Architectural Club of New Haven, later the Connecticut Architectural League, and was its first president. After his death the organization created the Leoni W. Robinson Memorial Medal, similar in conception to the

Harleston Parker Medal The Harleston Parker Medal was established in 1921 by J. Harleston Parker to recognize “such architects as shall have, in the opinion of the Boston Society of Architects One of the oldest and largest chapters of the AIA, the Boston Society of ...

of Boston, to be awarded annually to Connecticut architects or firms for excellence in architecture. It was first awarded in 1925 and recipients were Leonard Asheim in 1925,

Orr & del Grella Douglas William Orr (March 25, 1892 – July 29, 1966) was an American architect based in New Haven, Connecticut. Biography Douglas Orr was born in Meriden, Connecticut, to Adam and Mary Orr. He was prolific and designed many public and com ...

in 1926,

Theodate Pope Riddle Theodate Pope Riddle (February 2, 1867 – August 30, 1946) was an American architect and philanthropist. She was one of the first American women architects and a survivor of the sinking of the RMS ''Lusitania''. Life Born Effie Brooks Pope ...

in 1927, William F. Brooks, formerly of

Davis & Brooks Davis & Brooks was an American architectural firm based in Hartford, Connecticut, active from 1897 to 1919. It was established by F. Irvin Davis (1869-1944) and William F. Brooks (1872-1950). Among their projects is the Hartford Municipal Buil ...

, in 1928 and

Malmfeldt, Adams & Prentice Adams & Prentice, Malmfeldt, Adams & Prentice, and Malmfeldt, Adams & Woodbridge were a series of American architectural firms in mid-twentieth-century New York City, with Adams & Prentice (fl. 1929–1941) being the most well-known, all established ...

in 1929. It is not known if the medal was awarded after 1929. Robinson designed at least five buildings that are listed on the

, and others contribute to listed historic districts.

Architectural works

Welch Training School The Welch Training School, also known as the Welch School, is a historic school building at 495 Congress Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Built in 1883, it is a good example of Queen Anne architecture as applied to school buildings, and was the ci ...

(former), 495 Congress St,

(1883, NRHP 1983)Welch Training School NRHP Registration Form
(1983) * Lovell School (former), 25 Lawrence St,

(1884) *

Seymour High School and Annex Seymour may refer to: Places Australia *Seymour, Victoria, a township * Electoral district of Seymour, a former electoral district in Victoria *Rural City of Seymour, a former local government area in Victoria * Seymour, Tasmania, a locality ...

(former), 100 Bank St,

Seymour, Connecticut Seymour is a New England town, town located in New Haven County, Connecticut, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,748 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Seymour is bordered by the towns of Oxford and Beac ...

(1885 and 1905, NRHP 1983)Seymour High School and Annex NRHP Registration Form
(1983) * Episcopal Church of the Ascension (former), 375 Howard Ave,

(1887) * Horace Day School (former), 91 Rosette St,

(1888)Colin M. Caplan, ''A Guide to Historic New Haven, Connecticut'' (Charleston: History Press, 2007) * Southern New England Telephone Company Building, 122 Court St,

(1889, demolished) * Union School, 174 Center St,

West Haven, Connecticut West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It is located on the coast of Long Island Sound. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was 55,584. History Settled in 1648, West Haven (then known as West Farms) ...

(1890, NRHP 1987) * House for Augustus H. Kimberly, 271 Whitney Ave,

(1891) * Larue Building, 240 Main St,

Danbury, Connecticut Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...

(1891)Main Street Historic District NRHP Registration Form
(1983) * Monson Building, 760 Chapel St,

(1891) * House for Joseph Porter, 215 Whitney Ave,

(1893, demolished) * House for Leoni W. Robinson, 220 Canner St,

(1894) * First National Bank Building, 42 Church St,

(1895, demolished) * Quinnipiac Brewery addition, 1 Brewery Sq, Fair Haven,

(1896, NRHP 1983)Quinnipiac Brewery NRHP Registration Form
(1983) * Roger Sherman School (former), 765 Elm St,

(1896) * Adrian Hospital (former), 1 Park Ave,

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania Punxsutawney (; Unami language, Lenape: ' ) is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in southern Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. Punxsutawney is known globally for its annual Groundhog Day celebration held each February 2, during which thousands of ...

(1897) * House for Oliver C. Andrews, 24 Edgehill Rd,

(1899) * Chapel, Evergreen Cemetery, 769 Ella T Grasso Blvd,

(1902) * Hope Memorial Building,

Yale School of Medicine The Yale School of Medicine is the graduate medical school at Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was founded in 1810 as the Medical Institution of Yale College and formally opened in 1813. The primary te ...

(1902) * First Baptist Church, 205 Edwards St,

(1903)Whitney Avenue Historic District NRHP Registration Form
(1989) * New Haven Water Company Building, 100 Crown St,

(1903)Ninth Square Historic District NRHP Registration Form
(1984) * House for Thomas D. Goodell, 35 Edgehill Rd,

(1904)Prospect Hill Historic District NRHP Registration Form
(1979) * House for Philip E. Browning, 23 Edgehill Rd,

(1905) * House for J. Arnold Norcross, 421 St Ronan St,

(1905) * Southern New England Telephone Company Building, 31 West St,

Norwich, Connecticut Norwich ( ) (also called "The Rose of New England") is a city in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The Yantic, Shetucket, and Quinebaug Rivers flow into the city and form its harbor, from which the Thames River flows south to Long ...

(1906–07, NRHP 1983) *

Trinity Church on the Green Trinity Church on the Green or Trinity on the Green is a historic, culturally and community-active parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut in New Haven, Connecticut, of the Episcopal Church. It is one of three historic churches on the Ne ...

nave reconstruction, 230 Temple St,

(1906)

Elizabeth Mills Brown Elizabeth Mills Brown (November 28, 1916 – December 27, 2008) was a prominent American architectural historian, preservationist, and civic leader who lived in New Haven and Guilford, Connecticut. Brown was raised in New York City and graduated f ...

, ''New Haven: A Guide to Architecture and Urban Design'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1976) * Buildings for the

Winchester Repeating Arms Company The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American manufacturer of repeating firearms and ammunition. The firm was established in 1866 by Oliver Winchester and was located in New Haven, Connecticut. The firm went into receivership ...

, 275 Winchester Ave,

(1908 et seq.) * Southern New England Telephone Company Building, 31 West St,

(1908) * Mechanics Bank Building, 72 Church St,

(1910, demolished) * Southern New England Telephone Company Building, 185 Pearl St,

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

(1911, demolished) * Optical Building, 849 Chapel St,

(1912) * House for Walter Crittendon, 396 Livingston St,

(1914) *

New Haven Free Public Library The New Haven Free Public Library (also known as the NHFPL) is the public library system serving New Haven, Connecticut. The system began in 1887 in a leased location but quickly outgrew its space. The Ives Memorial Library is the main branch of ...

Fair Haven Branch, 182 Grand Ave, Fair Haven,

(1916)
American Contractor
' 37, no. 35 (August 26, 1916): 56. * Southern New England Telephone Company Building Addition, 126 Court St,

(1916, altered 1929)

Gallery of architectural works

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Leoni W. Architects from Wisconsin Architects from New Haven, Connecticut 1851 births 1923 deaths