Morris Frederick Bell (August 8, 1849 – August 2, 1929) was an American architect known primarily for his institutional buildings but also for his domestic and commercial structures. His best known work is the

David R. Francis Quadrangle David R. Francis Quadrangle is the historical center of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. Known as The Quad it is the oldest part of Red Campus and adjacent to Downtown Columbia at the south end of the Avenue of the Columns. At i ...

the historic center of the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

including

Jesse Hall Jesse Hall is the main administration building for the University of Missouri. Its dome has towered 180 feet above the south end of David R. Francis Quadrangle since its completion in 1895. In the lawn in front of Jesse Hall are The Columns, all ...

. He also designed state correctional schools in Boonville, Chillicothe, and

Tipton Tipton is an industrial town in the West Midlands in England with a population of around 38,777 at the 2011 UK Census. It is located northwest of Birmingham. Tipton was once one of the most heavily industrialised towns in the Black Country, w ...

; and state mental hospitals in

Fulton Fulton may refer to: People * Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship * Fulton (surname) Given name * Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer * Fult ...

, Higginsville, and

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

. Bell, a democrat, was also active in civic life, especially Masonic organizations. He trained and employed

William Lincoln Garver William Lincoln Garver was an American architect, civil engineer, author, socialist leader, and political candidate from Missouri. He was primarily an architect by trade, and learned while working under his uncle, architect Morris Frederick Bell ...

as an assistant. Garver would later go on to have a stand-alone career.

Notable works

the main building of the

, listed as part of the Francis Quadrangle Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places * M. Fred Bell Rental Cottage in

Fulton, Missouri Fulton is the largest city in and the county seat of Callaway County, Missouri, United States. Located about northeast of Jefferson City and the Missouri River and east of Columbia, the city is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri, Metropolita ...

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places * M. Fred Bell Speculative Cottage in

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Brandon-Bell-Collier House in

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Chillicothe Industrial Home for Girls in

Chillicothe, Missouri Chillicothe is a city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Livingston County, Missouri, United States. The population was 9,107 at the 2020 census. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee for "big town", and was named after their ''Chillico ...

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Court Street Historic Residential District in

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Downtown Fulton Historic District in

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Missouri State Penitentiary Warden's House in

Jefferson City, Missouri Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the princip ...

, listed on the National Register of Historic Places

References

Sources

*Ohman, Marian M. ''Initial Study of Architect M.F. Bell, 1849–1929, His Contributions to the State of Missouri''. Columbia: University of Missouri, 1970. *Christensen, Lawrence O., William E. Foley, Gary R. Kremer, and Kenneth H. Winn, eds. ''Dictionary of Missouri Biography''. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1999. pp. 55–56 *"General Bell Left His Imprint on Missouri." ''Fulton Sun-Gazette''. April 27, 1980. p. 12. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Morris Frederick 1849 births 1929 deaths 19th-century American architects People from Fulton, Missouri University of Missouri people Architecture in Columbia, Missouri Architects from Missouri Fellows of the American Institute of Architects People from Hagerstown, Maryland American Freemasons 20th-century American architects Architects from Maryland

Notable works

See also

References

Sources