Richard Franklin Graf (1863–1940) was an American architect active primarily in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...

and the vicinity in the early 20th century. His works include Stratford Mansion (1910), Sterchi Building (1921),Ann Bennett, National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for Stratford, 23 March 2009. St. John's Lutheran Church (1913),Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission
The Future of Knoxville's Past: Historic and Architectural Resources in Knoxville, Tennessee
October 2006. Retrieved: 23 May 2011. and the Journal Arcade (1924). His home, the

Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in ...

-inspired Graf House, is considered Knoxville's first modern home.''Knoxville: Fifty Landmarks''. (Knoxville: The Knoxville Heritage Committee of the Junior League of Knoxville, 1976), pp. 22, 29. Several buildings designed by Graf have been 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 ...

Biography

Graf was born in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

in 1863. His grandfather was one of several families to immigrate from

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 ...

to Morgan County in the late 1840s (Morgan County's Swiss immigrants also included the grandparents of one of Graf's future clients, James G. Sterchi). Graf had relocated to Knoxville by 1884, when he was working at the Burr & Terry Sash Factory in what is now the Old City. In 1887, Graf cofounded a contracting firm, Vinson and Graf, which operated in Knoxville until 1891. In the early 1890s, Graf worked as a supervisor for the Knoxville Cabinet and Mantel Company. In 1894, he joined the firm of noted mail-order architect

George Franklin Barber George Franklin Barber (July 31, 1854 – February 17, 1915) was an American architect known for the house designs he marketed worldwide through mail-order catalogs. Barber was one of the most successful residential architects of the late Vi ...

(1854–1915), and was elevated to associate in 1901. He and Barber were still working together as late as 1907, when they designed a new building for Mechanics' National Bank. Graf eventually formed an architectural firm with his two sons, John R. Graf and

Herbert Graf Herbert Graf (10 April 1903 – 5 April 1973) was an Austrian-American opera producer. Born in Vienna in 1903, he was the son of Max Graf (1873–1958), and Olga Hönig. His father was an Austrian author, critic, musicologist and member of Sig ...

, as supervising architect. In 1910, the firm designed an elaborate Neoclassical mansion, Stratford, for James G. Sterchi, as well as two buildings– the Bandstand and the Liberal Arts Building– for the Appalachian Exposition at

Chilhowee Park Chilhowee Park is a public park, fairgrounds and exhibition venue in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, located off Magnolia Avenue in East Knoxville. Developed in the late 19th century, the park is home to the Tennessee Valley Fair and hosts se ...

.Plaque at the Chilhowee Park Bandstand, Knoxville, Tennessee. Three years later, Graf designed the Gothic-style St. John's Lutheran Church, which still stands across from

Old Gray Cemetery Old Gray Cemetery is the second-oldest cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1850, the cemetery contains the graves of some of Knoxville's most influential citizens, ranging from politicians and soldiers, to artists an ...

on Broadway. In 1920, Sterchi again commissioned Graf to design his furniture company's 10-story warehouse, now known as Sterchi Lofts, which was completed the following year.The Lumber Manufacturer and Dealer
Vol. 65, 23 February 1920, p. 63. Retrieved: 23 May 2011. The Graf House, the design of which was inspired by the

movement, was completed in 1923. During this same period, Graf designed two dormitories for

Maryville College Maryville College is a private liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The college is one of the ...

, Carnegie Hall (1917) and Thaw Hall (1923).

Works

The following were designed by Graf or his firm, R.F. Graf and Sons.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graf, Richard Franklin People from Nashville, Tennessee People from Knoxville, Tennessee Architects from Tennessee American people of Swiss descent 1940 deaths 1863 births

Biography

Works

See also

References

External links