Richard Sharp Smith (July 7, 1853 – February 8, 1924) was an English-born American architect, associated with
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Estate is a historic house museum and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina. Biltmore House (or Biltmore Mansion), the main residence, is a Châteauesque-style mansion built for George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 a ...
and
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...
.
Clay Griffith with the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office says, "The influence of Richard Sharp Smith’s architecture in Asheville and western North Carolina during the first quarter of the twentieth century cannot be overstated."
His vernacular style combines elements of
Craftsman,
Colonial Revival
The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture.
The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archi ...
, English cottage,
Shingle, and
Tudor Revival
Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...
architectural styles.
He is associated with some of America's important architectural firms of the late 19th century—
Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of American architecture. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 entrance fa ...
,
Bradford Lee Gilbert, and
Reid & Reid
Reid & Reid, also known as Reid Brothers, was an American architectural and engineering firm that was active from 1880 to 1932. Established in Indiana by Canadian immigrants, the firm moved to the West Coast and became was the most prominent fir ...
.
Background
Smith was born in
Yorkshire, England
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
, the son of Saleta (nee Watterson) and Jones Smith.
He is thought to have studied architecture at the
Kensington School of Art in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
[Best, John Hardin, and Kate Gunn, eds. ''An Architect and His Times: Richard Sharp Smith, A Retrospective.'' Asheville: The Historic Resources Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County, 1995.] He received additional architectural training in the office of a cousin, George Smith.
He worked with various firms in
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
before immigrating to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in 1882.
Career
In 1882, Smith became an architect with
Reid Brothers in
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...
, an architectural and engineering firm.
As
Reid & Reid
Reid & Reid, also known as Reid Brothers, was an American architectural and engineering firm that was active from 1880 to 1932. Established in Indiana by Canadian immigrants, the firm moved to the West Coast and became was the most prominent fir ...
, this firm would go on to be one of the most important architects in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
of that era; however, Smith only worked with them for a year.
In 1883, 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 ...
to work with the noted architect
Bradford Lee Gilbert.
Under Gilbert, Smith supervised the design and construction of railroad stations.
However, in that era, Gilbert was also working on mansions for New York City's millionaires and a hotel, so Smith was exposed to a range of projects.
Biltmore
![Biltmore estate](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Biltmore_Estate.jpg)
In 1886, Smith joined the firm of
Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of American architecture. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 entrance fa ...
, at his
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 ...
office.
In 1889, Hunt assigned Smith to be the supervising architect for
George W. Vanderbilt's Biltmore in
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Buncombe County, North Carolina. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the state's 11th-most populous cit ...
.
Biltmore was planned to be more than the largest home in America; it was also to be a working estate with expansive grounds designed by landscape architect
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the USA. Olmsted was famous for co- ...
.
Smith oversaw the receipt of all materials and Biltmore's construction, along with supervising the principal contractor D.C. Weeks and the work of carpenters, masons, metalworkers, painters, plasterers, stone carvers, stonecutters, wood carvers, and related craftsmen. Smith ordered limestone from the Hallowell Stone Company of Bedford, Indiana, and cement from the J.B. Speed Company of Louisville, Kentucky, based on weekly usage, which he calculated based on the number of workmen and their skillset, the type of work being done, and the weather.
Yet, Smith was more than just a supervising architect; he designed many secondary buildings, cottages, and other structures for the estate while on site.
One of the most visible today is the Mule Stable which is now used as the Deerpark restaurant.
He also designed Eastcote, a residence for
Chauncey Beadle
Chauncey Delos Beadle (August 5, 1866 in St. Catharines, Ontario – 1950) was a Canadian-born botanist and horticulturist active in the southern United States. He was educated in horticulture at Ontario Agricultural College (1884) and Cornell Un ...
who was sent by
Olmsted Olmsted may refer to:
People
* Olmsted (name)
Places
* Olmsted Air Force Base, inactive since 1969
* Olmsted, Illinois
* Olmsted County, Minnesota
* Olmsted Falls, Ohio
* Olmsted Point, a viewing area in Yosemite National Park
* Olmsted Town ...
to supervise the estate's nursery operations.
Eastcote is a two-story traditional-styled house with a pebble-dash finish.
Smith also designed River Cliff Cottage in 1892 as a place for Vanderbilt's friends to stay during construction.
Olmsted and his wife are probably the most important guest who stayed in this brick and rough=cast house which no longer exists.
He also renovated the B. J. Alexander house, an existing structure on the property, to serve as Vanderbilt's residence during the construction of Biltmore.
The estate's Walled Garden complex was a collaborative design of Olmsted, Hunt, and Smith—according to Olmsted.
On October 30, 1891, Smith writes Hunt, "This day I send you by express blueprints of Vegetable Garden Walls for your approval. I have also enclosed a copy for Mr. Olmsted should you think it necessary he should see what we are about to do. I don’t think he has been consulted on the changes and additions, viz. setting back of Gardener’s Cottage twelve feet from entrance and the retreat and tool house northwest corner of garden. These changes seem to meet with Mr. Vanderbilt’s approval."
The last line also indicates that, after a year, Smith worked directly with their client, rather than through Hunt.
Smith also designed the Gardener's Cottage and the gates for the garden.
Smith's other grounds-related projects include designing five iconic brick bridges for the estate in the early 1890s; these were constructed of bricks produced by the estate's brickworks and feature a Tudor-arch profile.
One spans the stream that feeds the bass pond and includes pedestrian overlooks in its side walls.
On 8 April 1892, Smith wrote Hunt, "The bridge plans are nearly completed, and will be sent you early next week. I think a brick arch will answer, the pressure per foot is 6 tons. This should be safe for brick. As to the appearance, stone would be a pleasing change."
The cost to excavate and build this on a brick bridge was $9,570.
Although Vanderbilt and Smith appear to have discussed designs directly, Smith still sent his work to New York for Hunt's approval and to get the firm's official stamp.
In addition, Smith sent Hunt weekly reports, and they had a go-between who would come to Asheville periodically, while Hunt worked on other projects.
When Hunt died in July 1895, his son Richard Howland Hunt, who had worked on some of the secondary buildings for the estate, took over management of the firm.
At this point, Smith hired extra workers, pushing the project toward an end.
In the spring of 1896, Smith writes a letter to an associate indicating his plans to depart Biltmore for a proposed trip to Europe, after which he will return to Asheville and set up his architectural practice. Smith wrote, “So far as Estate work is concerned, I am unable to say as Mr. Hunt wishes me to stay until everything is completed at Biltmore House”
Smith was on-site at Biltmore from the start of construction in the summer of 1890 through essentially the house's completion in the fall of 1896,
However, through his new practice, he would remain Vanderbilt's architect of choice for decades. Biltmore Estate and its related buildings are a National Historic Landmark.
R. S. Smith Architect
![Langren Hotel, Asheville, N](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Langren_Hotel%2C_Asheville%2C_N._C._%285755496797%29.jpg)
In the fall of 1896, Smith established his private practice in the Paragon Building in Asheville.
He advertised as "R. S. Smith, Architect, Paragon Building. Eight years with the late Mr. R. M, Hunt. Six years resident architect for G. W. Vanderbilt, Esq."
During his first five years in practice, 1896 to 1901, Smith received sixty commissions.
Vanderbilt continued to be a client. He commissioned the
Young Man's Institute, the first building Smith designed in Asheville.
The YMI was a recreational center for Asheville's African Americans, many of whom worked for Vanderbilt, but also included spaces for shops and a doctor on the first floor.
The YMI was given the same architectural styling as the structures in Biltmore Village.
Vanderbilt also hired Smith to design a "manorial village" outside the entrance of the estate.
The resulting
Biltmore Village
Biltmore Village, formerly Best, is a small village that is now entirely in the city limits of Asheville, North Carolina and near the town of Biltmore Forest. It is adjacent to the main entrance of the Biltmore Estate, built by George W. Vande ...
included
residential cottages,
shops, a post office, and a
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
.
Biltmore Village ensured an attractive "look" for the neighborhood surrounding his home's entrance would meet Vanderbilt's expectations, while also modeling what ideal village living could be like.
Smith designed more than 24 buildings for Biltmore Village from 1900 to 1920.
This included all structures in the village except
All Soul's Church, the
Biltmore Estate Office, and the depot which were designed by Hunt previously.
Smith also designed five large rental cottages, actually mansions, across the
Swannanoa River
The Swannanoa River flows through the Swannanoa Valley of the region of Western North Carolina, and is a major tributary to the French Broad River. Its headwaters arise in Black Mountain, NC; however, it also has a major tributary near its head ...
on Vernon Hill overlooking Biltmore for Vanderbilt.
Sunnicrest is the only surviving cottage, but it has recently been restored by its owner,
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
His other early commissions were for houses and cottages in the Montford and Chestnut Hill neighborhoods of Asheville.
Many of the homes designed have similar characteristics to those he designed for
Biltmore Village
Biltmore Village, formerly Best, is a small village that is now entirely in the city limits of Asheville, North Carolina and near the town of Biltmore Forest. It is adjacent to the main entrance of the Biltmore Estate, built by George W. Vande ...
[Biltmore Estate's]
's Curator of Interpretation said, “Two beautiful examples of Richard Sharp Smith’s residential style—the Annie West House at 189 Chestnut Street in Chestnut Hill and the Charles Jordan House at 296 Montford Avenue—include pebbledash stucco, archways, and rooflines, much like his buildings in Biltmore Village.” Th
Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County
describes Smith's "true legacy to Asheville" as his signature 'Biltmore-style' with its blend of English Arts and Craft styling combined with Elizabethan Tudor and Old World influences."
Smith was very protective of his designs and "imitation of his work was a source of great irritation to him." In 1897, he sued builder James M. Westall for using his designs without permission, especially exterior features. Westall had previously built houses for Smith and went out on his own, undercutting costs by eliminating the architect.
Smith & Carrier
Around 1905, Smith began working with Albert Heath Carrier (1878 – 1961), a Michigan-born engineer and inventor who moved to Asheville in 1884. Carrier looked after the mechanical and structural engineering aspects of their projects, freeing Smith to be creative and to pursue more clients. Smith's motto was, “We can do anything and we will.” In 1910, the duo incorporated as Smith & Carrier.
Between 1900 and 1920, Smith designed almost every significant building in downtown Asheville. His additions included hotels, medical buildings, office buildings, schools, and theaters. Some key buildings that no longer survive include the Asheville Club (remodeled into the Miles Building in 1925), the City Auditorium (encapsulated by the Asheville Civic Center, now called Harrah's Cherokee Center), the Langren Hotel, the Majestic Theater, the Pack Theater, the Plaza Theater, the Oates Building, the Paragon Building, St Genevieve's of the Pines Dormitory, Vance Public School, and the YMCA. He also designed courthouses for Henderson Henderson may refer to:
People
*Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname
*Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan
Places Argentina
*Henderson, Buenos Aires
Australia
*Henderson, Western Australia
Canada
* H ...
, Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
, Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
, and Swain Counties. Smith was a practical choice for these institutional structures; he was the first architect in the region "to use fire-proof reinforced concrete construction."
Smith was also commissioned to design a monument for former North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance
Zebulon Baird Vance (May 13, 1830 – April 14, 1894) was the 37th and 43rd governor of North Carolina, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina, and a Confederate officer during the American Civil War.
A prolific writer and noted public speak ...
as the centerpiece to Asheville's Pack Square. This 65-foot tall granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
obelisk
An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Anc ...
was removed in 2021 because of Vance's was a Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
, slave owner, and documented racist.
With more than 30 structures by him, the Montford Area Historic District
The Montford Area Historic District is a mainly residential neighborhood in Asheville, North Carolina that is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
History
According to the National Park Service the origin of the name Montford ...
in Asheville has the greatest concentration of Smith's buildings outside of Biltmore Village, but many fine examples of his work can be found in Asheville's Albemarle Park, Chestnut Hill Historic District, and Grove Park. When Smith died in 1924, Smith & Carrier had designed more than 700 buildings. After Smith's death, Carrier completed some open commissions but did not do much more.
Professional affiliations
In 1901, Smith became president of the Southeastern Architectural League. He was one of the five founding members of the North Carolina Chapter of 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 ...
in 1913. He was president of the NC-AIA in 1917 and vice president in 1921. In 1915, Smith became the 36th architect in North Carolina to receive a license under the new Practice Act of 1915.
Personal
After moving to Asheville, Smith never returned to England. However, he "remained an English gentleman in his demeanor and appearance—tailored tweed suits, English walking caps, and cane."
Smith's second wife was Isabella Cameron, a native of Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. Smith met Cameron when she was a member of the household staff at Biltmore. They had four children—Emily, Sylvia, Hampden, and Richard Jr. Initially, the family lived in a rental house near downtown Asheville and on Blake Street in the Montford neighborhood.
In 1902, Smith purchased 27 acres at the head of Chunns Cove, east of downtown Asheville, for $1,000. There, Smith built his family's rustic home, Stoneybrook, using local stone; it was completed by 1903. The ''Asheville Citizen-Times
The ''Asheville Citizen-Times'' is an American, English language daily newspaper of Asheville, North Carolina. It was formed in 1991 as a result of a merger of the morning ''Asheville Citizen'' and the afternoon ''Asheville Times''. It is owned ...
'' wrote, “The quiet forms and rustic character of the house—the home of his family—most likely exist as an expression of Smith’s personality and his family life." For several years, carriage access to Stoneybrook was limited to eight months a year. The family rented a house in Asheville for the other months. As more people moved into Chunns Cove, the road and access were improved. However, Smith loved the outdoors and was known to walk the three miles over Beaucatcher Mountain from his house to Asheville, rather than using the family carriage or car. Stoneybrook is now 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 ...
.
Smith served on the vestry of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Asheville—he designed the church's Gothic Revival style
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 ...
building in 1914. He was also a member of the British American Club and the Asheville's Scottish Rite Masonic order, another group he designed a building for in 1913.
Smith died in 1924 at the age of 72 after several months of illness. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, After his death, his family continued to live in Stoneybrook despite financial challenges. Mrs. Smith sold to Walter Westwood in 1926, but purchased it back at auction in 1928 after Westwood defaulted on his loan. However, she sold off acreage over time, eventually selling the house again in 1932. She lived in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Asheville until she died in 1966.
Projects
The following is a selected list of Smith's buildings that survive. Most are 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 ...
(NRHP) or are included in a National Register Historic District (NRHD) or a Main Street National Historic District (MSHD) or National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
(NHL).
Notes
See also
* Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of American architecture. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 entrance fa ...
* Bradford Gilbert
Bradford Lee Gilbert (March 24, 1853 – September 1, 1911) was a nationally active American architect based in New York City. He is known for designing the Tower Building in 1889, the first steel-framed building anywhere and the first skysc ...
* Reid & Reid
Reid & Reid, also known as Reid Brothers, was an American architectural and engineering firm that was active from 1880 to 1932. Established in Indiana by Canadian immigrants, the firm moved to the West Coast and became was the most prominent fir ...
References
External links
Richard Sharp Smith Profile Architects & Builders
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Richard Sharp
1852 births
1924 deaths
American architects
English architects
People from North Carolina
People from Asheville, North Carolina
19th-century American architects
20th-century American architects
Architects from North Carolina
Companies based in Asheville, North Carolina
Architecture firms based in North Carolina
Defunct architecture firms of the United States
Design companies established in 1910
American Freemasons
19th-century American Episcopalians
20th-century American Episcopalians