Nathan C. Wyeth
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Nathan Corwith Wyeth (April 20, 1870 – August 30, 1963) was an American
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 ...
. He is best known for designing the
West Wing The West Wing of the White House houses the offices of the president of the United States. The West Wing contains the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, the Situation Room, and the Roosevelt Room. The West Wing's four floors contain offices for ...
of the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
, creating the first
Oval Office The Oval Office is the formal working space of the President of the United States. Part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, it is located in the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, D.C. The oval-shaped room ...
. He designed a large number of structures in
Washington, D.C. ) , 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, ...
, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the
Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
, the
USS Maine Mast Memorial The USS ''Maine'' Mast Memorial is a memorial honoring those who died aboard the on February 15, 1898, after a mysterious explosion destroyed the ship while at anchor in Havana Harbor. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington ...
, the
D.C. Armory The D.C. Armory is an armory and a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in the eastern United States, located in Washington, D.C., east of the U.S. Capitol building. Managed by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority, the Armory was constructed ...
, the Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge, many structures that comprise
Judiciary Square Judiciary Square is a neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., the vast majority of which is occupied by various federal and municipal courthouses and office buildings. Judiciary Square is located roughly between Pennsylvania Avenue to the sou ...
, and numerous private homes—many of which now serve as embassies. He also co-designed the
Cannon House Office Building The Cannon House Office Building, often called the "Old House Office Building," completed in 1908, is the oldest congressional office building as well as a significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture. It occupies a site south of t ...
, the
Russell Senate Office Building The Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908 and opened in 1909. It was named for former Senator Richard Russell ...
, the
Longworth House Office Building The Longworth House Office Building (LHOB) is one of five office buildings used by the United States House of Representatives. The building is located south of the Capitol, bounded by Independence Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, C Street S.E., and Sou ...
, and an addition to the Russell Senate Office Building.


Early life and education

Nathan Corwith Wyeth was born on April 20, 1870, in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, to Charles Jones and Julia Elizabeth ( MacReynolds) Wyeth. Wyeth was of
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
stock on his father's side. His ancestor, Nicholas Wyeth, emigrated to the United States from
Saxtead Saxtead is a small village in the East Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk. Saxtead gives its name to the settlements of Saxtead Green and Saxtead Little Green and the windmill Saxtead Green Windmill. The population of the civil parish a ...
in about 1640, and settled in
Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...
.
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
was built near land owned by the Wyeth family. In 1832, Wyeth's grandfather, Dr. Jacob Wyeth, accompanied his brother
Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth (January 29, 1802 – August 31, 1856) was an American inventor and businessman in Boston, Massachusetts who contributed greatly to its ice industry. Due to his inventions, Boston could harvest and ship ice internati ...
, part of the way to the then-wilderness of
Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
. On his return trip, he decided to move the family to Galena, Illinois. Through his father, Nathan Wyeth was a
fourth cousin Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
to the painter Newell Convers "N.C." Wyeth, and the painter
Andrew Wyeth Andrew Newell Wyeth ( ; July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was an American visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century. In his ...
was his fourth cousin once removed. Nathan's father, Charles, was the wealthy co-owner of Wyeth and Vandervoort, a company that sold
malt Malt is germinated cereal grain that has been dried in a process known as " malting". The grain is made to germinate by soaking in water and is then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air. Malted grain is used to make beer, wh ...
for use by brewers of alcoholic beverages. He was also a member of the
Chicago Board of Trade The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), established on April 3, 1848, is one of the world's oldest futures and options exchanges. On July 12, 2007, the CBOT merged with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) to form CME Group. CBOT and three other excha ...
. Nathan was just a year old when his parents carried him to safety out of the city when the
Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 10 ...
struck in October 1871. Charles Wyeth died in 1873 when Nathan was three years old. His will left $100,000 ($ in dollars) in trust for his wife and sons Nathan and Leonard. In 1881, Julia Wyeth married General
Orlando B. Willcox Orlando Bolivar Willcox (April 16, 1823 – May 11, 1907) was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life Willcox was born in Detroit, Michigan. He entered the United States Military Ac ...
, a
lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...
who rose to the rank of
Brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...
Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
of Volunteers during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
and served as a
colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in the 29th Infantry Regiment after the war. Willcox later transferred to the 12th Infantry Regiment, and moved to
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 ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, to take up his command. He was appointed Commander of the
Department of Arizona The Department of Arizona was a military department of the United States Army that existed from 1870 to 1893. It was subordinate to the Military Division of the Pacific The Military Division of the Pacific was a major command ( Department) of the ...
in 1878, and in 1886 was made head of the
Department of the Missouri The Department of the Missouri was a command echelon of the United States Army in the 19th century and a sub division of the Military Division of the Missouri that functioned through the Indian Wars. History Background Following the successful ...
. He retired on April 16, 1887, at the rank of
brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in the regular army, after which he became governor of the
Soldiers' Home The Soldiers' Home is an historic Italianate style building in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Located at 739 E. 35th Street, the Home was built in a series of phases from 1864 to 1923, designed by William W. Boyington and other architects. ...
in Washington, D.C., on February 27, 1889. But Nathan did not travel with his stepfather. Instead, he attended a series of boarding schools:
Racine College Racine College was an Episcopal preparatory school and college in Racine, Wisconsin, that operated between 1852 and 1933. Located south of the city along Lake Michigan, the campus has been maintained and is today known as the DeKoven Center ...
(an
Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...
preparatory school in
Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. Racine is situated 22 miles (35 km) south of Milwaukee and approximately 60 ...
), the Harrington School (a preparatory school in
New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...
), and Adams Collegiate Institute (a preparatory school in
Sackets Harbor, New York Sackets Harbor (earlier spelled Sacketts Harbor) is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States, on Lake Ontario. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who ...
). In 1888, N. Corwith and Company—the firm which held the Wyeth funds in trust—went bankrupt. The firm had commingled the Wyeth trust funds with those of its other businesses, and the bankruptcy wiped out the trust as well. The Wyeths sued, and the
Supreme Court of Illinois The Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court, the highest court of the State of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five ap ...
held in their favor in 1888. Although it is unclear if the Wyeths recovered much money, enough was received to pay for Nathan and Leonard's
secondary Secondary may refer to: Science and nature * Secondary emission, of particles ** Secondary electrons, electrons generated as ionization products * The secondary winding, or the electrical or electronic circuit connected to the secondary winding i ...
and
higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
. Nathan was 18 years old in 1888. Despite the financial setbacks of his trust fund, he began his post-secondary education by studying watercolor painting in Belgium and Switzerland. Wyeth returned to the United States in the summer of 1889 and studied at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
in
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. He was awarded a first prize for his work, and graduated first in his class. In summer 1890, he enrolled as an art student at the
École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts The Beaux-Arts de Paris is a French ''grande école'' whose primary mission is to provide high-level arts education and training. This is classical and historical School of Fine Arts in France. The art school, which is part of the Paris Science ...
in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France. He studied under Duray Pascal, switched his major to architecture, and received his Architect Diplômé par le Gouvernement from the school in 1899. Wyeth's first notable architectural design can be traced to 1891, while he was still studying in France. This effort was a fourth-floor addition to the Lemon Building at 1729 New York Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. It was an important commission, for the building was the headquarters 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 ...
. (The structure was razed in 1971.)


Early work

After graduating from the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Wyeth took a job with
Carrère and Hastings Carrère and Hastings, the firm of John Merven Carrère ( ; November 9, 1858 – March 1, 1911) and Thomas Hastings (architect), Thomas Hastings (March 11, 1860 – October 22, 1929), was one of the outstanding American Beaux-Arts architecture, Be ...
, a New York City-based company that was one of the most prominent architectural firms in the United States. He left the firm in 1900 and moved to Washington, D.C., where he took a position at 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 ...
in the
United States Department of the Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and t ...
(the government agency which, at the time, designed all federal office buildings). After two and a half years there, he transferred to the office of the Architect of the Capitol, working under Elliott Woods. Although he worked there just eight months, there is evidence that he helped design both the
Cannon House Office Building The Cannon House Office Building, often called the "Old House Office Building," completed in 1908, is the oldest congressional office building as well as a significant example of the Beaux-Arts style of architecture. It occupies a site south of t ...
and the
Russell Senate Office Building The Russell Senate Office Building is the oldest of the United States Senate office buildings. Designed in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, it was built from 1903 to 1908 and opened in 1909. It was named for former Senator Richard Russell ...
.


Private practice

Wyeth left government employment to form his own private architectural practice in 1904. During the next 14 years, he designed a large number of residences, office and retail buildings, and local government offices. In 1907, he briefly formed the firm of Wyeth & Cresson with noted local architect
William Penn Cresson William Penn Cresson (September 17, 1873 – May 12, 1932) was an American architect, author, diplomat, and husband of sculptor Margaret French Cresson (1889–1973). Education Born in Claymont, Delaware, Cresson studied at the University of P ...
(husband of sculptor
Margaret French Cresson Margaret French Cresson (1889–1973) was an American sculptor, and daughter of sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850–1931). She studied under Abastenia St. Leger Eberle and George Demetrius, focusing her art on marble busts and portrait heads ...
). But the association lasted only a year. One of Wyeth's most prominent early commission was the Tidal Basin Inlet Bridge connecting
East Potomac Park East Potomac Park is a park located on a man-made island in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., United States. The island is between the Washington Channel and the Potomac River, and on it the park lies southeast of the Jefferson Memorial and t ...
and
West Potomac Park West Potomac Park is a U.S. national park in Washington, D.C., adjacent to the National Mall. It includes the parkland that extends south of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, from the Lincoln Memorial to the grounds of the Washington Monumen ...
. Both parks were formerly part of the waters of the Potomac River. Beginning in 1881, material dredged from the river was placed in the tidal flats west and south of the city, creating the western half of the
National Mall The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institut ...
, the
Washington Channel The Washington Channel is a channel that parallels the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It is located between the Southwest Waterfront on the east side and East Potomac Park on the west side. The channel is long, receives outflow from the Tida ...
, and the Tidal Basin. The Tidal Basin was designed so that fresh water would flow in via its southern strait, and then flush outward into the Washington Channel. In 1907, the
United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...
decided that gates were needed at the southern inlet to prevent the basin's water from backflowing into the Potomac (thus ensuring a flush into the channel). The Corps decided that a bridge should be built along with the gates, so that the roadway around the Tidal Basin would make a complete circuit. Wyeth was the only architect considered for the bridge job. His employment was approved in early February 1908, and by early April he'd completed the bridge plans. Although his design for a two-tier bridge was only partially implemented (the top tier was removed for budget reasons), work on the bridge was largely complete by June 1909. Among the many notable private residences Wyeth built during this first phase of his private practice were the Nathan C. and Isabelle Wells House at 1609 Connecticut Avenue NW in 1904; the new front facade and rear addition to the Dr. J. H. Bryan House at 818 17th Street NW in 1904; the Dr. Bernard L. Hardin House at 1313 Connecticut Avenue NW in 1905; the Anna Jenness Miller House at 2205 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1905; the John R. McLean House at 1509 H Street NW in 1905; the F.A. Keep House (built 1906) and the C. Russell Peyton House (built 1908), both at 2249 R Street NW (formerly the Embassy of Sweden, now the Embassy of Kenya); with William P. Cresson, the Louis Arthur Coolidge House (now the Embassy of Zambia) at 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1907; the Mrs. Norman Williams House at 1227 16th Street NW in 1907; the Mrs. John McGowan House at 1424 16th Street NW in 1907; the
Helen Churchill Candee Helen Churchill Candee (October 5, 1858 – August 23, 1949) was an American author, journalist, interior decorator, feminist, and geographer. Today, she is best known as a survivor of the sinking of RMS ''Titanic'' in 1912, and for her late ...
House at 1149 16th Street NW in 1909; the Sara S. Wyeth House (now the Chilean ambassador's resident in Washington, D.C.) at 2305 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1909;; the Gibson Fhanestock House (now the Embassy and Chancery of Haiti) at 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1910; with Francis P. Sullivan, the Mrs. George Pullman House (now the
Russian ambassador's residence Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
) at 1125 16th Street NW in 1910; the Granville Fortescue House (now the Embassy of Malawi) at 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1911; the Franklin MacVeagh House (formerly the Embassy of Mexico and now the Mexican Cultural Institute) at 2829 16th Street NW in 1911; the Misses Nellie and Isabelle Sedgeley House at 2406 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1911; the Dr. William H. Wilmer House at 2101 R Street NW in 1912; and the
Charles C. Glover Charles Carroll Glover (November 24, 1846 – February 25, 1936) was an American banker and philanthropist who made major contributions to the modern landscape of Washington, D.C. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was President of Ri ...
House at 4200 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1913. One of Wyeth's largest commissions in this period came in 1913, when he designed a new building for the
Columbia Hospital for Women The Columbia Hospital for Women was a hospital located in Washington, D.C. Originally opening in 1866 as a health-care facility for wives and widows of Civil War soldiers, it moved in 1870 from Thomas Circle to its later location at 2425 L Street, ...
at 2425 L Street NW.; ;


Government commissions

An avid
socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...
, Wyeth's short time working for the federal government had won him a wide range of important friends. These led to a number of important commissions between 1904 and 1918. In 1909, he entered and won a competition to redesign the West Wing of the White House, turning a temporary structure into a permanent office complex. The Lemon Building addition had helped him win the commission, Wyeth's design for the West Wing, construction on which ended in October 1909, was a one-story structure which included the first and original Oval Office—which mimicked the Blue Room and
Yellow Oval Room The Yellow Oval Room is an oval room located on the south side of the second floor in the White House, the official residence of the president of the United States. First used as a drawing room in the John Adams administration, it has been used ...
in the
Executive Residence Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...
. (The Oval Office was moved in 1934 from the center of the south wall of the West Wing to the southeast corner of the building.) The following year, Wyeth oversaw the remodeling of the
British Embassy This is a list of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, excluding honorary consulates. The UK has one of the largest global networks of diplomatic missions. UK diplomatic missions to capitals of other Com ...
in the District of Columbia. He was appointed "local architect" of the embassy in 1909, and held the position until 1919. Wyeth was hired to design the USS ''Maine'' Mast Memorial at
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
in May 1913. Congress had approved a memorial in 1910, but little progress had been made. The
United States Commission of Fine Arts The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the U ...
(CFA), which had legal authority to advise regarding the siting and design of monuments and memorials, had reviewed preliminary designs submitted by the Army Corps of Engineers and had declined to approve any of them. Privately, the CFA voiced its opinion that the designs submitted were very poor. The commission advised the War Department to select a designer rather than hold a competition, and recommended Wyeth. The Secretary of War agreed, and Wyeth was hired in May 1913 to submit a design.


World War I and post-war work


War work: 1917 to 1919

On October 17, 1917, Wyeth was hired by the
United States Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...
to co-design the newly approved Francis Scott Key Bridge. Wyeth worked with Major Max C. Tyler, an engineer with the Corps of Engineers, to design the bridge, which crossed the Potomac River between the Rosslyn neighborhood of
Arlington County Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia, of which it was once a part. The county is ...
,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, and the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The bridge was completed in 1923. When the United States entered World War I in April 1918, Wyeth sought to join the military. He loved France, and was deeply upset at reports of the destruction and loss of life there. Too old at age 47 to be
conscripted Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
, he sought an architectural job with the Army as a way of helping the French people. Wyeth was released from his bridge contract with the Army Corps of Engineers in 1918 so he could be commissioned as a
major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
. For the duration of the war, he worked for the Hospital Division of the
Office of the Surgeon General The surgeon general of the United States is the operational head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government of the United States. Th ...
, designing temporary hospitals for construction in France. The war ended in November 1919. But Wyeth fell seriously ill after the war and moved to Switzerland to recover his health. He spent his time overseas painting watercolors, some of which were good enough to be exhibited at the
Corcoran Gallery of Art The Corcoran Gallery of Art was an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, that is now the location of the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, a part of the George Washington University. Overview The Corcoran School of the Arts & Design ...
. His works were also hung in the
Missouri State Capitol The Missouri State Capitol is the home of the Missouri General Assembly and the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Missouri. Located in Jefferson City at 201 West Capitol Avenue, it is the third capitol to be built in the city. ( ...
. He did not return permanently to Washington until 1925.


Post-war work

After his return to the District of Columbia, Wyeth reopened his private practice. The post-war era was a difficult one for Wyeth. In 1924 or 1930 (sources vary), he formed an architectural firm with Francis P. Sullivan. Wyeth was appointed in 1925 to a group of architects which advised the
District of Columbia Public Schools The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is the local public school system for the District of Columbia, in the United States. It is distinct from the District of Columbia Public Charter Schools (DCPCS), which governs public charter ...
on the design of school buildings, and which provided design services to the school district. But his commissions from the city never materialized. In 1925, Wyeth joined many of the city's top architects in forming Allied Architects of Washington, D.C., Inc. Teams within this federation of architectural firms worked on some of the most important commissions in the city, and Wyeth joined Frank Upman, Gilbert LaCoste Rodier, and Louis Justement in co-designing the
Longworth House Office Building The Longworth House Office Building (LHOB) is one of five office buildings used by the United States House of Representatives. The building is located south of the Capitol, bounded by Independence Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, C Street S.E., and Sou ...
. Commissions for major residences were much rarer now. Wyeth finished six significant works: The Judge Edwin B. Parker House at 2001 24th Street NW in 1926 (later the Embassy of Afghanistan); the Justice
Harlan Fiske Stone Harlan is a given name and a surname which may refer to: Surname *Bob Harlan (born 1936 Robert E. Harlan), American football executive *Bruce Harlan (1926–1959), American Olympic diver *Byron B. Harlan (1886–1949), American politician *Byron G ...
House at 2340 Wyoming Street NW in 1926; the Clarence A. Aspinwall House at 2340 Kalorama Street NW in 1928; the Duncan Phillips House at 2101 Foxhall Road NW in 1929; the Mrs. Wilber E. Wilder House (now the Embassy of Venezuela at 1099 30th Street NW in 1929 and the Frederick Atherton House (now the Embassy of Ivory Coast) at 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW in 1930. All were co-designed with Francis P. Sullivan. Again with Sullivan, Wyeth co-designed the First Street Wing addition to the Russell Senate Office Building in 1933. One of Wyeth's few major commissions during this period was a group of homes on Whitehaven Street NW, near the
British Embassy in Washington, D.C. The British Embassy, Washington D.C. (alternatively in the US, Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C.) is the Charles III, British sovereign's diplomatic mission to the United States of America, representing the interests of the United ...
(then under construction). A group of notable Washingtonians—including
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Frederick H. Gillett Frederick Huntington Gillett (; October 16, 1851 – July 31, 1935) was an American politician who served in the Massachusetts state government and both houses of the U.S. Congress between 1879 and 1931, including six years as Speaker of the Hous ...
, Colonel Reginald S. Huidekoper, and Commander Paul Bastedo—asked Wyeth to design large houses, all in the
Georgian style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarchs of the House of Hano ...
, to occupy this block. (Architect Frederick H. Brooke also built a Georgian home here, but designed it himself.) The block already contained the McCormick House, a 1908 mansion designed by
John Russell Pope John Russell Pope (April 24, 1874 – August 27, 1937) was an American architect whose firm is widely known for designing major public buildings, including the National Archives and Records Administration building (completed in 1935), the Jeffe ...
for diplomat
Robert Sanderson McCormick Robert Sanderson McCormick (July 26, 1849 – April 16, 1919) was an American diplomat. Born in rural Virginia, he was part of the extended McCormick family that became influential in Chicago. Early life McCormick was born July 26, 1849 on the ...
. With the start of the
Great Depression in the United States In the United States, the Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October 1929 and then spread worldwide. The nadir came in 1931–1933, and recovery came in 1940. The stock market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high un ...
in the fall of 1929, Wyeth received far fewer architectural commissions. The firm of Wyeth & Sullivan declared bankruptcy that year. Wyeth tried to rebuild his practice, but the depression left him without clients. In deep financial difficulty, he took a temporary position as the Municipal Architect of the District of Columbia in 1933. His appointment was made permanent on January 12, 1934. He remained in the position until his retirement at age 77 in 1946. As Municipal Architect, Wyeth designed and won approval of a master plan for
Judiciary Square Judiciary Square is a neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., the vast majority of which is occupied by various federal and municipal courthouses and office buildings. Judiciary Square is located roughly between Pennsylvania Avenue to the sou ...
in 1934. He subsequently designed four buildings which helped to complete this master plan. The first of these, the D.C. Police Court Building, was located on the west side of 5th Street NW, and ran from E Street NW about three-quarters of the way to D Street NW. This structure began construction in September 1936 and was finished in April 1937. (This structure was razed in the mid-1960s.) The second structure was the D.C. Municipal Building (also known as the East Administration Building) at 300 Indiana Avenue NW. Construction started on December 10, 1938, and it was finished in May 1941. To complement the D.C. Police Court Building, Wyeth designed a third structure—the D.C. Municipal Court Building, which occupied the east side of 4th Street NW between E and D Streets NW. It was completed in late 1941. (This structure was razed as well, and the site is now occupied by
One Judiciary Square One Judiciary Square is a highrise office building at 441 Fourth Street NW in the Judiciary Square neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Designed by architect Vlastimil Koubek, the building is tall and has approximately 10 floors. Its construction ende ...
.) The northwest corner of the square itself had long been occupied by a small, Neoclassical structure housing the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. To balance this structure aesthetically, Wyeth designed a new fourth structure, the D.C. Juvenile Court Building at 410 E Street NW. It was completed in 1940. A fifth structure, the Recorder of Deeds Building, was built at 515 D Street NW immediately to the south of the D.C. Police Court Building. It opened in September 1941. Wyeth also personally designed the D.C. Armory (also known as the National Guard Armory) at 2001 East Capitol Street SE, which was completed in July 1941. He also personally designed the
Georgetown Neighborhood Library The Georgetown Neighborhood Library is a branch of the District of Columbia Public Library located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Established by an Act of Congress in 1934, the library houses the collection of its predecess ...
(finished in 1935) and the Petworth Neighborhood Library (finished in 1939) of the
District of Columbia Public Library The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) is the public library system for the District of Columbia, in the United States. The system includes 26 individual libraries including Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (the DCPL's central libra ...
. Although a number of city schools were constructed while Wyeth was Municipal Architect, only two—Kelly Miller Junior High School (completed in 1949, razed in 2001) and Coolidge Senior High School—can be directly attributed to him.


Private life

Wyeth married Dorothy Ellis Lawson (November 1, 1891 – September 1975) of
Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
, on September 20, 1911. Lawson was the cousin of Laura Lawson Blair, wife of Gist Blair. The Blairs were still the owners of
Blair House Blair House, also known as The President's Guest House, is an official residence in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The President's Guest House has been called "the world's most exclusive hotel" because it is primarily used ...
, now a part of the White House Complex but then a private residence across the street from the White House. Dorothy was just 19 years old at the time, and Nathan Wyeth was 22 years her senior. The couple bonded over their mutual love of France. The couple had two children: Margo Julia (born in August 1912) and Stuart MacReynolds (born July 1914). Wyeth was described as nervous, and correct to the point of rudeness. He was an avid watercolorist,
figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...
, and
hiker Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
. Wyeth was a member of the American Federation of Art, the
American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...
, the American Planning and Civic Association, the Military Order of the World War, the
Society of Beaux-Arts Architects A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Societi ...
, the
Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities Historic New England, previously known as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA), is a charitable, non-profit, historic preservation organization headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It is focused on New England ...
, and the Washington Society of Fine Arts. He was also a member of the
Alpine Club The first alpine club, the Alpine Club, based in the United Kingdom, was founded in London in 1857 as a gentlemen's club. It was once described as: :"a club of English gentlemen devoted to mountaineering, first of all in the Alps, members of which ...
, Chevy Chase Club,
Cosmos Club The Cosmos Club is a 501(c)(7) private social club in Washington, D.C. that was founded by John Wesley Powell in 1878 as a gentlemen's club for those interested in science. Among its stated goals is, "The advancement of its members in science, ...
, and the
Metropolitan Club The Metropolitan Club of New York is a private social club on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded as a gentlemen's club in 1891 for men only, but it was one of the first major clubs in New York to admit women, t ...
.


Death

Nathan C. Wyeth died at his home in Washington, D.C., of natural causes on August 30, 1963. He was survived by his wife, Dorothy, and his children Margo and Stuart. He was interred in the Wyeth family plot at
Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery is the first rural cemetery, rural, or garden, cemetery in the United States, located on the line between Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, Watertown in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middl ...
near Cambridge, Massachusetts. Writing 15 years after his death, architectural historians Sue A. Kohler and Jeffrey R. Carson concluded "...Wyeth was one of the more gifted architects practicing in Washington during the early years of this century."


Awards and paintings

Wyeth was named a
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) is a postnominal title or membership, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Fellowship is bestowed by the institute on AIA-member ...
in 1914. He was elected the second vice president of the D.C. chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1928. Wyeth designed his own home at 2915 44th Street NW in 1935, and lived in the structure for the rest of his life. The home was given an award for meritorious design by the
Greater Washington Board of Trade The Greater Washington Board of Trade is a network of business and non-profit leaders in Washington, D.C. The Board of Trade invests in the cultural infrastructure of the area and promotes the construction and maintenance of public venues, includi ...
in March 1936. In addition to several exhibitions of his watercolors, Wyeth also illustrated George H. Palmer's 1930 translation of ''
The Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', the ...
''.


Notable works

Wyeth designed a wide range of notable works: *Chilean ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. (2305 Massachusetts Avenue NW; Sara S. Wyeth House, built 1909) *
Columbia Hospital for Women The Columbia Hospital for Women was a hospital located in Washington, D.C. Originally opening in 1866 as a health-care facility for wives and widows of Civil War soldiers, it moved in 1870 from Thomas Circle to its later location at 2425 L Street, ...
(2425 L Street NW; built 1913) *D.C. Armory (2001 East Capitol Street SE; built 1941) *D.C. Juvenile Court Building (410 E Street NW; built 1940) *D.C. Municipal Building/East Administration Building (now the Henry J. Daly Building; 300 Indiana Avenue NW; built 1941) *D.C. Municipal Court Building (4th Street NW between D and E Streets NW; built 1941) *D.C. Police Court Building (about 450 5th Street Northwest; built 1937, razed 1960s) *D.C. Recorder of Deeds Building (515 D Street NW; built 1941) * Embassy and Chancery of Haiti (Gibson Fhanestock House, 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW; built 1910) *Embassy of Ivory Coast, with Francis P. Sullivan (Frederick Atherton House, 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW; built 1930) * Embassy of Kenya, formerly Embassy of Sweden (F.A. Keep House, 2249 R Street NW; built 1906; C. Russell Peyton House, 2249 R Street NW; built 1908) * Embassy of Malawi (Granville Fortescue House, 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW; built 1911) * Embassy of Venezuela, with Francis P. Sullivan (Mrs. Wilber E. Wilder House, 1099 30th Street NW; built 1929) * Embassy of Zambia, with William P. Cresson (Louis Arthur Coolidge House, 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW; built 1907) *
Georgetown Neighborhood Library The Georgetown Neighborhood Library is a branch of the District of Columbia Public Library located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Established by an Act of Congress in 1934, the library houses the collection of its predecess ...
of the
District of Columbia Public Library The District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) is the public library system for the District of Columbia, in the United States. The system includes 26 individual libraries including Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (the DCPL's central libra ...
(built 1935) *Mexican Cultural Institute (Franklin MacVeagh House, 2829 16th Street NW; built 1911) *Petworth Neighborhood Library of the District of Columbia Public Library (built 1939) *
Russian ambassador's residence Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
, with Francis P. Sullivan (Mrs. George Pullman House, 1125 16th Street NW; built 1910) Some sources say that Wyeth also co-designed the
District of Columbia War Memorial The District of Columbia War Memorial commemorates the citizens of the District of Columbia who served in World War I. Located on the National Mall, it was constructed in 1931 as a domed, peristyle Doric temple. History The memorial was built to ...
with Frederick H. Brooke and Horace W. Peaslee. Wyeth's name is listed on the memorial as an associate architect. But the authoritative ''National Park Service Cultural Landscapes Inventory'' and an investigation into the memorial's creation by John G. Waite Associates (at the Park Service's request) show that the memorial was almost exclusively the work of Brooke, who designed it in 1919. Wyeth and Peaslee did not join the effort until March 1925. The exact nature of Wyeth's contributions are unknown, and appear minimal. As Waite et al. have noted: "No record has been found indicating that anyone but Brooke was ever considered for the job. Once the building was 'definitely to become a reality' with the passage of Resolution 28 in 1924, Brooke informed the memorial commission that Nathan C. Wyeth and Horace W. Peaslee had agreed to act as his associates in preparing the plans. It is not entirely clear what roles Wyeth and Peaslee played in designing the memorial; except for the inclusion of their names on some of the 1924 and 1925 drawings and the base inscription, they are rarely mentioned in connection with project, and what contractual arrangements were made with them are not known." At best, only minor changes were made to the memorial after Wyeth joined the effort. It is widely assumed that, as Municipal Architect, Wyeth designed Thomas Jefferson Junior High School. For example, Harry Gabbett of ''The Washington Post'' makes the claim. Both ''The New York Times'' and ''The Evening Star'' also assume Wyeth designed the structure, although they erroneously report it was a high school. But Wyeth attributed the work to Jessie I. Cuthriel, architectural designer, and M.F. Coe, chief of the architectural division. Several sources also report that Wyeth designed Woodrow Wilson High School. But Wyeth told a subcommittee of the
United States House Committee on Appropriations The United States House Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives that is responsible for passing appropriation bills along with its Senate counterpart. The bills passed by the Appropriations Commi ...
in March 1934 that he was only a consulting architect on the structure. The architectural design work on Woodrow Wilson High School was done by two private-sector architects under contract to the Office of the Municipal Architect. Although ''The New York Times'' claimed in his obituary that Wyeth designed the Canadian Embassy (now Uzbekistan's) at 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, but in fact the building was designed by architect
Jules Henri de Sibour Jules Gabriel Henri de Sibour (December 23, 1872 – November 4, 1938) was a French architect who worked in Washington, DC. Early life He was born in Paris, France, to Vicomte Gabriel de Sibour and Mary Louisa Johnson of Belfast, Maine. He mov ...
in 1909 for Clarence Moore and his wife, Mabelle Swift Moore (heir to the
Swift Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to: * SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks ** SWIFT code * Swift (programming language) * Swift (bird), a family of birds It may also refer to: Organizations * SWIFT, ...
meatpacking fortune).;


References

;Notes ;Citations


Bibliography

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wyeth, Nathan C. 1870 births 1963 deaths 20th-century American architects American watercolorists Architects from Washington, D.C. People from Chicago Burials at Mount Auburn Cemetery American people of Welsh descent American alumni of the École des Beaux-Arts 20th-century American painters American male painters 19th-century American architects 19th-century American male artists 20th-century American male artists