Nathan Clifford Ricker, D.Arch (June 24, 1843 – March 19, 1924) was a professor and architect known for his work at the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Uni ...

. He was born on a farm near

Acton, Maine Acton is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,671 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Acton, Miller Corner and South Acton. The town is home to the Acton Fairground, which holds the Acton Fair every la ...

June 24, 1843. In 1875, he was married to Mary Carter Steele of

Galesburg, Illinois Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is northwest of Peoria. At the 2010 census, its population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County and the principal city of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistic ...

. Mary Steele graduated with honors from the University of Illinois in 1875. His only child, Ethel, was born in 1883. He died March 19, 1924.

Educator

He served the University of Illinois for 45 years, from 1872 - 1917. He chaired the Department of Architecture from 1873 - 1910, creating the department and its curriculum. In 1890, he established the first curriculum in

architectural engineering Architectural engineers apply and theoretical knowledge to the engineering design of buildings and building systems. The goal is to engineer high performance buildings that are sustainable, economically viable and ensure the safety health. Archi ...

. From 1878 - 1905, he served as dean of the

College of Engineering Engineering education is the activity of teaching knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering. It includes an initial education (bachelor's and/or master's degree), and any advanced education and specializations that ...

. He also served as University architect, designing four major buildings at UIUC. The publication of his book, ''Elementary Graphical Statics and Construction of Trussed Roofs'' in 1885 was the first book published by a University of Illinois faculty member.

Architect

March 12, 1873, he received his graduation certificate, making him the first person to receive a Degree in Architecture in the United States. In 1914, Alpha Rho Chi honored him with the title of "Master Architect." He is associated with the design of several sites listed on the National Historical Register and located in

Champaign County, Illinois Champaign County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 205,865, making it the 10th-most populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Urbana. Champaign County is part of the Champaign–Urb ...

. *

Altgeld Hall Altgeld Hall, located at 1409 West Green Street in Urbana, Illinois on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus, was built in 1896–97 and was designed by Nathan Ricker and James M. White of the University's architecture depa ...

(originally Library Hall) *

Harker Hall Harker Hall, also known as the Chemical Laboratory, is a historic building on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in Urbana, Illinois. Built in 1877, the building originally served as the university's chemical labo ...

(originally Chemical Laboratory) *Metal Shop, now known as Aeronautical Lab "B" * Kenney Gym, listed as Military Drill Hall and Men's Gymnasium * Natural History Building *612 West Green Street,

Urbana, Illinois Urbana ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Urbana had a population of 38,336. As of the 2010 United States Census, Urbana is the List of municipalities in Illinois, 38th-most pop ...

. The home he designed and occupied from 1892 until his death in 1924.The Ricker House
at www.ci.urbana.il.us

Books written by Ricker

*''The elements of construction in architecture'' (1881) *''Elementary Graphical Statics and Construction of Trussed Roofs'' (1885) *''Technical review of the Chicago public library'' (1898) *''An extension of the Dewey decimal system of classification applied to architecture and building.'' (1906) *''A study of roof trusses'' (1907) *''A treatise on design and construction of roofs'' (1912) *''Simplified formulas and tables for floors, joists and beams; roofs, rafters and purlins'' (1913) *''A study of base and bearing plates for columns and beams'' (1919)

Notes

External links

*
Establishing Architecture at the University of IllinoisRicker Library of Architecture and Art
- Founded by Ricker in 1873 and named for him in 1917.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricker, Nathan Clifford 1843 births 1924 deaths University of Illinois School of Architecture alumni University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty Architects from Maine People from Acton, Maine