Scott-Wanamaker Townhouse 2032 Walnut St Philadelphia

Theophilus Parsons Chandler Jr. (September 7, 1845 – August 16, 1928) was an American architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He spent his career at

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, and is best remembered for his churches and country houses. He founded the Department of Architecture at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universit ...

(1890), and served as its first head.

Life and career

Born in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

on September 7, 1845, the son of Theophilus Parsons Chandler and his wife Elizabeth J. Schlatter, Chandler was educated at

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 high ...

and in the

atelier An atelier () is the private workshop or studio of a professional artist in the fine or decorative arts or an architect, where a principal master and a number of assistants, students, and apprentices can work together producing fine art o ...

Joseph Auguste Émile Vaudremer Joseph Auguste Émile Vaudremer (6 February 1829 – 7 February 1914) was a French architect. He won the prix de Rome and designed several public buildings in France, particularly in Paris, four of which have been designated ''monuments historiqu ...

in Paris. Upon returning from France, he was employed by several offices in his native Boston. Under the aegis of noted landscape architect

Robert Morris Copeland Robert Morris Copeland, Sr. (December 11, 1830 – March 28, 1874) was a landscape architecture, landscape architect, city planning, town planner and Union Army officer in the American Civil War. Along with his partner H.W.S. Cleveland of the firm ...

, he relocated to Philadelphia in 1872, to work on development of the planned community of

Ridley Park, Pennsylvania Ridley Park is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The population was 7,002 at the 2010 census. Ridley Park is the home of The Boeing Company's CH-47 Chinook helicopter division. History Native American The Lenape inhabited the Dela ...

. Chandler married Sophie Madeleine du Pont (1851–1931) of the distinguished Delaware industrialist family on March 8, 1873. He designed houses or remodeling projects for several of her relatives, including alterations to the mansion that is now the

Winterthur Museum Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library is an American estate and museum in Winterthur, Delaware. Pronounced “winter-tour," Winterthur houses one of the richest collections of Americana in the United States. The museum and estate were the home of ...

. Chandler designed several of the original buildings for the

Philadelphia Zoo The Philadelphia Zoo, located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, is the first true zoo in the United States. It was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, but its openi ...

, including the temporary North Gatehouse (1874–75, demolished after 1876), the Monkey House (1874–75, demolished 1898), the Eagle House (1874–75, demolished 1905), and the Bear Pits (1874–75, demolished 1977). Most noted for his ecclesiastical style, Chandler designed major urban churches, including Philadelphia's Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian), Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem Presbyterian Church; and

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

's First Presbyterian Church and Third Presbyterian Church. He also designed exquisitely detailed country churches, especially in the Philadelphia suburbs. As founder and head of the

's Department of Architecture, Chandler essentially shaped the architectural climate in Philadelphia. He served as president of the Philadelphia Chapter of the

AIA AIA or A.I.A. or Aia may refer to: Aia * Aia, a small town in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, Spain * Aia, current Kutaisi, ancient capital of Colchis * Aia, another name for Aea (Malis), an ancient town in Greece * ''Aia'', the collected edi ...

, and sat on the Board of Trustees of the Spring Garden Institute. He persuaded

Warren P. Laird A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Ang ...

to move to Philadelphia to succeed him at Penn and develop a curriculum based on that of the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centur ...

. French-American architect

Paul Cret Paul Philippe Cret (October 23, 1876 – September 8, 1945) was a French-born Philadelphia architect and industrial designer. For more than thirty years, he taught at a design studio in the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylv ...

, in turn, succeeded Laird. Chandler was an early restoration architect, making often sympathetic additions to historic structures. He designed alterations to

Independence Hall Independence Hall is a historic civic building in Philadelphia, where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted by America's Founding Fathers. The structure forms the center ...

(1878, unbuilt), and doubled the width of

John Haviland John Haviland (15 December 1792 – 28 March 1852) was an English-born American architect who was a major figure in American Neo-Classical architecture, and one of the most notable architects working from Philadelphia in the 19th century. Biog ...

's 1838 Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company (1902). The latter building was demolished in 1974, but its 4-story white-marble Egyptian-Revival façade stands at 508-10 Walnut Street in Philadelphia. Chandler's papers, at the University of Pennsylvania Archives, include designs for furniture, a bridge, an elevated wire road (similar to a

gondola The gondola (, ; vec, góndoła ) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull ...

), and his unsuccessful submission in the 1889 design competition for the

Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhood ...

. Furniture designed by Chandler was exhibited at the

Philadelphia Museum of Art The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMoA) is an art museum originally chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount, a hill located at the northwest end of the Benjamin F ...

in 1976. The first retrospective exhibition of his work, ''Theophilus P. Chandler Jr.: Portrait of an American Architect'', was held at the

Athenaeum of Philadelphia The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, located at 219 S. 6th Street between St. James Place and Locust Street in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a special collections library and museum founded in 1814 to collect material ...

in 2010.

Personal life

Chandler and his wife did not have any children. He was extremely active in the general Philadelphia community, holding memberships in the

Union League The Union Leagues were quasi-secretive men’s clubs established separately, starting in 1862, and continuing throughout the Civil War (1861–1865). The oldest Union League of America council member, an organization originally called "The Leag ...

The Philadelphia Club Philadelphia Club was founded in 1834 and is located at 13th and Walnut Streets in Center City, Philadelphia. It is the oldest city club in the United States and one of the oldest gentlemen's clubs. Notable members have included George Meade, ...

, the

Radnor Hunt Club Radnor Hunt is the oldest continuous fox-hunting club in the United States recognized by the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America. Overview Radnor Hunt was founded in 1883 in Pennsylvania.Digby Baltzell, ''The Protestant Establishment ...

, the

Society of Mayflower Descendants The General Society of ''Mayflower'' Descendants — commonly called the Mayflower Society — is a hereditary organization of individuals who have documented their descent from at least one of the 102 passengers who arrived on the ''Mayflower'' ...

, and the

Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. A non-profit corporation, it has described its purpos ...

. He was an accomplished amateur painter. He rendered a self-portrait in 1909, which is in the collection of the

Selected works

Tabernacle Presbyterian West Philadelphia

Churches

* Grace Memorial Church, Main Street,

Darlington, Maryland Darlington is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in northeastern Harford County, Maryland, United States.serpentine Serpentine may refer to: Shapes * Serpentine shape, a shape resembling a serpent * Serpentine curve, a mathematical curve * Serpentine, a type of riding figure Science and nature * Serpentine subgroup, a group of minerals * Serpentinite, a ...

from the Broad Creek quarry * Christ Church, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (1878–80). * Church of the New Jerusalem (Swedenborgian), 22nd & Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia (c. 1881). Now an office building. * Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, 37th & Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia (1883–86). Now Tabernacle United Church. * Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, Broad & Diamond Streets, Philadelphia (1887–89). Now Berean Presbyterian Church. * Church of St. Asaph, Conshohocken State & St. Asaph's Roads, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (1888–93). * Trinity Episcopal Church, 1108 N. Adams Street, Wilmington, Delaware (1890). The Parish House and Rectory were designed by

Frank Miles Day Frank Miles Day (April 5, 1861 – June 15, 1918) was a Philadelphia-based architect who specialized in residences and academic buildings. Career In 1883, he graduated from the Towne School of the University of Pennsylvania, and traveled to Europ ...

. * Calvary Presbyterian Church, E. 3rd Street & Madison Avenue, Washington, D.C. (c. 1893). * Church of St. Martin, King of Prussia Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania (1894). * Third Presbyterian Church, 5701 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh (1897–1903). Funded by the widow of William Thaw, the brownstone building was nicknamed, "Mrs. Thaw's Chocolate Church". * First Presbyterian Church, 6th & Wood Streets, Pittsburgh (1903–05). * Christ Church Ithan, 536 Conestoga Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania (1919). Sterling Reading

Houses

* "Stonecliffe" (Thomas M. Stewart/Mrs. Charles Taylor mansion), 7 Caryl Lane, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (1880–81, partially demolished). * "Ingeborg" (William Simpson Jr. mansion), Overbrook, Pennsylvania (1880–84, demolished 1920s). * "Fox Hill" (Rudolph Ellis mansion), Bryn Mawr & Ithan Aves., Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (1881–82, destroyed by fire). The gatehouse, cabin and east wing survive. * Scott-Wanamaker townhouse, 2032 Walnut St., Philadelphia (1883–86, demolished following a fire, 1981). The façade survives, with modern townhouses built behind it. * "Belmont" (

Amzi L. Barber Amzi Lorenzo Barber (June 22, 1843 – April 17, 1909) was a pioneer of the asphalt industry in the United States, and an early participant in the automobile industry as well. He laid many of the roads in Westchester County, New York and was ...

mansion), 1312 Clifton Street NW, Washington, D.C. (1883–86, demolished 1915). * "Rostrevor" (Samuel B. Brown mansion), Booth Lane, Haverford Station, Pennsylvania (1884–86, demolished). * George Burnham townhouse, 3401 Powelton Avenue, Philadelphia (1886). * "The Gables" (

Ida Dixon Ida Elizabeth Dixon (December 25, 1854 – November 22, 1916) was an American socialite and golf course architect from Pennsylvania. She was the first female golf course architect in the United States and perhaps in the world. She designed the ...

mansion), 414 Plush Mill Road,

Wallingford, Pennsylvania Wallingford is an unincorporated community in Nether Providence Township, Delaware County in Pennsylvanias. Founded in 1687, it is named for Wallingford, England. In 2007, Wallingford was named by ''Money Magazine'' as the 9th best place to liv ...

(1886-1889), now the Wallingford Community Arts Center * "Compton" (Lydia & John Thompson Morris mansion), Meadowbrook Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (1887–88, demolished 1968). The grounds are now the

Morris Arboretum The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania (37 ha / 92 acres) is the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Arboretum is open daily except for major holidays. It is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut ...

. * "Lyndhurst" (William & Mary C. Thaw mansion), 1165 Beechwood Boulevard, Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh (1887–89?, demolished in 1944). Mrs. Thaw was forced to sell "Lyndhurst" to raise funds for her son

Harry Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

's legal defense, after he murdered the architect

Stanford White Stanford White (November 9, 1853 – June 25, 1906) was an American architect. He was also a partner in the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, one of the most significant Beaux-Arts firms. He designed many houses for the rich, in additio ...

. * St. Asaph's Rectory, Conshohocken State & St. Asaph Roads, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania (1888). * "

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

" (James Hervey Sternbergh mansion), 1120 Centre Avenue, Reading, Pennsylvania (1890–92). *

Leiter House The Leiter House was a mansion that once stood at 1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1893 for wealthy businessman Levi Leiter, the palatial 55-room neoclassical residence was designed ...

, 1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. (1893, demolished 1947) * "Hillsover" (Lincoln Godfrey mansion), 560 Sproul Road, Radnor, Pennsylvania (1893). Extensively altered by

in 1926, and renamed "Launfal," it is presently the

Academy of Notre Dame de Namur The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur is a private middle school and high school for girls in Radnor, Pennsylvania. It is located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia; however, Notre Dame is an independent school. Notre Dame's mission ...

. * "Langoma" (Joseph D. Potts mansion), Wyebrook, Chester County, Pennsylvania (1897–1901). Chandler's largest residential design, the 67-room chateau is now a religious retreat operated by the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence. *

Bishop Mackay-Smith House Bishop Mackay-Smith House, also known as the Franklin School, is a historic residence located in the Rittenhouse Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1903–1904, and is a -story, brick and brownstone buildin ...

, 251 S. 22nd Street, Philadelphia (1903–04). New Castle County Court House 1879-80

Other buildings and structures

* Bear Pits,

(1874–75, demolished 1977). * Thomas P. Duncan Mausoleum,

Union Dale Cemetery, Pittsburgh Union Dale Cemetery is a cemetery at 2200 Brighton Road, in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The cemetery is divided into three parts: Division 1 (north side), east of Brighton Road and north of Marshall Avenue; Division 2 (south sid ...

(1879). * New Castle County Court House, 1000 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (1879–80, demolished 1915). * Spring Garden Insurance Company, 431 Walnut St., Philadelphia (1880–81, demolished 1960). * Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad Station, Front & French Streets, Wilmington, Delaware (1881, demolished c. 1907).

Frank Furness Frank Heyling Furness (November 12, 1839 - June 27, 1912) was an American architect of the Victorian era. He designed more than 600 buildings, most in the Philadelphia area, and is remembered for his diverse, muscular, often unordinarily scaled ...

French Street Station French Street is a streetcar station in Charlotte, North Carolina. The at-grade island platform on Beatties Ford Road is the western terminus of the CityLynx Gold Line and serves the Biddleville neighborhood. Location French Street statio ...

(1908) replaced it on the site. * Hayes Mechanics Home for Men, 2210 Belmont Ave., Philadelphia (1886). Now the Hayes Manor Retirement Residence. * Wanamaker's Grand Depot, Thirteenth and Market Street, Philadelphia (1888, demolished c. 1904). * Commercial Union Assurance Company, 416-20 Walnut Street, Philadelphia (1889, demolished 1963). * Gladstone Apartment House, 1101 Pine Street, Philadelphia (1889–90, demolished 1971). Now the site of Louis Kahn Park. * Alexis I. duPont School, 3130 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware (1893-94, expanded 1917, 1938, 1960, renovated 1974) *

North Philadelphia Station North Philadelphia station is an intercity rail and regional rail station on the Northeast Corridor, located on North Broad Street in the North Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Southeastern Pennsyl ...

(Germantown Junction),

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

, 2900 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia (1896–1901). * Alterations to Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company, 508-10 Walnut Street, Philadelphia (1902, demolished 1974, façade survives). * Goshen Road Bridge over Darby Creek, Broomall, Pennsylvania (1905). File:North entrance, by Cremer, James, 1821-1893.jpg, North Entrance,

(1874–75, demolished) File:Bear Pits Philadelphia Zoo.jpg, Bear Pits,

(1874–75, demolished 1977), in an 1875 engraving. File:Stores at Ridley Park PA 1876 TP Chandler.jpg, Stores at Ridley Park, Delaware County, Pennsylvania (1876). File:Grace Memorial Episcopal Church.jpg, Grace Memorial Church, Darlington, Maryland (1876–78). File:Cottage at Claymont DE 1878 TP Chandler.jpg, Cottage at Claymont, Delaware (1878) File:2014-07-19-Union-Dale-Cemetery-Duncan-01.jpg, Duncan Mausoleum, Union Dale Cemetery, Pittsburgh (1879) File:Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad Station, Wilmington, Delaware pre-1907 HAER032116pv.jpg, Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Railroad Station, Wilmington, Delaware (1881, demolished c. 1907). File:Phila ChurchNewJerusalem01.jpg, Church of the New Jerusalem, Philadelphia (c. 1881). Now an office building. File:Scott-Wanamaker Stairway (cropped).jpg, Stairway of Scott-Wanamaker townhouse, Philadelphia (1883–88, demolished 1981) File:Compton from SW (cropped).jpg, "Compton" (Lydia & John Thompson Morris mansion), Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia (1887–88, demolished 1968). The grounds are now the

. File:Compton Hall & Stair.jpg, Hall and stair of "Compton." File:Thaw Home Cresson LOC13982v (cropped).jpg, "Lyndhurst" (William & Mary C. Thaw mansion), Pittsburgh (1887–89, demolished in 1944) File:St Asaph's Hotchkin Rural Pennsylvania 1897.jpg, Church of St. Asaph, Bala Cynwydd, Pennsylvania (1888–93). File:Trinity Episcopal Wilmington.JPG, Trinity Episcopal Church, Wilmington, Delaware (1890) File:Lincoln Godfrey House, Radnor, PA.jpg, "Hillsover" (Lincoln Godfrey mansion), Radnor, Pennsylvania (1893), now the

. File:St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Radnor, PA (cropped).jpg, Church of St. Martin, Radnor, Pennsylvania (1894) File:North-West view; Station Building - south (front) elevation, oblique - North Philadelphia Station.jpg,

(Germantown Junction),

(1896-1901) File:ThirdPresbyterianPHLF.jpg, Third Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh (1897-1903). Nickname: "Mrs. Thaw's Chocolate Church." File:Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company 508-10 Walnut St Philadelphia.jpg, Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company, Philadelphia. The left half of the façade was designed by

in 1838; Chandler designed the right half and the central parapet in 1902. File:251 S 22nd Philly.jpg,

, Philadelphia (1903–04) File:FirstPresbyPittsburghCrop.jpg, First Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh (1903–05)

References

Notes Bibliography * Roberts, Joan Church.
Theophilus P. Chandler, Jr.: Portrait of an American Architect
'' (Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 2010). * Thomas, George E. "Theophilus Parsons Chandler," Sewell, Darrel, ed., ''Philadelphia: Three Centuries of American Art'', (Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1976), pp. 415–16.

External links

*
Theophilus Parsons Chandler Jr.
from Philadelphia Architects and Buildings
Theophilus P. Chandler Collection
at Architectural Archives, University of Pennsylvania
Works by or about Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr.
in libraries (

WorldCat WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of tens of thousands of institutions (mostly libraries), in many countries, that are current or past members of the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. Many of the O ...

catalog) {{DEFAULTSORT:Chandler, Theophilus Parsons, Jr. 1845 births 1928 deaths Architects from Philadelphia Harvard University alumni University of Pennsylvania faculty Architects from Boston American ecclesiastical architects Gothic Revival architects American alumni of the École des Beaux-Arts Members of the Philadelphia Club Preservationist architects Defunct architecture firms based in Pennsylvania People associated with the Philadelphia Museum of Art 19th-century American architects 20th-century American architects