He was born on December 15, 1842 in Cork in Ireland to Thomas Keller (1804–1880) and Susan Pratt (1805–1888). Keller emigrated with his family to New York City as a child. Irish immigrants were at the time considered inferior, and during his early years Keller endured a considerable measure of hardship and discrimination. Lacking connections and unable to obtain schooling in Europe like many of his professional peers, an ambitious nature and a school of hard knocks education gave Keller an adequate base of knowledge. As a young man, he accepted employment with an Irish architect in Washington, D.C., but returned to New York to join the firm of architect Peter B. Wight. This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two. Keller's association with Wight introduced him to the aesthetic philosophy of John Ruskin and to serious architectural study, which was cut short by the outbreak of the Civil War. Though Keller planned to join the Union Army, a dry inkwell prevented him from signing the enlistment papers. Choosing to see this as an ill omen, he gladly accepted an engineering position with the Brooklyn Navy Yard instead. Moving to Hartford at the war's end, he took a job designing monuments.[2]
In 1903 Keller became the 3rd architect to work on the Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford. He based his contribution to the design on the York Cathedral, from which Ithiel Town, the original architect, had drawn inspiration.[3]
Public monuments
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch
The postwar building boom brought Keller to national prominence. Though he won design competitions for Civil War monuments in several cities, his Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at the entrance to Bushnell Park in Hartford, Connecticut, boldly broke the conventional form that had become the accepted configuration. Monuments of this type typically consisted of a cylindrical column, or shaft, surmounted by an allegorical female figure, usually Victory, with four sculpted figures surrounding the base. In contrast, Keller's Hartford monument, an eclectic Romanesque construction dedicated in 1886, was "perhaps the first permanent triumphal arch in the United States." One of the arch's most striking elements is a bas-relief frieze featuring life-size figures carved by Bohemian-born sculptor Caspar Buberl.[4] The north side of the frieze was carved by English-born sculptor Samuel James Kitson.
The Memorial Arch was built as a gateway to the pre-existing Park River Bridge, which was renamed the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge.[5] The bridge remains although the river has since been relocated and capped. The upper portion of the bridge arches can still be seen even though the river bank has since been raised and turned into parkland.
Garfield Memorial
Keller's involvement with the James A. Garfield Memorial in Cleveland began after he submitted an architectural design to the trustees of the Garfield National Memorial Committee. The committee, headed by ex-President Rutherford B. Hayes along with Jeptha H. Wade, president of Cleveland's Lake View Cemetery, had been formed for the purpose of securing a plan for a memorial to President James A. Garfield following his assassination in 1881. To this end during the autumn of 1883 the committee sponsored a design competition in which Keller took part. The competition promised a prize of $1,000 to the winning design, thus attracting not only American but also European entries. To judge the submissions, the committee obtained the assistance of Boston architect Henry van Brunt and English-born architect Calvert Vaux of New York City.[6] Both van Brunt and Vaux ultimately chose Keller's design, and he was awarded the commission on June 24, 1884. Excavation for the monument at Lake View Cemetery began on October 6, 1885; it was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1890.[7] Once again, Keller chose Caspar Buberl to execute figural friezes for his design.
Columbia Street Row Houses, Hartford, Connecticut, 12 houses on east side (1888), west side (1889). Part of George Keller Historic District.[21]
Park Terrace Row Houses, Hartford, Connecticut (1895).[22] Keller received the house at 26 Park Terrace in lieu of his design fee, and lived there for the rest of his life.[23]
60 Cone Street, Hartford, Connecticut (1895). Part of West End North Historic District.[24]
Grace Episcopal Church Parish House, Windsor, Connecticut (1898).
Simsbury United Methodist Church, 799 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, Connecticut (1908).[25]
Albert Pope Drinking Fountain, Pope Park, Hartford, Connecticut (1913).[26]
Biographer David F. Ransom calls Keller's three small libraries "the crowning achievement of his career."[28]
Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Connecticut (1888–89). Keller doubled the size of the library in 1911, but maintained the domestic scale of its Shingle Style exterior.
Around 1885 he married Mary Monteith Smith (1860–1946) and they had three children: Hilda Montieth Keller (1888–1978), George Monteith Keller Sr. (1895–1986), and Walter Smith Keller Sr. (1898–1981).[1]
George Keller died in Hartford, Connecticut on July 7, 1935. His ashes and those of his wife are interred within the Memorial Arch.
Grace Episcopal Church Rectory, Windsor, Connecticut (c. 1865–70).
David F. Ransom, George Keller, Architect, intro. Barry Hannegan (Hartford, CT: Stowe-Day Foundation, 1978).[2]
^ ab"George Keller Dead. Noted as Architect. Dean of American Institute Designed the Gettysburg and Garfield Memorials". New York Times. July 8, 1935. Retrieved 2011-07-27. George Keller, aged 92, dean of the American Institute of Architects and designer of the Gettysburg Memorial, at the dedication of which Lincoln made his famous address died at his home here today after a week's illness. ...
^Garfield National Memorial Association, The Man and the Mausoleum: Dedication of the Garfield Memorial Structure in Cleveland, Ohio, May 30, 1890 (1890; repr., Cleveland, OH: Garfield National Memorial Committee, 1924), 17–18.
^David F. Ransom, NRHP Nomination, Norfolk Historic District, 1978, p. 14.
^Ansonia Library from Historic Buildings of Connecticut.
^The Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain, a horse drinking fountain outside Ansonia Public Library, is attributed to Keller. Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain from SIRIS.
george, keller, architect, american, scholar, george, keller, academic, george, keller, december, 1842, july, 1935, american, architect, engineer, enjoyed, diverse, successful, career, sought, designs, bridges, houses, monuments, various, commercial, public, b. For the American scholar see George Keller academic George Keller December 15 1842 July 7 1935 was an American architect and engineer He enjoyed a diverse and successful career and was sought for his designs of bridges houses monuments and various commercial and public buildings Keller s most famous projects however are the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Hartford Connecticut and the James A Garfield Memorial in Cleveland Ohio 1 George Keller circa 1880 Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch Hartford Connecticut 1884 86 south side Keller s ashes are interred within the Memorial Arch Contents 1 Biography 2 Public monuments 2 1 Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch 2 2 Garfield Memorial 3 Selected works 4 Other buildings 4 1 Libraries 5 Personal 6 References 7 External linksBiography EditHe was born on December 15 1842 in Cork in Ireland to Thomas Keller 1804 1880 and Susan Pratt 1805 1888 Keller emigrated with his family to New York City as a child Irish immigrants were at the time considered inferior and during his early years Keller endured a considerable measure of hardship and discrimination Lacking connections and unable to obtain schooling in Europe like many of his professional peers an ambitious nature and a school of hard knocks education gave Keller an adequate base of knowledge As a young man he accepted employment with an Irish architect in Washington D C but returned to New York to join the firm of architect Peter B Wight This was the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two Keller s association with Wight introduced him to the aesthetic philosophy of John Ruskin and to serious architectural study which was cut short by the outbreak of the Civil War Though Keller planned to join the Union Army a dry inkwell prevented him from signing the enlistment papers Choosing to see this as an ill omen he gladly accepted an engineering position with the Brooklyn Navy Yard instead Moving to Hartford at the war s end he took a job designing monuments 2 In 1903 Keller became the 3rd architect to work on the Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford He based his contribution to the design on the York Cathedral from which Ithiel Town the original architect had drawn inspiration 3 Public monuments EditSoldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch Edit The postwar building boom brought Keller to national prominence Though he won design competitions for Civil War monuments in several cities his Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at the entrance to Bushnell Park in Hartford Connecticut boldly broke the conventional form that had become the accepted configuration Monuments of this type typically consisted of a cylindrical column or shaft surmounted by an allegorical female figure usually Victory with four sculpted figures surrounding the base In contrast Keller s Hartford monument an eclectic Romanesque construction dedicated in 1886 was perhaps the first permanent triumphal arch in the United States One of the arch s most striking elements is a bas relief frieze featuring life size figures carved by Bohemian born sculptor Caspar Buberl 4 The north side of the frieze was carved by English born sculptor Samuel James Kitson The Memorial Arch was built as a gateway to the pre existing Park River Bridge which was renamed the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge 5 The bridge remains although the river has since been relocated and capped The upper portion of the bridge arches can still be seen even though the river bank has since been raised and turned into parkland Garfield Memorial Edit Keller s involvement with the James A Garfield Memorial in Cleveland began after he submitted an architectural design to the trustees of the Garfield National Memorial Committee The committee headed by ex President Rutherford B Hayes along with Jeptha H Wade president of Cleveland s Lake View Cemetery had been formed for the purpose of securing a plan for a memorial to President James A Garfield following his assassination in 1881 To this end during the autumn of 1883 the committee sponsored a design competition in which Keller took part The competition promised a prize of 1 000 to the winning design thus attracting not only American but also European entries To judge the submissions the committee obtained the assistance of Boston architect Henry van Brunt and English born architect Calvert Vaux of New York City 6 Both van Brunt and Vaux ultimately chose Keller s design and he was awarded the commission on June 24 1884 Excavation for the monument at Lake View Cemetery began on October 6 1885 it was dedicated on Memorial Day May 30 1890 7 Once again Keller chose Caspar Buberl to execute figural friezes for his design Selected works EditMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML Monument Image Location GPS Coordinates Construction Begun Cornerstone Laid Dedicated Sculptor NotesCivil War Monument 8 Granby Green 3 East Granby Road Granby Connecticut41 57 13 N 72 47 21 W 41 9536 N 72 7891 W 41 9536 72 7891 Granby Soldiers Monument 1868 Carl Conrads New England Granite Works contractorSoldiers National Monument Gettysburg National Cemetery Gettysburg Pennsylvania39 49 11 N 77 13 52 W 39 8198 N 77 2312 W 39 8198 77 2312 Soldiers National Monument July 3 1865 July 1 1869 Randolph RogersSoldiers Monument Taunton Massachusetts Never executed 9 Civil War Monument Veterans Memorial Park Manchester New Hampshire42 59 19 N 71 27 43 W 42 9885 N 71 4619 W 42 9885 71 4619 Manchester Soldiers Monument May 30 1878 September 11 1879 Caspar Buberl and othersU S Soldier Monumenta k a Private Soldier Monument 10 Antietam National Cemetery Sharpsburg Maryland39 27 33 N 77 44 28 W 39 4592 N 77 7411 W 39 4592 77 7411 American Volunteer Antietam September 17 1867 September 17 1880 Carl Conrads sculptorJames W Pollette carver Height 44 ft 7 in Weight 250 tons Statue exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition Soldiers and Sailors Monument Lafayette Square Buffalo New York42 53 09 N 78 52 26 W 42 8857 N 78 8738 W 42 8857 78 8738 Buffalo Soldiers and Sailors Monument July 4 1882 July 4 1884 Caspar BuberlSoldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch Bushnell Park Ford Street entrance Hartford Connecticut41 45 57 N 72 40 48 W 41 7657 N 72 6800 W 41 7657 72 6800 Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch May1884 November 7 1886 Caspar Buberl south friezeSamuel James Kitson north friezeAlbert Entress 1846 1926 6 statuesJames A Garfield Memorial Lake View Cemetery Cleveland Ohio41 30 36 N 81 35 29 W 41 5100 N 81 5914 W 41 5100 81 5914 James A Garfield Memorial October 6 1885 May 30 1890 Caspar BuberlSoldiers and Sailors Monument Oneida Square Utica New York43 05 47 N 75 14 32 W 43 0963 N 75 2422 W 43 0963 75 2422 Utica Soldiers and Sailors Monument October 13 1891 Karl GerhardtMajor General John Sedgwick Memorial opposite Cornwall Hollow Cemetery Cornwall Hollow amp Hautboy Hill Roads Cornwall Connecticut41 53 51 N 73 16 58 W 41 8975 N 73 2828 W 41 8975 73 2828 Major General John Sedgwick Memorial May 3 1900 James J Hawley 1871 1899 Hawley s first and only major commission 11 Base of Lafayette Equestrian Statue Lafayette Circle Capitol Avenue amp Washington Street Hartford Connecticut41 45 45 N 72 40 54 W 41 7625 N 72 6818 W 41 7625 72 6818 Lafayette Equestrian Statue 1932 Paul Wayland Bartlett 1932 cast of Bartlett s 1908 equestrian statueat Cours la Reine ParisOther buildings EditGrace Episcopal Church Windsor Connecticut 1864 65 12 Grace Episcopal Church Rectory 301 Broad Street Windsor Connecticut circa 1865 70 attributed Asylum Avenue Baptist Church 868 Asylum Avenue Hartford Connecticut 1872 altered Part of Asylum Avenue Historic District Seyms Street Jail Hartford Connecticut 1873 demolished 1978 Elizabeth Chapel Connecticut Retreat for the Insane Hartford Connecticut 1875 13 Now The Institute of Living Temple Beth Israel Synagogue 21 Charter Oak Avenue Hartford Connecticut 1876 14 Now Charter Oak Cultural Center Carl H Conrads House 1628 Boulevard West Hartford Connecticut year 15 White Hall Connecticut Retreat for the Insane Hartford Connecticut 1877 16 Now The Institute of Living G Fox amp Company Department Store 406 10 Main Street Hartford Connecticut 1880 burned 1917 Northam Memorial Chapel and Gallup Memorial Gateway Cedar Hill Cemetery 453 Fairfield Avenue Hartford Connecticut 1882 17 Hartford Public High School 39 Hopkins Street Hartford Connecticut 1882 expanded 1897 demolished 1963 18 Thayer Monument Lake View Cemetery Skaneateles New York 1882 83 Carl Conrads sculptor 19 Union Station Hartford Connecticut 1889 conceived by Keller executed by Shepley Rutan and Coolidge 20 Columbia Street Row Houses Hartford Connecticut 12 houses on east side 1888 west side 1889 Part of George Keller Historic District 21 Park Terrace Row Houses Hartford Connecticut 1895 22 Keller received the house at 26 Park Terrace in lieu of his design fee and lived there for the rest of his life 23 60 Cone Street Hartford Connecticut 1895 Part of West End North Historic District 24 Grace Episcopal Church Parish House Windsor Connecticut 1898 Simsbury United Methodist Church 799 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury Connecticut 1908 25 Albert Pope Drinking Fountain Pope Park Hartford Connecticut 1913 26 J P Morgan Tomb Cedar Hill Cemetery Hartford Connecticut circa 1913 27 Libraries Edit Biographer David F Ransom calls Keller s three small libraries the crowning achievement of his career 28 Norfolk Public Library Norfolk Connecticut 1888 89 Keller doubled the size of the library in 1911 but maintained the domestic scale of its Shingle Style exterior Ansonia Public Library Ansonia Connecticut 1891 92 29 30 Granville Public Library Granville Massachusetts 1902 Personal EditAround 1885 he married Mary Monteith Smith 1860 1946 and they had three children Hilda Montieth Keller 1888 1978 George Monteith Keller Sr 1895 1986 and Walter Smith Keller Sr 1898 1981 1 George Keller died in Hartford Connecticut on July 7 1935 His ashes and those of his wife are interred within the Memorial Arch Grace Episcopal Church Rectory Windsor Connecticut c 1865 70 Temple Beth Israel Synagogue Hartford Connecticut 1876 Now Charter Oak Cultural Center G Fox amp Co Department Store far left Hartford Connecticut 1880 burned 1917 Northam Memorial Chapel and Gallup Memorial Gateway Cedar Hill Cemetery Hartford Connecticut 1882 Norfolk Public Library Norfolk Connecticut 1888 89 Union Station Hartford Connecticut 1889 Ansonia Public Library Ansonia Connecticut 1891 92 Granville Public Library Granville Massachusetts 1902 References EditDavid F Ransom George Keller Architect intro Barry Hannegan Hartford CT Stowe Day Foundation 1978 2 a b George Keller Dead Noted as Architect Dean of American Institute Designed the Gettysburg and Garfield Memorials New York Times July 8 1935 Retrieved 2011 07 27 George Keller aged 92 dean of the American Institute of Architects and designer of the Gettysburg Memorial at the dedication of which Lincoln made his famous address died at his home here today after a week s illness Ransom pp 1 4 6 9 Hartfond Architecture Conservancy p 24 Ransom 5 117 129 131 Encyclopedia Americana 1920 Garfield National Memorial Association The Man and the Mausoleum Dedication of the Garfield Memorial Structure in Cleveland Ohio May 30 1890 1890 repr Cleveland OH Garfield National Memorial Committee 1924 17 18 Ransom 135 David F Ransom NRHP Nomination Granby Center Historic District 1985 p 6 Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch from Connecticut Historical Society U S Soldier Monument from National Park Service Sedgwick Memorial from Connecticut Historical Society Grace Memorial Church from Historic Buildings of Connecticut Elizabeth Chapel from Historic Buildings of Connecticut Temple Beth Israel from Historic Buildings of Connecticut David F Ransom Connecticut s Civil War Monuments Connecticut Historical Society 2000 n 22 1 White Hall from Historic Buildings of Connecticut Northam Memorial Chapel from Historic Buildings of Connecticut Hartford Public High School Thayer Monument Potter Janet Greenstein 1996 Great American Railroad Stations New York John Wiley amp Sons Inc p 69 ISBN 978 0471143895 George Keller Historic District Park Terrace Row Houses from Historic Buildings of Connecticut Daniel Sterner A Guide to Historic Hartford Connecticut The History Press 2012 p 123 West End North Historic District Simsbury United Methodist Church from Historic Buildings of Connecticut Pope Fountain from SIRIS J P Morgan Tomb from Flickr David F Ransom NRHP Nomination Norfolk Historic District 1978 p 14 Ansonia Library from Historic Buildings of Connecticut The Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain a horse drinking fountain outside Ansonia Public Library is attributed to Keller Anna Sewell Memorial Fountain from SIRIS External links Edit Biography portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Keller George Keller from SIRIS A brief biography of George Keller at the Bushnell Park Foundation s Web site Focus is on Keller s life and work in Hartford Connecticut Garfield Memorial in Lake View Cemetery George Keller at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Keller architect amp oldid 1045470289, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
