James M. Creighton

James Miller Creighton (September 14, 1856 – November 25, 1946) was an American architect who practiced in Phoenix, Arizona from the 1880s to the 1920s. He is considered to be one of Arizona's first architects.

Creighton, from his 1922 passport application.

Early years

Creighton was born in Newcastle, New Brunswick, now Miramichi, in 1856. At the age of 13, Creighton began working as an apprentice, to learn carpentry and building. He remained in his native Canada until 1879, when he emigrated to Denver, Colorado. He worked for a local builder, and studied architecture at night school.

Arizona

Interested in opportunities in Arizona, he moved, this time to Tucson. There, he formed a partnership with J. M. Henderson. in 1882 he moved on to Phoenix, hoping to get a job on the construction of the new Maricopa County Courthouse. Unsuccessful, he formed a partnership, Patton & Creighton, with Samuel E. Patton.^[1] Patton had been the successful bidder on the courthouse's carpentry.^[2]

Gradually, he focused more and more on design and less on building, and opened an office for the practice of architecture in late 1887, after obtaining the commission for City Hall. He practiced alone until the mid-1890s, when he added Denslow W. Millard, formerly of Minnesota, as a partner. The firm of Creighton & Millard only lasted until 1897, When Millard went on to establish his own practice. Circa 1898, he partnered with C. Schenstrom as Creighton & Schenstrom, and ended the partnership in 1899.^[3]

Around the turn of the century, Creighton moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in the face of a severe drought that limited opportunities. However, he soon returned to Phoenix.^[2] In 1905 he again partnered with Millard, this time as Millard & Creighton.^[4] The partnership lasted until 1907. That year, Creighton associated with Henry C. Trost of El Paso. The resulting firm, Trost & Creighton, was organized to supervise Trost's Arizona work. They dissolved partnership in 1908, when Trost established Trost & Trost. Creighton practiced alone until 1915, establishing Creighton & McDonald, but soon returned to private practice.^[5] He continued to practice under his own name until the mid-1920s.

Later years

During the early 1880s, Creighton became a naturalized citizen. He married Mary E. Smith, in Phoenix. He became a widow in 1913 and later married Nellie Eliza, Mary's younger sister.^[6]

 

Creighton family plot

 

Grave of James Miller Creighton

Despite traveling extensively, he died at his home in Phoenix in 1946. Creighton is buried in Phoenix's Greenwood/Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery. In 2009, the asteroid 10046 Creighton was named in his memory.

Works

A number of his works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[7][8]

Patton & Creighton, ?–1887:

• Fry Building, 146 E. Washington St., Phoenix (1885) – Altered. Also the oldest identified commercial building in Phoenix^[9]
• Territorial Insane Asylum, 2500 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix (1886–87)^[10] – From plans by an unidentified Californian firm^[11]
• Territorial Normal School,Tempe (1886) a.k.a. Old Main^[10]
• Old Main, University of Arizona, Tucson (1887–91)^[12]

James M. Creighton, 1887–?:

• Phoenix City Hall, 125 E. Washington St., Phoenix (1887–88) – Demolished c. 1928^[13]
• John Nicholas Saloon, 46 E. 11th St., Florence (1889)
• Andre Building, 401 S. Mill Ave., Tempe (1888) – Remodeled 1900^[14]
• Phoenix Indian School, 300 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix (1891–92)^[15]
• Second Pinal County Courthouse, 135 N. Pinal St., Florence (1891)^[16]
• Osborn School, 3443 N. Central Ave., Phoenix (1892) – Demolished. Now the site of Phoenix Financial Center^[15]
• Niels Petersen House, 1414 W. Southern Ave., Tempe (1892)^[1]
• Frank Titus House, 1310 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale (1892)^[17]
• Con P. Cronin House, 2029 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix (1893)^[18]
• Oscar Roberts House, 2004 W. Madison St., Phoenix (1893)^[18]

Creighton & Millard, ?–1897:

• George J. Roskruge House, 318 E. 13th St., Tucson (1895)^[12]
• Hotel Adams, 50 E. Adams St., Phoenix (1896) – Burned^[19]
• Darius M. Purman House, 1317 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix (1897–98)

James M. Creighton, 1897–1898:

• Odd Fellows Hall, 520 S. Mill Ave., Tempe (1898)^[1]

Creighton & Schenstrom, 1898–1899:

• Ellingson Building, 21 W. Washington St., Phoenix (1899) – Demolished^[20]

James M. Creighton, 1899–1905:

• Vernetta Hotel, 216 N. Frontier St., Wickenburg (1905)^[21]

Millard & Creighton, 1905–1907:

• Dominion Hotel, Broad & Sycamore Sts., Globe (1905) – Burned 1981^[22]
• Carnegie Public Library, 1101 W. Washington St., Phoenix (1906–07)^[23]
• President's House, Tempe Normal School, Tempe (1907)^[24]

Trost & Creighton, 1907–1908:

• Y.M.C.A. Building, Monroe St. & 2nd Ave., Phoenix (1908) – Demolished^[25]

James M. Creighton, 1908–1915:

• Gold Hotel, 3rd & Washington Sts., Phoenix (1911–12) – Demolished^[26]
• Tempe City Hall, 140 E. 5th St., Tempe (1913–14) – Demolished 1968^[27]

Creighton & McDonald, 1915–?:

• Wilson School, 3025 E. Fillmore St., Phoenix (1915) – Demolished
• Suhwaro Hotel, 58 W. Buffalo St., Chandler (1916)^[28]

Historic structures

The following are images of historical structures in whose development James M. Creighton played an instrumental role:

Historic structures

 

Plaque in the main entrance of the Main Building, also known as Old Main and the Normal School.

•  
  The Fry's Building – 1885
•  
  Arizona State Hospital Building (Territorial Insane Asylum) – 1900
•  
  The Old Main building a.k.a. Tempe Normal School – 1889
•  
  The John Nicolas Saloon
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  The Andre Building – 1888
•  
  The Phoenix Indian School – 1891
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  Second Pinal County Courthouse, Florence – 1891
•  
  Niels Petersen House, Tempe – 1892
•  
  The Frank Tilus House – 1875
•  
  Con P. Cronin House, Phoenix – 1893
•  
  Oscar Roberts Madison House – 1893
•  
  Darius M. Purman House, Phoenix – 1897
•  
  Odd Fellows Hall, Tempe – 1898
•  
  Vernetta Hotel – 1905
•  
  Carnegie Public Library, Phoenix – 1906–07
•  
  President's House
•  
  Suhwaro Hotel, Chandler – 1916

References

1. Tempe Hardware Building NRHP Nomination.
2. Guide to MS 10, James M. Creighton Collection, Photos and Documents. 2009. Web.
3. Phoenix City Directory 1899–1900. 1899.
4. Arizona Republican 2 May 1905: 6.
5. American Stone Trade 1 Aug. 1915: 35.
6. U.S. Passport Application for J. M. Creighton, architect, dated February 20, 1922. Ancestry.com. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795–1925 [database on-line]. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 – March 31, 1925; Collection Number: ARC Identifier 583830 / MLR Number A1 534; NARA Series: M1490; Roll #: 1840.
7. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
8. . Archived from the original on 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
9. "Fry Building (Baxter Block)". Arizona State Historic Property Inventory. 1983.
10. Inland Architect and Builder April 1886: 51.
11. Arizona Daily Star Building NRHP Nomination. 2002.
12. Nequette, Anne M. and R. Brooks Jeffery. A Guide to Tucson Architecture. 2002.
13. Maricopa County Courthouse NRHP Nomination. 1988.
14. Andre Building NRHP Nomination. 1979
15. Melikian, Robert A. Images of America: Vanishing Phoenix. 2010
16. Florence Townsite Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1995
17. Frank Titus House NRHP Nomination. 1982.
18. Nineteenth Century Residential Buildings in Phoenix Multiple Property Listing NRHP Nomination. 1994
19. The Pacific Reporter, Vol. 59, December 14, 1899 – March 8, 1900. 1900.
20. Engineering Record 26 Aug. 1899: 206.
21. Historic Resources of Wickenburg, Arizona. 1986.
22. Engineering News 14 Sept. 1905: 86.
23. Engineering Record 21 April 1906: 54.
24. Arizona Republican 2 June 1907: 10.
25. Engineering-Contracting 1 April 1908: 36.
26. Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer 25 Nov. 1911: 20.
27. Municipal Journal
28. Crago, Jody. "Throwback Thursday: Downtown Chandler's Suhwaro building". http://www.azcentral.com/. 3 Sept. 2015.