Guy Kirkham Explained

Guy Kirkham
Nationality:	United States
Birth Date:	14 December 1864
Birth Place:	Springfield, Massachusetts
Death Place:	Springfield, Massachusetts
Practice:	Guy Kirkham; Kirkham & Parlett
Awards:	Fellow, American Institute of Architects (1897)

Guy Kirkham (November 13, 1864 – August 3, 1935) was an American architect in practice in Springfield, Massachusetts, from 1892 until his retirement in 1932. From 1904 until his retirement he was senior partner of the firm of Kirkham & Parlett.

Life and career

Guy Kirkham was born November 13, 1864 in, Springfield, Massachusetts, to William Kirkham Jr., a jeweler, and Harriet Newell Kirkham, née Merriam. His maternal grandfather was Charles Merriam, a founder in 1831 of what is today Merriam-Webster.^{[1] [2]} His father died when he was young, and when he was about thirteen his mother remarried to Charles D. Hosley, another jeweler.^[3]

Kirkham was educated in the Springfield public schools and at St. Paul's School before entering the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a special student in architecture, studying with the class of 1887. He worked for Gilbert & Taylor in St. Paul from 1886 to 1888, for Renwick, Aspinwall & Russell in New York City from 1888 to 1890 and for Gardner, Pyne & Gardner in Springfield from 1890 to 1892, excepting much of the year 1890–91, which he spent traveling in Europe. In 1892 he opened an office of his own in Springfield.^[1] He was a sole practitioner until 1904, when he formed the partnership of Kirkham & Parlett with architect Edwin J. Parlett. Kirkham and Kirkham & Parlett developed a large practice in western Massachusetts. They designed many large public and private buildings, most notably the High School of Commerce, completed in 1915, and the headquarters of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, completed in 1926. Parlett died in April 1931,^[4] and Kirkham retired in 1932.^{[5] [2]}

In 1928 Kirkham was appointed to the Springfield park commission by mayor Fordis C. Parker. He was reappointed in 1929 and was elected chairman in 1930, making him an ex officio member of the planning board.^[2] He served until 1934, when he declined reappointment.^[6]

In 1897 Kirkham joined the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as a Fellow. He was the first AIA Fellow from the Springfield area. He was a member of several social and fraternal organizations in Springfield and was involved in local philanthropic causes.^[2]

Personal life

Kirkham was married in 1892 to Grace Freeman Dwight of Springfield. Her grandfather, George Dwight, was a rifle manufacturer who served as the last civilian superintendent of the Springfield Armory. He is credited with successfully ramping up rifle production at the start of the American Civil War.^{[2] [7]}

Kirkham had one son and three daughters.^[2] They lived in the McKnight neighborhood of Springfield, in two successive houses designed by Kirkham. The first was built in 1892 and designed in the Shingle Style, the second in 1909 in the Arts and Crafts style.^[8] He was a parishioner of the Church of the Unity, the building of which was the first completed work of architect H. H. Richardson.^[2]

Kirkham died August 3, 1935, in Springfield at the age of 70..^[2]

Legacy

After Kirkham's retirement, Kirkham & Parlett was continued by Charles E. Hamilton, an associate since 1928, under his own name.^[5] Hamilton died in December 1944 and did not leave a professional successor.^[9]

At least one of Kirkham's works has been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.

Architectural works

Guy Kirkham, to 1904

• 1889 – Charles D. Hosley house, 1166 Worthington St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[10]
• 1892 – Guy Kirkham house, 145 Clarendon St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[11]
• 1894 – Charles A. Bowles house, 81 Mulberry St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[12]
• 1896 – Smith Hall, Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Wilbraham, Massachusetts^[13]
• 1897 – Home for Friendless Women and Children (former), 136 William St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[14]
• 1900 – Springfield Home for Aged Women (former), 471 Chestnut St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[15]
• 1902 – Goodwin Memorial Library (former), 48 Middle St, Hadley, Massachusetts^[16]
• 1905 – Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence, 220 Main St, Northampton, Massachusetts^[17]

Kirkham & Parlett, 1904–1932

• 1904 – Woods Hall, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts^[18]
• 1905 – Howard Street School, 59 Howard St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[19]
• 1906 – Charles B. Hitchcock house, 321 Longhill St, Springfield, Massachusetts^{[20] [21]}
• 1908 – Springfield Day Nursery, 103 William St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[22]
• 1909 – All Saints Episcopal Church (former), 41 Oakland St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[23]
• 1909 – Bookstore Building, 1383 Main St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[24]
• 1909 – Guy Kirkham house, 120 Clarendon St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[25]
• 1909 – Springfield City Library Forest Park branch, 300 Belmont Ave, Springfield, Massachusetts^[26]
• 1911 – Leo L. Ley house, 46 Randolph St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[27]
• 1911 – Frederick H. Stebbins house, 86 Bowdoin St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[28]
• 1912 – Menagerie and stable buildings, Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts^[29]
• 1913 – Chicopee Public Library (former), 31 Center St, Chicopee, Massachusetts^[30]
• 1913 – Olivet Congregational Church (former), 33 Oak St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[31]
• 1915 – High School of Commerce, 415 State St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[32]
• 1917 – Springfield Day Nursery (former), 27 Pendleton St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[33]
• 1920 – Forbes & Wallace department store, Main St and Boland Way, Springfield, Massachusetts^[34]
• 1923 – William H. Sargeant house, 406 Longhill St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[35]
• 1924 – Adams Hall, American International College, Springfield, Massachusetts^[36]
• 1924 – Henry F. Punderson house, 25 Riverview Ter, Springfield, Massachusetts^[37]
• 1925 – DAR Hall, American International College, Springfield, Massachusetts^[38]
• 1926 – Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company headquarters, 1295 State St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[39]
• 1927 – Christ Church Cathedral tower, 35 Chestnut St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[40]
• 1929 – Morgan Block, 313-333 Bridge St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[41]
• 1931 – Springfield Isolation Hospital (former), 1400 State St, Springfield, Massachusetts^[42]

Notes and References

1. "Kirkham, Guy" in Our County and Its People: A History of Hampden County, Massachusetts 3, ed. Alfred Minot Copeland (Century Memorial Publishing Company, 1902): 564.
2. "Guy Kirkham, 70, retired architect, dies at his home," Springfield Daily Republican, August 4, 1935, 1 and 2.
3. "Mrs. C. D. Hosley dies," Springfield Daily Republican, June 18, 1917, 4.
4. "Edwin J. Parlett, local architect, dead at capital," Springfield Daily Republican, April 13, 1931, 1 and 2.
5. "Will retire as architect," Springfield Union, May 10, 1932, 7.
6. "Prominent local architect leaves park commission," Springfield Daily Republican, April 9, 1934, 1.
7. Wayne Phaneuf, "Civil War September 1861: Springfield Armory fuels the remaking of a city," MassLive, September 2, 2011. Accessed October 7, 2024.
8. Derek Strahan, "Guy Kirkham House, Springfield, Mass," Lost New England, June 19, 2017. Accessed October 7, 2024.
9. "Charles E. Hamilton, architect, dead at 70," Springfield Daily Republican, December 3, 1944, 10.
10. American Architect and Building News 25, no. 688 (March 2, 1889): 103.
11. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=SPR.1295 Historic Building Detail: SPR.1295
12. Derek Strahan, "Charles A. Bowles House, Springfield, Mass," Lost New England, February 23, 2018. Accessed October 9, 2024.
13. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=wil.70 Historic Building Detail: WIL.70
14. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.189 Historic Building Detail: SPR.189
15. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.2703 Historic Building Detail: SPR.2703
16. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=had.81 Historic Building Detail: HAD.81
17. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=nth.791 Historic Building Detail: NTH.791
18. "Woods Hall dedicated," Holyoke Daily Transcript, September 29, 1904, 7.
19. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.203 Historic Building Detail: SPR.203
20. C. D. Nahmer, "These house owners found contract system didn't meet their needs," Springfield Daily Republican, May 20, 1917, 2.
21. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.2091 Historic Building Detail: SPR.2091
22. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.2823 Historic Building Detail: SPR.2823
23. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.3855 Historic Building Detail: SPR.3855
24. "Johnson Bookstore Building," Transcript-Telegram, October 6, 1909, 11.
25. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.1177 Historic Building Detail: SPR.1177
26. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.3770 Historic Building Detail: SPR.3770
27. "Leo Ley to build," Springfield Union, April 7, 1911, 6.
28. "Attorney Stebbins to build fine residence," Springfield Daily News, April 10, 1911, 5.
29. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.4524 Historic Building Detail: SPR.4524
30. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=chi.342 Historic Building Detail: CHI.342
31. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.4433 Historic Building Detail: SPR.4433
32. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.4175 Historic Building Detail: SPR.4175
33. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.4450 Historic Building Detail: SPR.4450
34. "New Forbes & Wallace store addition which will be started early in spring," Springfield Union, December 14, 1919, 5.
35. "Home of W. H. Sargeant in Long Hill Street retains English characteristics," Springfield Union, December 2, 1923, 5.
36. Architectural Forum (April 1925): 250.
37. "Punderson to build," Springfield Union, April 21, 1924, 8.
38. "New dormitory at American International College, gift of DAR, ready for dedication," Springfield Union, June 14, 1925, 33.
39. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.3438 Historic Building Detail: SPR.3438
40. "Christ Church tower will be reconstructed," Springfield Union, April 27, 1927, 8.
41. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.49 Historic Building Detail: SPR.49
42. https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=spr.3440 Historic Building Detail: SPR.3440