William C. Weston Explained

William C. Weston
Birth Date:	28 April 1866
Birth Place:	Wellington, New Zealand
Nationality:	American
Death Place:	Detroit
Practice:	William C. Weston; Weston & Smith; Weston & Ellington

William C. Weston (April 28, 1866 – September 19, 1932) was a New Zealand-born American architect. Weston practiced architecture in Birmingham, Alabama from 1901 until 1915 and in Detroit until his death in 1932.^[1]

Life and career

William Crowley Weston was born April 28, 1866, in Wellington, New Zealand. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 19. He was trained as an architect in the office of D. H. Burnham & Company in Chicago, and in other offices, before opening his own office in Birmingham, Alabama in 1901.^[1] His first work in Birmingham was the Woodward Building (1902), which he designed in association with Stone Brothers Ltd., architects of New Orleans.^[2]

In 1915 Weston moved to Detroit. Despite his success in Birmingham he found little work there, and closed his office during World War I. In 1922 he reopened his office and formed the partnership of Weston & Smith. This lasted only until 1923, when he formed the new partnership of Weston & Ellington. His new partner, Harold S. Ellington, had previously been the Detroit representative of Giaver & Dinkelberg of Chicago, architects of Grand Park Centre (1922).^[3] The firm of Weston & Ellington was chiefly responsible for industrial buildings but also designed non-industrial projects, including the Metropolitan Building (1925). The partnership was dissolved upon Weston's death in 1932. After his death Ellington formed the partnership of Harley & Ellington with architect Alvin E. Harley. This firm is still active under the name Harley Ellis Devereaux.^[1]

In 1912 Weston was joined by Eugene H. Knight, a former employee, as chief assistant and minority partner.^[4] After Weston's move to Detroit, Knight took over the office under his own name. In 1917 he merged the office with that of William T. Warren to form the partnership of Warren & Knight.^[5]

Personal life

Weston was married in 1899. He died September 19, 1932 in Detroit at the age of 66. He was survived by his widow, Louise Gertrude Weston, and a daughter.^[6]

Architectural works

• 1902 – Woodward Building, Birmingham, Alabama
• 1903 – Frank Nelson Building, 201 20th St N, Birmingham, Alabama^[7]
• 1903 – Title Building, 300 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, Alabama^[8]
• 1905 – Birmingham Realty Company building, 2118 1st Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama^[9]
• 1906 – Brown-Marx Building, 2000 1st Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama^[10]
• 1907 – Terrace Court, 1124 20th St S, Birmingham, Alabama^[11]
• 1908 – Wimberly-Thomas Warehouse, 1809 1st Ave S, Birmingham, Alabama^[12]
• 1910 – Age-Herald Building, 2107 5th Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama^[13]
• 1912 – Temple Emanu-El, 2100 Highland Ave, Birmingham, Alabama^[14]
• 1913 – City Federal Building, 2024 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama^[15]
• 1914 – Otto Marx house, 2600 Highland Ave, Birmingham, Alabama^[16]
• 1918 – Bearings Service Company building, 4145-4161 Cass Ave, Detroit^[17]
• 1925 – Metropolitan Building, 33 John R St, Detroit^[1]
• 1926 – Fort Wayne Hotel, 408 Temple Ave, Detroit^[1]
• 1926 – The Park Shelton, 15 East Kirby St, Detroit^[1]

Weston designed two of the four buildings at the so-called Heaviest Corner on Earth in Birmingham, both of which were the tallest buildings in the state at the time of their construction.

Notes and References

1. Web site: William C. Weston (April 28, 1866 – Sept. 19, 1932) . Historic Detroit . 24 January 2022.
2. "Drawing Plans," Birmingham Age-Herald, August 2, 1901, 5.
3. "Business" in American Contractor 44, no. 3 (January 20, 1923): 30.
4. "News of Birmingham in Brief Paragraphs," Birmingham News, May 21, 1912, 11.
5. "Architects Form New Partnership," Birmingham Age-Herald, March 17, 1917, 5.
6. "Famous Detroit Architect Is Dead," Detroit Free Press, September 20, 1932, 11.
7. John G. Hempstead, "First National Bank Building, Birmingham, Alabama" in Fireproof Magazine (February, 1904): 38.
8. Jefferson County Historical Commission, Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama (Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 1998)
9. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77836344 Morris Avenue–First Avenue North Historic District NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form
10. "Tallest Building in Alabama" in Valve World (January, 1907): 4.
11. Manufacturers' Record (August 10, 1907)
12. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77836362 Wimberly-Thomas Warehouse NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form
13. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77836376 Age-Herald Building NRHP Inventory-Nomination Form
14. Engineering News (June 1, 1911): 259.
15. American Contractor (February 8, 1913): 67.
16. American Contractor (May 16, 1914): 95.
17. "Bearings Service Company To Move To Larger Quarters" in Accessory and Garage Journal 7, no. 11 (March, 1918): 19.