George Dahl

George Dahl
Born May 11, 1894(1894-05-11)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Died July 18, 1987(1987-07-18) (aged 93)
Dallas, Texas
Nationality American
Work
Buildings Titche-Goettinger Building, Hillcrest State Bank, The Dallas Morning News building, Southwestern Life building, LTV Aerospace Center, Dallas Public Library[1]
Projects Texas Centennial Exposition, University of Texas

George Leighton Dahl (11 May 1894 - 18 July 1987) was a prominent American architect based in Dallas, Texas during the 20th century. His most notable contributions include the Art Deco structures of Fair Park while he oversaw planning and construction of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.

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Background

George Dahl was born in Minneapolis to Norwegian immigrant parents, Olaf G. and Laura (Olsen) Dahl. He received a B.Arch. from the University of Minnesota and a M.Arch. from Harvard University in 1923. He subsequently spent two years in Italy as a fellow at the American Academy in Rome.[2]

Career

In 1926, he began work for the Herbert M. Greene Co. in Dallas, Texas. He became a partner in Greene's firm in 1928, and the name of the firm was changed to Herbert M. Greene, LaRoche, and Dahl (later LaRoche and Dahl).

In 1943, Dahl founded his own company, George Leighton Dahl, Architects and Engineers, Incorporated. He was among the first Texas architects to have a nationwide practice and was among the pioneers in fast-track design, which allowed for actual construction to begin even before the design was finished.[3] Upon his retirement in 1973, he had produced some 3,000 projects throughout the country that are estimated to be worth $3 billion.

Personal life

Dahl was married twice-in 1921 to Lillie E. Olsen, with whom he had one daughter, and in 1978 to Joan Renfro. Dahl died of cancer at the age of ninety-three at his home in Dallas.

Significant Work

Dallas Projects:

Year Completed Building Address Notes
1927 Neiman Marcus Building 1618 Main Street
1929 Titche-Goettinger Building 1900 Elm Street
1930 Volk Brothers Building
1934 Singer Building (Dallas, Texas) 1514 Elm
1936 Tower Building Fair Park
1936 Esplanade of State Fair Park
1936 Cotton Bowl Fair Park
1938, 1972 Hillcrest State Bank First drive-through bank
1947 Mayfair Department Store 141 Elm Street
1948 American Poster & Printing Building 1600 S Akard Street
1949 Remington Rand Building 2100 N Akard Street
1949 Dallas Morning News Building 508 Young Street
1949 Merchants State Bank Ross/Henderson
1949 Philipson's Fashions Elm/St Paul
1949 Dallas Morning News Building Young Street
1950 Employers Insurance Building
1950 Great American Reserve Insurance Building 2020 Live Oak Street
1951 Park Cities YMCA 6000 Preston Road
1953 Mrs. Baird's Bakery Central Expressway/Mockingbird
1955 Old Dallas Central Library 1954 Commerce Street
1956 Congregation Shearith Israel
1957 Dallas Federal Savings and Loan 1505 Elm Street
1957 Dallas Memorial Auditorium
1964 Southwestern Life Building Ross/Akard
1965 Owen Fine Art Center Southern Methodist University
1965 First National Bank Tower 1401 Elm Street
1969 Turtle Creek Village Oak Lawn/Blackburn
LTV Aerospace Center Grand Prairie
1971 Earle Cabell Federal Building

Other Projects:

References

External links