Joseph Hubert McGuire

Joseph H. McGuire

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Richmond Virginia
McGuire's Masterpiece
Born January 21, 1866[1]
New York City
Died April 28, 1947[2]
Pelham, NY
Nationality USA
Known for Joseph H. McGuire, architect

Joseph Hubert McGuire (January 21, 1866[3] — April 28, 1947[4]) was an American architect practicing in New York City, where he specialized in Catholic churches and institutions.[5] According to his headstone, McGuire was born January 21, 1865, although all other sources indicate 1866. (Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY)

Early life and education

He was born in New York in 1866 and studied at City College of New York, St. Francis College and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. McGuire's training at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris made him a deft practitioner in the Beaux-Arts styles.

Architectural practice

His Holy Trinity Church (1910–12) on West 82nd Street in New York's Upper West Side, has a dome of Guastavino tile. According to Frederick D. Talor in his article "Medieval New York - Holy Trinity Church", the church was built deliberately in the Byzantine style, unusual for the time, and has been "considered to be one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture in this country."[6]

He also designed the Actors' Chapel at Saint Malachy's Roman Catholic Church on West 49th Street in the theater district[7] and St Rose of Lima in Rockaway Beach, New York City.

McGuire's most prominent commission, however, was the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond, Virginia (1903–06). He was chosen as architect for this Cathedral by philanthropist Thomas Fortune Ryan who provided much of the funding for the construction and with whom McGuire had previously collaborated to build the Church of the Sacred Heart in Manchester (now part of Richmond). The Virginia Landmarks Register states that the Cathedral is "a glorious celebration of Roman Catholic art and architecture" and also mentions that the original plans for the building are preserved in Richmond's Valentine Museum.[8]

Among his commissions for schools, hospitals, commercial buildings and some residences were the designs for the chapel and assembly hall at Westchester Protectory and St Elizabeth's Hospital, New York.[9]

Personal life

McGuire served in France for nine months in the first World War as the secretary of the Knights of Columbus.

He was the author of several articles published in brochure form between 1919 and 1932.

He was a member of the AIA, Society of Beaux-Arts Architects, Architectural League of New York, New Rochelle Board of Education, The United States Catholic Historical Society, and other organizations.[10]

Other significant woks include

Notes

  1. ↑ Date in Men and Women of America: a biographical dictionary of contemporaries, 1909.
  2. ↑ Date in Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, vols 59-60 (1948:238).
  3. ↑ Date in Men and Women of America: a biographical dictionary of contemporaries, 1909.
  4. ↑ Date in Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, vols 59-60 (1948:238).
  5. ↑ Biographical details from Lewis Randolph Hamersly, Who's Who in New York City and State, 3rd ed.
  6. ↑ Frederick D. Taylor http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/taylor1.html Medieval New York - Holy Trinity Church
  7. ↑ Robert Kahn, ed. City Secrets: New York City 2002:225.
  8. ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=NJa_64aH1iMC&pg=PA423&dq=cathedral+of+the+sacred+heart+richmond,+virginia&hl=en&ei=9d1NTabfLsOqlAeP0aDtDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=%22cathedral%20of%20the%20sacred%20heart%22&f=false Calder Loth, The Virginia landmarks register, page 423
  9. ↑ Who's Who.
  10. ↑ http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F2071FFF3F58147B93CBAB178FD85F438485F9&scp=2&sq=%27Joseph+H.+McGuire%27&st=p New York Times Joseph H. McGuire Obituary, April 29, 1947
  11. ↑ http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Cities/Richmond/127-0676_Church_of_the_Sacred_Heart_2002_Final_Nomination.pdf NRHP Nomination Form - Sacred Heart Church
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