John J. Huddart

Fort Morgan State Armory, being used as a recreation center
Carnegie Library (Monte Vista, Colorado)

John James Huddart (1856–1930), known usually as John J. Huddart, was a British born and trained architect who practiced out of Denver, Colorado in the United States. At the end of the Nineteenth century he was one of Denver's leading architects, known for his work on public buildings and as a courthouse architect.[1] His practice lasted from 1882 - 1930 and commissions included Charles Boettcher House in Denver, Colorado's Fort Morgan State Armory, Denver's Filbeck Building, and six of Colorado's county courthouses.[1][2]

He worked for the Catholic Church's Denver Archdiocese designing Denver's St. Thomas Theological Seminary and the Hotel St. Nicholas (1898), dedicated as a general hospital to serve Cripple Creek, Colorado and the surrounding area during the height of the 1890s gold rush.[3] His original architectural drawings for the Hotel St. Nicholas (drawn in 1896) are displayed in the hotel's main lobby of the Cripple Creek Hotel.[1] He also designed Murchison School (1902) in South Carolina.[4] He designed the El Cortez Apartments at 608 East 12th Avenue in Denver Colorado 80203.[5]

Huddart is known for his Classical Revival and Richardsonian Romanesque style designs.[1] A retrospective of his work, Architecture of John J. Huddart, Architect was published in 1907 and included his work in Colorado cities; Salt Lake City, Utah; Alva, Oklahoma; Rawlins, Wyoming; and Bennettsville, South Carolina.[6] His practice lasted from 1882 - 1930 and commissions included Charles Boettcher House in Denver, Colorado's Fort Morgan State Armory, Denver's Filbeck Building, and six of Colorado's county courthouses.[1][2]

Early years

Huddart was born in Preston, Lancashire, England on August 25, 1856. He received his advanced education at Alston College in England, graduating at 19. He apprenticed at J.C. Fill & Co. and with Hayward Tyler Engineering Co. before moving to Pernambuco, Brazil in South America to design a sugar refinery. He then emigrated to Jacksonville, Florida, and before moving on to Denver within the same year (1882).[1][5]

In Denver he worked as chief draftsman Frank Edbrooke's office from 1882 until 1887, when he established his own practice. Huddart created a standard armory design in the early 1920s and it was used for the construction of twelve armory buildings across Colorado.[1]

Courthouse work

Deuel County Courthouse, Nebraska

His work on courthouses began in 1905 with the Adams County Courthouse in Brighton, Colorado and continued with the Cheyenne County Courthouse (1908), listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the Washington County Courthouse (1908–10); Logan County Courthouse (1908-10), listed on the National Register of Historic Places); Summit County Courthouse (1909); Saguache County Courthouse (1910) listed on the Colorado Register of Historic Places; and the Elbert County Courthouse in 1912, as well as two final courthouse projects late in his career: Lincoln County Courthouse (1923) and Custer County Courthouse (1929).

He also designed the Deuel County Courthouse and the Garden County Courthouse in Nebraska.[7]

Other works

Garden County Courthouse, Nebraska

His work in Denver includes:

He is also credited with designing:

Logan County Courthouse (Colorado)

Additional buildings:

Undated Buildings:

Fort Collins Armory

National Register-listed works[7] (with attribution that varies)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Biographical sketches, Colorado architects
  2. 1 2 Filbeck building photo
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. 1 2
  6. ↑ Architecture of John J. Huddart 1907
  7. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.

Additional sources

Site Files Database, Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society, Denver. State Historic Preservation Offices, phone interviews conducted by Dale Heckendorn, Colorado Historical Society: Nebraska, January 12, 1998 Oklahoma, January 12, 1998 Utah, January 12, 1998 Wyoming, January 13, 1998 Student, Annette L. Historic Cheesman Park Neighborhood. Denver: Historic Denver Inc., 1999. Wilk, Diane. The Wyman Historic District. Denver: Historic Denver Inc., 1995.

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