Clarence W. Wigington
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| Clarence W. Wigington | |
| Born | April 21, 1883 Lawrence, Kansas |
|---|---|
| Died | July 7, 1967 (aged 84) Kansas City, Missouri |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse | Viola Williams |
Clarence Wesley "Cap" Wigington (1883-1967) was an African American architect from Omaha, Nebraska. After winning three first prizes in charcoal, pencil, and pen and ink at an art competition during the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in 1899, Wigington became a renowned architect across the Midwestern United States in a time when there were few African American architects in the entire United States.[1] Wigington was the nation's first black municipal architect,[2] working for the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota for 34 years;[3] today his more than sixty buildings in Saint Paul constitute one of the most significant bodies of work available from an African American architect.[4]
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[edit] Biography
Clarence Wesley Wigington was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1883 and raised in the Walnut Hill neighborhood of North Omaha. After graduating from Omaha High School at the age of 15, in 1902 Wigington left an Omaha art school to work for Thomas R. Kimball, then president of the American Institute of Architects. After six years he started his own office, and in 1910 Wigington was listed by the U.S. Census as one of only 59 African American architects, artists and draftsmen in the country.[5] While in Omaha Wigington designed the Broomfield Rowhouse, Zion Baptist Church, and the second St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church building, along with several other single and multiple family dwellings in Omaha. [6]
After marrying Viola Williams, Wigington received his first public commission to designed a small brick potato chip factory in Sheridan, Wyoming and ran the establishment for several years.[7]
However, it was in Saint Paul, Minnesota where Wigington made a name for himself. In 1914 Wigington arrived in St. Paul, and was promoted to the position of senior architectural designer for the City of St. Paul in 1917. During the 1920s and 30s Wigington designed most of the Saint Paul Public Schools buildings, as well as golf clubhouses, fire stations, park buildings, airports for the city. Other Wigington structures include the Highland Park Tower, the Holman Field Administration Building and the Harriet Island Pavilion, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. Wigington also designed monumental ice castles for the St. Paul Winter Carnival in the 1930s and 40s.[8]
Wigington was among the 13 founders of the Sterling Club, a social club for railroad porters, bellboys, waiters, drivers and other black men. He founded the Home Guards of Minnesota, an all-black militia established in 1918 when racial segregation prohibited his entry into the Minnesota National Guard during World War I. As the leader of that group, he was given the rank of captain, from which the nickname "Cap" was derived.[9]
After retiring from the City of St. Paul in 1949 Wigington began a private architectural practice in California. Soon after he moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he died on July 7, 1967.[10]
[edit] Notable designs
In the Office of the City Architect of St. Paul Wigington designed schools, fire stations, park structures and municipal buildings. Four of his buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Aside from his work in Omaha, Wigington also designed the building which originally hosted the North Carolina State University at Durham.[11]
Wigington has almost sixty buildings still standing in St. Paul. They include the notable construction of the Highland Park Clubhouse, Cleveland High School, Randolph Heights Elementary School, and the downtown St. Paul Police Station, in addition to the Palm House and the Zoological Building at the Como Park Zoo.[12]
| Notable Wigington-designed buildings in order of year of construction | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Constructed | NRHP?[13] | ||
| Broomfield Rowhouse | 2502-2504 Lake Street, North Omaha, Nebraska | 1913 | Yes | ||
| Zion Baptist Church | 2215 Grant Street, North Omaha | 1914 | No | ||
| Como Park Elementary School | 780 Wheelock Parkway W., St. Paul, Minnesota | 1916 | No | ||
| Highland Park Tower | 1570 Highland Parkway, St. Paul | 1928 | Yes | ||
| Roy Wilkins Auditorium | 175 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul | 1932 | No | ||
| Holman Field Administration Building | 644 Bayfield Street, St. Paul | 1939 | Yes | ||
| Hamline Playground Recreation Center | 1564 Lafond Ave., St. Paul | 1940 | No | ||
| Harriet Island Pavilion | 75 Water Street, St. Paul | 1941 | Yes | ||
| St. James A.M.E. Church | 624 Central Avenue West, St. Paul | No | |||
[edit] Legacy
The Harriet Island Pavilion was renamed to honor Wigington in 1998, and is now called the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion.[14]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Taylor, D.V. (2002) Cap Wigington, An Architectural Legacy in Ice and Stone. Minnesota Historical Society Press. p 28.
- ^ Greiner, T. (2001) The Minnesota Book of Days: An Almanac of State History. Minnesota Historical Society Press. p 88.
- ^ Walljasper, Jay (September/October), “Riverside on the Rise”, Preservation: 38-44
- ^ Taylor, D.V. (2002) p 4.
- ^ Taylor, D.V. (2002) p 4.
- ^ Landmarks, Inc. (2007) "Landmark News," Retrieved 10/06/07.
- ^ "Cap Wigington was a Midwest Architect," African American Registry. Retrieved 10/6/07.
- ^ Taylor, D.V. (2002) various.
- ^ Lienhard, J. "Cap Wigington," The Engines of Ingenuity. Retrieved 10/6/07.
- ^ Taylor, D.V. (2002) p 109.
- ^ Savage, B.L. (1995) African American Historic Places. John Wiley and Sons. p 1291.
- ^ Savage, B.L. (1995) African American Historic Places. John Wiley and Sons. p 1292.
- ^ National Register Information System. National Park Service. Retrieved 10/10/07.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places - Clarence W. Wigington (Harriet Island) Pavilion". Minnesota State Historical Society. Retrieved 10/10/07.
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