Frederick H. Brooke

Frederick H. Brooke (October 9, 1876 – December 24, 1960) was an American architect from Washington, D.C., who designed houses, schools, churches, and embassies during his 40 year career. A native of Pennsylvania, Brooke studied in the US and France before opening his practice in the nation's capital. He served overseas during World War I and would later design a memorial in West Potomac Park which honors local soldiers. He was an active member in several professional organizations, most notably the American Institute of Architects. Brooke's wife, Henrietta, served as president of the Girl Scouts in the 1930s. Among Brooke's notable works are Dumbarton Oaks, the District of Columbia War Memorial, the Sulgrave Club and the British Ambassador's residence, which he codesigned with Edwin Lutyens.

Frederick Hiester Brooke
BornOctober 9, 1876
Birdsboro, Pennsylvania
DiedDecember 24, 1960(1960-12-24) (aged 84)
Washington, D.C.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materYale University
University of Pennsylvania
École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts
OccupationArchitect
Spouse(s)Henrietta Bates (née McKee)
ChildrenFrederick H. Brooke Jr.
(stepchildren)
Elliott B. McKee
Francis McKee O'Brien
BuildingsBritish Ambassador's residence
Dumbarton Oaks
District of Columbia War Memorial
Sulgrave Club

Biography

Early life

Frederick Hiester Brooke was born on October 9, 1876, in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, to Edward and Annie (née Clymer) Brooke. He attended St. Paul's School before graduating from Yale University in 1899, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and the Skull and Bones. He traveled abroad for two years before studying architecture from 1901-1902 at the University of Pennsylvania and the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris until 1906. Following his graduation he moved to Washington, D.C. and begin his architectural practice.[1][2][3][4]

Career

After starting his practice, Brooke shared an office with fellow architect Jules Henri de Sibour for seven years.[2] Throughout his 40-year career, Brooke designed houses, schools, churches, and embassies, and worked with noted architects including Nathan C. Wyeth, Horace W. Peaslee and Edwin Lutyens.[5]

Brooke designed buildings in various styles, but is most known for his Georgian Revival works. This includes the expansion of the Duncan Phillips House, home to The Phillips Collection, and the British Ambassador's residence on Embassy Row, which he co-designed with Edwin Lutyens. Brooke served as the on-site architect since Lutyens was overseas.[6][7] Brooke also designed schools in the Georgian Revival style, including the expansion of the Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and several buildings on the campus of Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia.[4][8] He assisted in the Colonial Revival design of the Blanche Kelso Bruce Elementary School annex in Washington, D.C.[9]

Dumbarton Oaks

Brooke designed several embassies and ambassadorial residences in addition to the British residence.[3] He designed the Alanson B. Houghton House, which later served as the Iranian ambassadorial residence.[10][11] Other countries who chose Brooke to design or alter their embassies include the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the US, which selected Brooke to design the American consulate in Bluefields, Nicaragua.[3]

In addition to designing new houses, Brooke assisted with renovating older homes. After Herbert and Martha Wadsworth sold their home on Dupont Circle to a group of women who began a social club, the women chose Brooke to renovate the building into the Sulgrave Club.[12] Robert Woods Bliss and his wife Mildred hired Brooke to renovate their early 19th century home, Dumbarton Oaks, and return it to the Federal style as well as add a west wing.[13]

Brooke worked with Wyeth and Peaslee on the design and construction of the District of Columbia War Memorial, which honors the 26,000 Washington, D.C. residents that fought in World War I. Brooke, a veteran of the war, spent several years working on the project and his name is inscribed on the memorial, which is sited in West Potomac Park, just south of the National Mall.[1][14] For his work on the memorial, Brooke received the Washington Board of Trade's Diplomat of Merit.[2]

Later years

Brooke was a member of the District of Columbia Allied Architects and American Institute of Architects, serving on the latter committee. He played a large role in local legislation that required architects to register with the government. Brooke was a member of several clubs, including the Alfalfa Club, Alibi Club, Beaux Arts Society, Chevy Chase Club, Metropolitan Club, University Club, Wamsutta Club, and Yale Club. Brooke served as director of Birdsboro Steel and the Brooke Iron and Work Company.[3]

On December 24, 1960, Brooke died at his Georgetown home, 3021 N Street NW. His funeral was held at Christ Church and he was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, both in Georgetown. His wife, Henrietta Bates (née McKee) Brooke who served as president of the Girl Scouts in the 1930s, died seven years later.[2][3][15] The couple had one son, Frederick H. Brooke Jr., who was born on Christmas Day 1914.[16] Brooke was also stepfather to Henrietta's children, Elliott B. McKee and Francis McKee O'Brien.[3][17]

Selected works
District of Columbia War Memorial

Notes
1.^ Sources differ on his birth year. Some say 1877, others say 1876. His gravestone says the latter.

References
  1. Higgins, Julie (November 13, 2012). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - District of Columbia War Memorial". National Park Service. DC Preservation League. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  2. "F.H. Brooke, 82, Dies; Well-Known Architect". The Washington Post. December 25, 1960.
  3. "Frederick H. Brooke,82, Dead; Architect in Capital 40 Years". The New York Times. December 26, 1960. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  4. "December 26: Frederick Hiester Brooke (1960)". Church of the Epiphany. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  5. "District of Columbia War Memorial" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  6. "Building History" (PDF). The Phillips Collection. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  7. Sander, Eric; Collins, Daniel (2014). The Architecture of Diplomacy: The British Ambassador's Residence in Washington. Flammarion.
  8. Loth, Calder (March 1, 1992). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Virginia Episcopal School" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  9. Boese, Kent C. (May 2013). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Blanche Kelso Bruce School" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 9, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  10. "Georgian Features Revealed in New Home". Evening Star. May 12, 1934. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  11. Lefrak, Mikaela (March 10, 2020). "From Black Tie Parties To Boarded-Up Windows: The Story Of Iran's D.C. Embassy". NPR. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  12. Moeller Jr., G. Martin (2006). AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. JHU Press. pp. 82, 145, 250, 254. ISBN 9780801884689.
  13. "Dumbarton Oaks" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  14. "District of Columbia War Memorial". National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  15. "Lot 661 East" (PDF). Oak Hill Cemetery. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  16. "Births". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 28, 1914. p. 3.
  17. "Funeral Notices". The Standard-Times. December 20, 2002. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  18. Rogers and Manson Company (1915). "Church Club House, St. Paul, Minn". The Brickbuilder. 24: 169.
  19. Ganschinietz, Suzanne; Taylor, Nancy C. (April 13, 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Church of the Epiphany". National Park Service. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
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