George S. Cooper

George S. Cooper (December 14, 1864 – 1929) was an American architect and builder from Washington, D.C. During his 40-year career, he was responsible for designing around 850 properties, including homes, commercial buildings and apartment buildings, several of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The 1903 book History of the City of Washington states: "It may be thought that Mr. Cooper's forte lies in the designing of apartment houses, since the handsomest in the city are a result of his genius..." and "No young man has played a more important part in the active growth and great development of Greater Washington than George S. Cooper..."[1]

George S. Cooper
BornDecember 14, 1864
Washington, D.C.
Died1929
NationalityAmerican
OccupationArchitect

Biography

Cooper was born in Washington, D.C., to Henry C. and Georgeanna J. Cooper, natives of Kentucky. Following his education in Washington public schools, he received private tutoring in architecture. In the 1880s, he began his first job in the architectural field as a draftsman for Gray and Page, a local firm specializing in Victorian architecture. He then worked for the prominent firm Hornblower & Marshall for about a year before joining Alfred B. Mullett's firm. Cooper and B. Carlyle Fenwick opened their own office in 1886, though Cooper later established his own successful practice in 1888.[1]

Throughout Cooper's 40-year career, he designed single-family dwellings and office buildings, but he's most known for his apartment designs. Although the first apartment building in Washington, D.C., the Portland Flats, had been erected in 1880, Cooper's designs "played a significant role in the development of the local type and its acceptance for middle-class living." Cooper's first apartment design was the Montrose Flats, built in 1892 and located at 1115 9th Street NW (now demolished). He was the first local architect to lower design costs by replicating plans for apartment buildings, a practice that became very popular in late 19th and early 20th century Washington. His first such venture, The Gladstone and The Hawarden, are the first documented twin apartment buildings in the city. His work encouraged the city's middle class citizens to accept the changing demography and no longer see apartment buildings as only for the upper and lower classes. Cooper would go on to design 24 apartment buildings between 1892 and 1909, with his last works being The Westchester (now Barlcay North) at 1332 15th Street NW, and Dumbarton Court, located at 1657 31st Street NW.[1]

Cooper was also a prolific designer of homes, especially in what was then considered Washington's suburbs as well as developed neighborhoods like Dupont Circle and Foggy Bottom.[2] He designed the first town houses in Kalorama Triangle, a row of houses on Wyoming Avenue constructed in 1895, and was responsible for developing and designing many homes in the Washington Heights neighborhood (present day Adams Morgan).[3][4] Cooper's work was not limited to Washington, D.C. He was among the prominent architects responsible for designing homes in Chevy Chase Village in Maryland.[5]

Personal life

In 1884, Cooper married Margaret H. Steir and the couple had four children: Freddie (b. 1886), Daisy (b. 1887), Helen (b. 1890) and George Jr. (b. 1896) The family lived at 1807 R Street NW in Dupont Circle until moving to a new home, designed by Cooper, at 1620 T Street NW.[6] During his career, Cooper progressed from being just an architect to becoming a designer, developer, and owner of several properties in the city. He was active in the Board of Trade, served on the Board of Directors of the Southern Maryland Trust Company, and became a member of the Washington City Club. Cooper was also an accomplished singer who performed at local churches, including the Church of the Incarnation and St. John's Episcopal Church, and served as president of the Damrosch Musical Society. He retired in the 1920s and died in 1929 at the age of 65.[1]

Selected works

References
  1. Barsoum, Eve Lydia (June 30, 1994). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form – Gladstone and Hawarden Apartment Buildings". National Park Service. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  2. Adams, Anne H. (September 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form – President's Office, George Washington University". National Park Service. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  3. EHT Traceries, Inc. (June 2005). "Intensive-Level Survey of the Washington Heights Area of Washington, D.C." (PDF). Kalorama Citizens Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  4. Hansen, Stephen A. (2011). Kalorama Triangle: The History of a Capital Neighborhood. Charleston: The History Press. p. 58. ISBN 9781609494216.
  5. Robinson, Judith Helm. "Chevy Chase A Bold Idea, A Comprehensive Plan". Chevy Chase Village. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  6. Williams, Paul Kelsey (2002). "Historic Survey of Shaw East Washington, D.C." Scribd. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  7. "Real Estate". The Sunday Herald. July 19, 1891. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  8. "District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning – Historic Preservation Office. September 30, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 5, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  9. Grooms, Thomas B. (2005). The Majesty of Capitol Hill. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing. pp. 128. ISBN 9781455608126.
  10. "Historic American Buildings Survey: Scott-Grant House" (PDF). Library of Congress. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2014.

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