Walter C. Root
Walter C. Root (December 8, 1859 - June 26, 1925) was an American architect.[1] He designed many buildings including the Francis and Harriet Baker House, a historic site listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2] With George M. Siemens, he designed Dyche Hall at University of Kansas, now the University of Kansas Natural History Museum and the Scarritt Building in Kansas City, Missouri.[2] He founded the Root & Siemens architectural firm based in Kansas City, Missouri.
Early life and career
Root was born on December 8, 1859 in Atlanta, Georgia.[3] He studied and worked for six years with his more famous brother John Wellborn Root (1850-1891), of Chicago's prestigious Burnham & Root firm.
Walter Root came to Kansas City in 1886 to represent the Chicago firm in construction of the Kansas City Board of Trade building, but soon went into partnership with George M. Siemens. He practiced at their firm for nearly 30 years.[4]
Personal life and death
Root had a wife and three children.[3] He died on June 26, 1925 in Kansas City, Missouri.[3]
Works
Works include:
- Washington and Georgetown Railroad Car House (1891), 770 M St. SE, Washington, D.C., NRHP-listed[5]
- Cass County Courthouse (1895–97), in NRHP-listed Harrisonville Courthouse Square Historic District, in Harrisonville, Missouri[5][4] This is the only courthouse designed by Root in Missouri
- University of Kansas Natural History Museum (1901), Lawrence, Kansas (with George M. Siemens), NRHP-listed as Dyche Hall, University of Kansas[5]
- Francis and Harriet Baker House (1902), Atchison, Kansas, NRHP-listed[5]
- Scarritt Building and Arcade (1906–07), Kansas City, Missouri (with George M. Siemens), NRHP-listed[5]
- Unitarian Church of Urbana (1908), 1209 W. Oregon St., Urbana, Illinois, (perhaps in conjunction with C.F.Smith), NRHP-listed[5]
Works credited to Root & Siemens include:
- R. Bryson Jones House (1910), 1045 W. 56th St., Kansas City, Missouri, NRHP-listed[5]
- George B. Peck Dry Goods Company Building (1914), 1044 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri, NRHP-listed[5]
- Chester B. Woodward House (1923), 1272 SW. Fillmore St., Topeka, Kansas, NRHP-listed[5]
References
- "Walter C. Root, Architect, Dies". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. June 27, 1925. p. 9. Retrieved July 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- Susan Jezak Ford (January 10, 2003). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Francis and Harriet Baker House / Frank Harwi House; Jerome Pillow House". National Park Service. Retrieved July 18, 2018. With accompanying pictures
- "Walter Root, Architect, Dies Suddenly in K.C.". The Springfield News-Leader. Springfield, Missouri. June 27, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved July 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- Linda F. Becker; Cydney E. Millstein (April 1993). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Harrisonville Courthouse Square Historic District" (PDF). Retrieved July 18, 2018. Includes photos.
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.