Minard Lafever
Encyclopedia
Minard Lafever was an influential American architect
of churches and houses in the United States in the early nineteenth century.
In 1829 Lafever published The Young Builders' General Instructor, followed by Modern Builders' Guide in 1833, The Beauties of Modern Architecture in 1835 and The Architectural Instructor in 1850. His pattern books were influential in spreading his Greek Revival style.
Four of his buildings which were subsequently designated National Historic Landmarks are:
Other notable buildings include:
in Mobile, Alabama
is a National Historic Landmark
that was designed using many of the latter book's detailed guidelines. Interestingly, that church's tall steeple, like the steeple of Lafever's First Presbyterian Church in Sag Harbor, was destroyed in a hurricane.
Other historic structures built using Lafever's designs include Rose Hill Mansion, a National Historic Landmark in western New York, which was built in the style of a two story Greek temple with Ionic columns in 1837. Two mansions in the Boston Post Road Historic District— the 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House
and Lounsberry— were built using Lafever's designs, and greatly resemble illustrated plates found within Lafever's books. Rose Glen
, an antebellum plantation house near Sevierville, Tennessee
, was modeled after Lafever's "Design for a Country Villa," which appeared as the frontispiece in both The Modern Builder's Guide and The Beauties of Modern Architecture.
Lafever did not confine himself to a single style. His St. James' Church, New York
on James Street near Madison Street in Manhattan (1837) is Greek Revival as is his building for Sailors' Snug Harbor, his First Presbyterian Church (Sag Harbor)
(1844) is Egyptian Revival, his brownstone St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church
at Montague and Clinton Streets in Brooklyn Heights (1847) is Gothic Revival and his Church of the Holy Apostles at Ninth Avenue and 28th Street in Manhattan (1848–1854) is Romanesque/Italianate.
His last commission was the Packer Collegiate Institute
in Brooklyn, which opened in 1854. The Packer building is in Tudor Gothic style, with 30 schoolrooms, and a two-story-high chapel on the third floor. It has two towers of different size, and the “off-center arrangement of two large peaked gables, give the school the exterior appearance of picturesque irregularity common to the Gothic revival.” However, the interior is compact and symmetrical, with long crossed hallways dividing the building into quadrants.
Architectural historian Andrew Dolkart
calls Lafever’s Packard building one of the earliest and most sophisticated evocations of English-inspired Collegiate Gothic, creating the educational atmosphere of Oxford and Cambridge.
A list of his churches, extant and not, and a well-researched biography is included in a 2006 nomination for First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston
.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of churches and houses in the United States in the early nineteenth century.
Life and career
Lafever began life as a carpenter around 1820. At this period in the United States there were no professional schools of architecture and few who claimed the title architect. Most structures were designed and put up by builders, and architects and builders were trained by working under master builders.In 1829 Lafever published The Young Builders' General Instructor, followed by Modern Builders' Guide in 1833, The Beauties of Modern Architecture in 1835 and The Architectural Instructor in 1850. His pattern books were influential in spreading his Greek Revival style.
Four of his buildings which were subsequently designated National Historic Landmarks are:
- First Presbyterian Church (Sag Harbor)First Presbyterian Church (Sag Harbor)First Presbyterian Church in Sag Harbor, New York, also known as Old Whaler's Church, is a historic and architecturally notable Presbyterian church built in 1844 in the Egyptian Revival style...
(tall steeple destroyed in a hurricane) - St. Ann and the Holy Trinity ChurchSt. Ann and the Holy Trinity ChurchSt. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church is an historic Episcopal church located at the corner of Montague and Clinton streets in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. The building was built as Church of the Holy Trinity, and opened in 1847. Following years of controversy, the...
- Old Merchant's House
- Sailors' Snug Harbor
Other notable buildings include:
- Benjamin Huntting House, now the Sag Harbor Whaling MuseumSag Harbor Whaling MuseumSag Harbor Whaling Museum is a museum in Sag Harbor, New York, dedicated to the town's past as a prosperous whaling port. It houses the largest collection of whaling equipment in the state of New York.-Building:...
- Church of the Holy Apostles (New York, New York)Church of the Holy Apostles (New York, New York)The Church of the Holy Apostles is an Episcopal parish located at 296 Ninth Avenue at 28th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Its historic church building was built from 1845 to 1848, and was designed by the noted New York architect Minard Lafever. The geometric...
listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation... - Strong Place Baptist ChurchCobble Hill Historic DistrictCobble Hill Historic District is a national historic district in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, New York, New York. It consists of 796 contributing, largely residential buildings built between the 1830s and 1920s. It includes fine examples of Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne style row houses...
, Cobble Hill, BrooklynCobble Hill, BrooklynCobble Hill is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. Bordered by Atlantic Avenue on the north, Hicks Street to the west, Smith Street on the east and Degraw Street to the south, Cobble Hill sits adjacent to Boerum Hill and Brooklyn Heights with Carroll Gardens to the south...
(1851–52)
Pattern books
Lafever wrote five pattern books that were influential in spreading his Greek Revival style, most notably "The Modern Builder's Guide" (1833) and "The Beauties of Modern Architecture" (1835). The Greek Revival Government Street Presbyterian ChurchGovernment Street Presbyterian Church
Government Street Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest and least-altered Greek Revival church buildings in the United States. The architectural design is by James Gallier, James Dakin, and Charles Dakin. The trio also designed Barton Academy, four blocks down Government Street to the west...
in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
that was designed using many of the latter book's detailed guidelines. Interestingly, that church's tall steeple, like the steeple of Lafever's First Presbyterian Church in Sag Harbor, was destroyed in a hurricane.
Other historic structures built using Lafever's designs include Rose Hill Mansion, a National Historic Landmark in western New York, which was built in the style of a two story Greek temple with Ionic columns in 1837. Two mansions in the Boston Post Road Historic District— the 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House
1838 Peter Augustus Jay House
The 1838 Peter Augustus Jay House and surrounding Jay Property form the centerpiece of the National Historic Landmark Boston Post Road Historic District. This historic district is the surviving remnant of the Jay estate where New York State's only native born Founding Father, John Jay, grew up...
and Lounsberry— were built using Lafever's designs, and greatly resemble illustrated plates found within Lafever's books. Rose Glen
Rose Glen (Sevierville, Tennessee)
Rose Glen was an antebellum plantation in Sevier County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. At its height, Rose Glen was one of the largest and most lucrative farms in Sevier County, and one of the most productive in East Tennessee...
, an antebellum plantation house near Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville, Tennessee
Sevierville is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States. Its population was 11,757 at the 2000 United States Census; in 2004 the estimated population was 14,101. Sevierville is the county seat of Sevier County, Tennessee....
, was modeled after Lafever's "Design for a Country Villa," which appeared as the frontispiece in both The Modern Builder's Guide and The Beauties of Modern Architecture.
Lafever did not confine himself to a single style. His St. James' Church, New York
St. James' Church, New York
St. James' Church, New York is a Roman Catholic church located at 32 James Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York. It is the second oldest Catholic building in New York, built in 1837 of fieldstone and has a pair of Doric columns flanking the entrance.Alfred E. Smith served as an altar...
on James Street near Madison Street in Manhattan (1837) is Greek Revival as is his building for Sailors' Snug Harbor, his First Presbyterian Church (Sag Harbor)
First Presbyterian Church (Sag Harbor)
First Presbyterian Church in Sag Harbor, New York, also known as Old Whaler's Church, is a historic and architecturally notable Presbyterian church built in 1844 in the Egyptian Revival style...
(1844) is Egyptian Revival, his brownstone St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church is an historic Episcopal church located at the corner of Montague and Clinton streets in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. The building was built as Church of the Holy Trinity, and opened in 1847. Following years of controversy, the...
at Montague and Clinton Streets in Brooklyn Heights (1847) is Gothic Revival and his Church of the Holy Apostles at Ninth Avenue and 28th Street in Manhattan (1848–1854) is Romanesque/Italianate.
His last commission was the Packer Collegiate Institute
Packer Collegiate Institute
Packer Collegiate Institute is an independent college preparatory school for students from prekindergarten through grade 12. Formerly the Brooklyn Female Academy, Packer has been located at 170 Joralemon Street in the historic district of Brooklyn Heights since its founding in 1845.- History :A...
in Brooklyn, which opened in 1854. The Packer building is in Tudor Gothic style, with 30 schoolrooms, and a two-story-high chapel on the third floor. It has two towers of different size, and the “off-center arrangement of two large peaked gables, give the school the exterior appearance of picturesque irregularity common to the Gothic revival.” However, the interior is compact and symmetrical, with long crossed hallways dividing the building into quadrants.
Architectural historian Andrew Dolkart
Andrew Dolkart
Andrew Scott Dolkart is the James Marston Fitch Associate Professor of Historic Preservation at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and Director of the school's Historic Preservation Program...
calls Lafever’s Packard building one of the earliest and most sophisticated evocations of English-inspired Collegiate Gothic, creating the educational atmosphere of Oxford and Cambridge.
A list of his churches, extant and not, and a well-researched biography is included in a 2006 nomination for First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston
First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston
The Old Dutch Church, officially known as the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston, is located on Wall Street in Kingston, New York, United States. Formally organized in 1659, it is one of the oldest continuously existing congregations in the country...
.
Books by Minard Lafever
- The Young Builder's General Instructor,1829
- The Modern Builder's Guide,1833
- The Beauties of Modern Architecture, 1835
- The Modern Practice of Staircase and Handrail Construction,1838
- The Architectural Instructor,1856