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William J. Brown (architect)

William J. Brown (December 10, 1878 – February 4, 1970) was an American architect based in Cedar Rapids in the U.S. state of Iowa. Brown practiced architecture from 1910 until shortly before his death in 1970.

Life and career

William Jay Brown, informally known as Jay Brown, was born December 10, 1878, in Urbana, Illinois, to William G. Brown, deputy clerk of the Champaign County circuit court, and Harriet A. Brown, née Wolfe. He studied architecture at the University of Illinois, graduating in 1900, and worked for prominent architects in Chicago and New York City including Holabird & Roche, Kenneth M. Murchison and John Russell Pope. In January 1910 Brown settled in Cedar Rapids, where he joined his elder brother, Frederick G. Brown, in partnership to form the firm of Brown Brothers. Frederick was also a graduate of the University of Illinois and had previously practiced in Urbana and Danville, Illinois, and in Los Angeles before moving to Cedar Rapids in 1909. His practice in Los Angeles contributed to his local success as an architect of California-style bungalows.

Their first major project, in 1910, was the Knights of Pythias Building. Frederick died in February 1911, but William stayed and completed the building in 1912. He was a sole practitioner for over forty years. In May 1953 he formed the partnership of Brown & Healey with architect Edward H. Healey. In May 1960 engineer Carl V. Bock was made a partner, and in September 1961 the name of the firm was changed to Brown, Healey & Bock. Brown was senior partner of his firm until shortly before his death.

Personal life

Brown was married in 1914 to Isabel Howell. They had two children, both sons. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Cedar Rapids Country Club and local fraternal organizations. He served on the boards of the Cedar Rapids Art Association, now the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and the YMCA. He died February 4, 1970, at the age of 91.

Legacy

After Brown's death, the firm was continued by his partners under the name Brown, Healey & Bock. Over the next decade the partnership was expanded to include architects Herbert M. Stone and Edward G. Sauer, among others. In 1979 Healey was elected a Fellow of the AIA; he was the second and most recent Cedar Rapids architect to receive the honor. In December 1981 the firm incorporated as Brown Healey Bock PC, with Healey as president. In October 1990, with Bock retired, the firm was renamed a final time to Brown Healey Stone & Sauer; Brown's name was kept for historical reasons. Major late works of the firm included the State Historical Building (1987) in Des Moines and the National Balloon Museum (1988) in Indianola, both designed chiefly by Stone. In 2001 the firm merged with the Howard R. Green Company, an engineering and consulting firm. Brown and Green had shared office space in Cedar Rapids when Green established his firm in 1913. That firm, now known as HR Green, still maintains a Cedar Rapids office as of 2024.

Several buildings designed by Brown have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.

Architectural works

Brown Brothers, 1910–1911

  • 1911 – Sinclair Memorial Chapel, Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Designed by Brown Brothers and Charles A. Dieman, associated architects. Destroyed by fire in 1947.
  • 1912 – Knights of Pythias Building, 420 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
  • Designed by Brown Brothers and Charles A. Dieman, associated architects. Demolished.

William J. Brown, 1911–1953

Brown & Healey, 1953–1961

Brown, Healey & Bock, 1961–1981

Brown Healey Bock, 1981–1990

Brown Healey Stone & Sauer, 1990–2001

  • 1992 – Newton Public Library, 100 N 3rd Ave W, Newton, Iowa
  • 2002 – Germantown Community Library, N112 W16957 Mequon Rd, Germantown, Wisconsin

References