Austin Eldon Knowlton
Encyclopedia
Austin Eldon Knowlton was trained as an architect
but spent most of his career in the construction industry. His company designed, financed and built more than 160 college and university buildings on every major college campus in Ohio and more than 200 elementary and secondary school buildings. His companies have also constructed more than 35 major hospitals and 43 United States Post Offices
throughout the country. In his lifetime, he designed more than 600 buildings.
A. E. Knowlton was born in Athens, Ohio
in 1909, the second child of Clarence Luster Knowlton ("CL") and Vertura Mae Cundiff. His father had founded Knowlton Brothers Construction in 1906 with his brother Everett and had been in the construction business in Athens, Ohio. About 1917, they were awarded the contract to build the Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine, Ohio
and both brothers relocated to Bellefontaine and made it their home. The brothers separated their business about 1923, at which time "CL" formed his new company, C. L. Knowlton and Sons, Contractors, with sons Clarence Ernest ("CE") and Austin Eldon ("AE").
Eldon Knowlton grew up in Bellefontine, played football in high school and gained the nickname "Dutch." He was graduated from Bellefontaine High School in 1927 and then attended The Ohio State University
where one of his favorite professors was Howard Dwight Smith
. He was a member of Alpha Rho Chi
fraternity. Dutch was graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, class of 1931. He rejoined his father's firm after graduation. After his father's retirement from the business, "AE" and "CE" founded the Knowlton Construction Company in 1937. Although Dutch suffered from dyslexia, he could add long columns of numbers in his head, and used a slide rule to calculate construction bids.
A. E. "Dutch" Knowlton's company specialized in educational, health care and commercial buildings. At his alma mater alone, he designed the Fawcett Center,
Hitchcock Hall, Houck House, Jones Graduate Tower, the School of Allied Medical Professions, Wilce Health Center, Drake Union and Larkins Hall addition (the latter demolished 2005 to make way for a new Recreation and Physical Activities Center).
In 1994 The Ohio State University renamed its School of Architecture the "Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture." University President E. Gordon Gee praised the gift from Knowlton that made it possible for OSU to provide the finest architectural education possible. A new building designed by the firm of Mack Scogin Merrill Elam
Architects of Atlanta, Georgia, Knowlton Hall, opened for the School of Architecture in the fall of 2004. In 1995, Ohio State presented an Honorary Doctorate of Architecture to A. E. Knowlton.
Austin Eldon Knowlton married Phyllis Yvonne Coulon of Bowling Green, Ohio
, in August 1933 in Wilmette, Illinois
. They had three children. He was divorced from Phyllis in 1974 and later married and divorced Susan J. Dlott
. He resided in Bowling Green and Hamilton, Ohio
before building a home on his Emerald Farms in Delaware County, Ohio in 1947. In later life he spent winters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
until he donated his Delaware estate in 2001 to Augustana College and took up Florida residence full time.
An enthusiastic sportsman, he raised championship American Saddlebred
horses at Emerald Farms (colors: emerald and blue), which he showed under harness and his family under saddle for many years all over the midwest. In addition to show horses, he raced thoroughbreds and had an avid interest in baseball and football. He was a Trustee of the Little Brown Jug
Society which runs the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers
in Delaware, Ohio. He was a minority owner of the Cincinnati Reds
in the 1970s, and was instrumental in building Riverfront Stadium. With Paul Brown
, he co-founded the Cincinnati Bengals
and was the largest shareholder and Chairman of the Board for twenty years. His Austin E. Knowlton Foundation has made many charitable gifts including funding the Knowlton Library of the Logan County District Library in memory of his parents and to The Ohio State University.
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
but spent most of his career in the construction industry. His company designed, financed and built more than 160 college and university buildings on every major college campus in Ohio and more than 200 elementary and secondary school buildings. His companies have also constructed more than 35 major hospitals and 43 United States Post Offices
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
throughout the country. In his lifetime, he designed more than 600 buildings.
A. E. Knowlton was born in Athens, Ohio
Athens, Ohio
Athens is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Athens County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Hocking River in the southeastern part of Ohio. A historic college town, Athens is home to Ohio University and is the principal city of the Athens, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. ...
in 1909, the second child of Clarence Luster Knowlton ("CL") and Vertura Mae Cundiff. His father had founded Knowlton Brothers Construction in 1906 with his brother Everett and had been in the construction business in Athens, Ohio. About 1917, they were awarded the contract to build the Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,069 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Bellefontaine Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003...
and both brothers relocated to Bellefontaine and made it their home. The brothers separated their business about 1923, at which time "CL" formed his new company, C. L. Knowlton and Sons, Contractors, with sons Clarence Ernest ("CE") and Austin Eldon ("AE").
Eldon Knowlton grew up in Bellefontine, played football in high school and gained the nickname "Dutch." He was graduated from Bellefontaine High School in 1927 and then attended The Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
where one of his favorite professors was Howard Dwight Smith
Howard Dwight Smith
Howard Dwight Smith was an architect most known for his designs of the Ohio Stadium for which he was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for Public Building Design....
. He was a member of Alpha Rho Chi
Alpha Rho Chi
Alpha Rho Chi is a professional co-educational college fraternity for students studying architecture and related professions. The fraternity's name is derived from the first three letters of the Greek word for architecture, αρχιτεκτονική.-Founding:...
fraternity. Dutch was graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, class of 1931. He rejoined his father's firm after graduation. After his father's retirement from the business, "AE" and "CE" founded the Knowlton Construction Company in 1937. Although Dutch suffered from dyslexia, he could add long columns of numbers in his head, and used a slide rule to calculate construction bids.
A. E. "Dutch" Knowlton's company specialized in educational, health care and commercial buildings. At his alma mater alone, he designed the Fawcett Center,
Hitchcock Hall, Houck House, Jones Graduate Tower, the School of Allied Medical Professions, Wilce Health Center, Drake Union and Larkins Hall addition (the latter demolished 2005 to make way for a new Recreation and Physical Activities Center).
In 1994 The Ohio State University renamed its School of Architecture the "Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture." University President E. Gordon Gee praised the gift from Knowlton that made it possible for OSU to provide the finest architectural education possible. A new building designed by the firm of Mack Scogin Merrill Elam
Mack Scogin Merrill Elam
Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects is an American architecture firm based at Atlanta, Georgia. The two principal architects are husband and wife Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam. The firm was first founded in 1984 as Parker and Scogin, and later, from 1984 to 2000, as Scogin Elam and Bray, and from...
Architects of Atlanta, Georgia, Knowlton Hall, opened for the School of Architecture in the fall of 2004. In 1995, Ohio State presented an Honorary Doctorate of Architecture to A. E. Knowlton.
Austin Eldon Knowlton married Phyllis Yvonne Coulon of Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...
, in August 1933 in Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...
. They had three children. He was divorced from Phyllis in 1974 and later married and divorced Susan J. Dlott
Susan J. Dlott
Susan J. Dlott is a United States federal judge.Born in Dayton, Ohio, Dlott received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970 and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1973...
. He resided in Bowling Green and Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton, Ohio
Hamilton is a city in Butler County, southwestern Ohio, United States. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Butler County. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area....
before building a home on his Emerald Farms in Delaware County, Ohio in 1947. In later life he spent winters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
until he donated his Delaware estate in 2001 to Augustana College and took up Florida residence full time.
An enthusiastic sportsman, he raised championship American Saddlebred
American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...
horses at Emerald Farms (colors: emerald and blue), which he showed under harness and his family under saddle for many years all over the midwest. In addition to show horses, he raced thoroughbreds and had an avid interest in baseball and football. He was a Trustee of the Little Brown Jug
Little Brown Jug (horse racing)
The Little Brown Jug is a harness race for three-year-old pacing standardbreds hosted by the Delaware County Agricultural Society since 1946 at the County Fairgrounds in Delaware, Ohio. The race takes place every year on the third Thursday after Labor Day. Along with the Hambletonian, a race for...
Society which runs the Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers
Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers
The Triple Crown of Harness Racing for Pacers consists of the following horse races:#Cane Pace, held at Freehold Raceway in Freehold, New Jersey#Little Brown Jug, held at the Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio...
in Delaware, Ohio. He was a minority owner of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the 1970s, and was instrumental in building Riverfront Stadium. With Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
, he co-founded the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and was the largest shareholder and Chairman of the Board for twenty years. His Austin E. Knowlton Foundation has made many charitable gifts including funding the Knowlton Library of the Logan County District Library in memory of his parents and to The Ohio State University.