Clarence W. Wigington
Encyclopedia
Clarence Wesley "Cap" Wigington (1883-1967) was an African-American architect
who grew up in Omaha, Nebraska
. After winning three first prizes in charcoal, pencil, and pen and ink at an art competition during the Trans-Mississippi Exposition
in 1899, Wigington went on to become a renowned architect across the Midwestern United States
. It was a time when there were few African-American architects in the entire United States
. Wigington was the nation's first black municipal architect, serving as senior designer for the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota
's architectural office for 34 years when the city had an ambitious building program. Sixty of his buildings still stand in Saint Paul, with several recognized on the National Register of Historic Places
. His architectural legacy constitutes one of the most significant bodies of work by an African-American architect.
Clarence Wesley Wigington was born in Lawrence, Kansas
in 1883, but his family moved to Omaha, where he was raised in the Walnut Hill
neighborhood of North Omaha. After graduating from Omaha High School
at the age of 15, in 1902 Wigington left an Omaha art school to work for Thomas R. Kimball, then president of the American Institute of Architects
. After six years he started his own office. In 1910 Wigington was listed by the U.S. Census as one of only 59 African-American architects, artists and draftsmen in the country. While in Omaha, Wigington designed the Broomfield Rowhouse
, Zion Baptist Church, and the second St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church
building, along with several other single and multiple family dwellings.
After marrying Viola Williams, Wigington received his first public commission to design a small brick potato chip
factory in Sheridan, Wyoming
. He ran the establishment for several years.
It was in Saint Paul, Minnesota
where Wigington created a national reputation. He moved there in 1914 and by 1917 was promoted to the position of senior architectural designer for the City of St. Paul. During the 1920s and 30s, Wigington designed most of the Saint Paul Public Schools
buildings, as well as golf clubhouses, fire stations, park buildings, airports for the city. Other Wigington structures include the Highland Park Tower
, the Holman Field Administration Building
and the Harriet Island Pavilion
, all now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, and the Roy Wilkins Auditorium
. Wigington also designed monumental ice castles for the St. Paul Winter Carnival in the 1930s and 40s.
Wigington was among the 13 founders of the Sterling Club, a social club for railroad porter
s, bellboys, waiter
s, driver
s and other black men. He founded the Home Guards of Minnesota, an all-black militia established in 1918 when racial segregation
prohibited his entry into the Minnesota National Guard during World War I
. As the leader of that group, he was given the rank of captain, from which the nickname "Cap" was derived.
After retiring from the City of St. Paul in 1949, Wigington began a private architectural practice in California. Soon after moving to Kansas City, Missouri
in 1967, he died on July 7.
at Durham
.
Nearly 60 Wigington-designed buildings still stand in St. Paul. They include the notable Highland Park Clubhouse, Cleveland High School, Randolph Heights Elementary School, and the downtown St. Paul Police Station, in addition to the Palm House and the Zoological Building at the Como Park Zoo.
. His architectural legacy constitutes one of the most significant bodies of work by an African-American architect.
Renamed to honor Wigington in 1998, the Harriet Island Pavilion is now called the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion.
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...
who grew up in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. After winning three first prizes in charcoal, pencil, and pen and ink at an art competition during the Trans-Mississippi Exposition
Trans-Mississippi Exposition
The Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition was a world's fair held in Omaha, Nebraska from June 1 to November 1 of 1898. Its goal was to showcase the development of the entire West, stretching from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast. The Indian Congress was held concurrently...
in 1899, Wigington went on to become a renowned architect across the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. It was a time when there were few African-American architects in the entire United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Wigington was the nation's first black municipal architect, serving as senior designer for the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
's architectural office for 34 years when the city had an ambitious building program. Sixty of his buildings still stand in Saint Paul, with several recognized on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. His architectural legacy constitutes one of the most significant bodies of work by an African-American architect.
Biography
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
in 1883, but his family moved to Omaha, where he was raised in the Walnut Hill
Walnut Hill (Omaha)
Walnut Hill is a historic neighborhood located in north Omaha, Nebraska. It is bounded by North 40th Street on the east, Cuming Street on the south, Northwest Radial Highway and Saddle Creek Road on the west and Hamilton Street on the north.-History:Dr...
neighborhood of North Omaha. After graduating from Omaha High School
Omaha Central High School
Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...
at the age of 15, in 1902 Wigington left an Omaha art school to work for Thomas R. Kimball, then president of the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
. After six years he started his own office. In 1910 Wigington was listed by the U.S. Census as one of only 59 African-American architects, artists and draftsmen in the country. While in Omaha, Wigington designed the Broomfield Rowhouse
Broomfield Rowhouse
The Broomfield Rowhouse is located at 2502-2504 Lake Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. It was designed by African American architect Clarence W. Wigington, who was later regarded as a master in his field. His design for the house won a 1909 Good Housekeeping competition...
, Zion Baptist Church, and the second St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church
St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Church
St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church was the first church for African Americans in Nebraska, organized in North Omaha in 1867. It is located at 2402 North 22nd Street in the Near North Side neighborhood. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was...
building, along with several other single and multiple family dwellings.
After marrying Viola Williams, Wigington received his first public commission to design a small brick potato chip
Potato chip
Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
factory in Sheridan, Wyoming
Sheridan, Wyoming
Sheridan is a city in Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States. The 2010 census put the population at 17,444 and a Micropolitan Statistical Area of 29,116...
. He ran the establishment for several years.
It was in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
where Wigington created a national reputation. He moved there in 1914 and by 1917 was promoted to the position of senior architectural designer for the City of St. Paul. During the 1920s and 30s, Wigington designed most of the Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul Public Schools is a school district that covers all of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota.Saint Paul supports a robust network of publicly-funded primary and secondary schools....
buildings, as well as golf clubhouses, fire stations, park buildings, airports for the city. Other Wigington structures include the Highland Park Tower
Highland Park Tower
The Highland Park Water Tower is a water tower in the Highland Park area of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was designed by Clarence W. Wigington, the nation's first African-American municipal architect. The tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.The octagonally-shaped...
, the Holman Field Administration Building
Holman Field Administration Building
The Holman Field Administration Building is a Kasota limestone building designed by Clarence Wigington and built in 1939 by WPA employees. It serves as the control building for the St. Paul Downtown Airport in Saint Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The airport was named for Charles W. Holman,...
and the Harriet Island Pavilion
Harriet Island Pavilion
The Harriet Island Pavilion, currently known as the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion, is a park pavilion on Harriet Island just across the Mississippi River from downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was designed by Clarence W. Wigington, the nation's first black municipal architect, and renamed for...
, all now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and the Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Roy Wilkins Auditorium
The Roy Wilkins Auditorium is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Designed by renowned African American municipal architect Clarence W. Wigington, it was built in 1932 as the St. Paul Auditorium, and was renamed for Roy Wilkins in 1985...
. Wigington also designed monumental ice castles for the St. Paul Winter Carnival in the 1930s and 40s.
Wigington was among the 13 founders of the Sterling Club, a social club for railroad porter
Porter (railroad)
A porter is a railway employee assigned to assist passengers aboard a passenger train or to handle their baggage; it may be used particularly to refer to employees assigned to assisting passengers in the sleeping cars....
s, bellboys, waiter
Waiter
Waiting staff, wait staff, or waitstaff are those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers — supplying them with food and drink as requested. Traditionally, a male waiting tables is called a "waiter" and a female a "waitress" with the gender-neutral version being a "server"...
s, driver
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
s and other black men. He founded the Home Guards of Minnesota, an all-black militia established in 1918 when racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
prohibited his entry into the Minnesota National Guard during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. As the leader of that group, he was given the rank of captain, from which the nickname "Cap" was derived.
After retiring from the City of St. Paul in 1949, Wigington began a private architectural practice in California. Soon after moving to Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 1967, he died on July 7.
Notable designs
As senior architect for the city, Wigington designed schools, fire stations, park structures and municipal buildings. Aside from his work in Omaha, Wigington also designed the building which originally hosted the North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
at Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
.
Nearly 60 Wigington-designed buildings still stand in St. Paul. They include the notable Highland Park Clubhouse, Cleveland High School, Randolph Heights Elementary School, and the downtown St. Paul Police Station, in addition to the Palm House and the Zoological Building at the Como Park Zoo.
| Notable Wigington-designed buildings in order of year of construction | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Location | Constructed | NRHP National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation... ? |
| Broomfield Rowhouse Broomfield Rowhouse The Broomfield Rowhouse is located at 2502-2504 Lake Street in the Near North Side neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. It was designed by African American architect Clarence W. Wigington, who was later regarded as a master in his field. His design for the house won a 1909 Good Housekeeping competition... |
2502-2504 Lake Street, North Omaha, Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River... |
1913 | Yes |
| Zion Baptist Church | 2215 Grant Street, North Omaha | 1914 | No |
| Como Park Elementary School | 780 Wheelock Parkway W., St. Paul, Minnesota | 1916 | No |
| Highland Park Tower Highland Park Tower The Highland Park Water Tower is a water tower in the Highland Park area of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was designed by Clarence W. Wigington, the nation's first African-American municipal architect. The tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.The octagonally-shaped... |
1570 Highland Parkway, St. Paul | 1928 | Yes |
| Roy Wilkins Auditorium Roy Wilkins Auditorium The Roy Wilkins Auditorium is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Designed by renowned African American municipal architect Clarence W. Wigington, it was built in 1932 as the St. Paul Auditorium, and was renamed for Roy Wilkins in 1985... |
175 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul | 1932 | No |
| Holman Field Administration Building Holman Field Administration Building The Holman Field Administration Building is a Kasota limestone building designed by Clarence Wigington and built in 1939 by WPA employees. It serves as the control building for the St. Paul Downtown Airport in Saint Paul in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The airport was named for Charles W. Holman,... |
644 Bayfield Street, St. Paul | 1939 | Yes |
| Hamline Playground Recreation Center | 1564 Lafond Ave., St. Paul | 1940 | No |
| Harriet Island Pavilion Harriet Island Pavilion The Harriet Island Pavilion, currently known as the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion, is a park pavilion on Harriet Island just across the Mississippi River from downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was designed by Clarence W. Wigington, the nation's first black municipal architect, and renamed for... |
75 Water Street, St. Paul | 1941 | Yes |
| St. James A.M.E. Church | 624 Central Avenue West, St. Paul | No | |
Legacy
Sixty of his buildings still stand in Saint Paul, with four recognized by listing on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. His architectural legacy constitutes one of the most significant bodies of work by an African-American architect.
Renamed to honor Wigington in 1998, the Harriet Island Pavilion is now called the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion.
External links
- Ice Palace designs by "Cap" Wigington, on Northwest Architectural Archives
- Cap Wigington, St. Paul's architect, interview of Dr. Annette Atkins on Minnesota Public Radio