Elijah E. Myers
Encyclopedia
Elijah E. Myers was a leading architect of government buildings in the latter half of the 19th century, and the only architect to design the capitol buildings of three U.S. states, the Michigan State Capitol
, the Texas State Capitol
, and the Colorado State Capitol
. He also designed buildings in Mexico and Brazil. Myers' designs favored Victorian Gothic and Neo-Classical
styles, but he worked in other styles as well.
. He initially lived in Springfield, Illinois
after the Civil War, but moved to Detroit, Michigan
while working on the Michigan State capitol, where he remained. Myers had conflicts with fellow architects, whom he claimed stole his designs and sued, and sometimes his clients. He was fired from the Texas Capitol project in 1886 over complaints that he was not giving enough attention to the project, and his design was subsequently changed. He was also fired from the Colorado State Capitol project and the Howell Library project, apparently in disputes about money.
In 1879, Myers sued Edwin May, the architect of a new Indiana State House
, claiming that elements of design were stolen. Myers lost the lawsuit.
In 1891, Myers applied for the position of Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury but another was chosen.
During the Chicago World's Fair
in 1893, Myers served on the Board of Examiners for the fair's buildings.
Myers died at home in Detroit and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery
, Detroit. His grave is currently unmarked but an Elijah Myers Memorial Commission is raising funds for an appropriate stone. The only known portrait of Myers hangs in the Elijah Myers room of the Michigan State Capitol.
Michigan State Capitol
The Michigan State Capitol is the building housing the legislative and executive branches of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the state capital of Lansing in Ingham County...
, the Texas State Capitol
Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol is located in Austin, Texas, and is the fourth building to be the house of Texas government in Austin. It houses the chambers of the Texas Legislature and the office of the governor of Texas. It was designed originally during 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, and was...
, and the Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, is the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of Colorado and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. Designed...
. He also designed buildings in Mexico and Brazil. Myers' designs favored Victorian Gothic and Neo-Classical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
styles, but he worked in other styles as well.
Early life
Myers may have studied architecture under Samuel Sloan before serving in the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He initially lived in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
after the Civil War, but moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
while working on the Michigan State capitol, where he remained. Myers had conflicts with fellow architects, whom he claimed stole his designs and sued, and sometimes his clients. He was fired from the Texas Capitol project in 1886 over complaints that he was not giving enough attention to the project, and his design was subsequently changed. He was also fired from the Colorado State Capitol project and the Howell Library project, apparently in disputes about money.
In 1879, Myers sued Edwin May, the architect of a new Indiana State House
Indiana State House
The Indiana Statehouse is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of Indiana. Housing the Indiana General Assembly, the office of the Governor of Indiana, the Supreme Court of Indiana, and other state officials, it is located in the state capital Indianapolis at 200 West Washington Street...
, claiming that elements of design were stolen. Myers lost the lawsuit.
In 1891, Myers applied for the position of Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury but another was chosen.
During the Chicago World's Fair
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in 1893, Myers served on the Board of Examiners for the fair's buildings.
Myers died at home in Detroit and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
Woodlawn Cemetery is a cemetery located at 19975 Woodward Avenue, across from the Michigan State Fairgrounds, between 7 Mile Road and 8 Mile Road, in Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the area's most well-known cemeteries.-History:...
, Detroit. His grave is currently unmarked but an Elijah Myers Memorial Commission is raising funds for an appropriate stone. The only known portrait of Myers hangs in the Elijah Myers room of the Michigan State Capitol.
Post-death litigation
On January 5, 1914, the Supreme Court decided Radford v. Myers in Myers' favor. The cases was a business dispute between Myers and his attorney, George W. Radford, involving litigation about the unbuilt Luzerne County Courthouse.Works
- design for a Lincoln Memorial, 1868 (unbuilt)
- Macoupin County Courthouse, Carlinville, IllinoisCarlinville, IllinoisCarlinville is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 5,685, and 5,912 at a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Macoupin County, and so it is an outlying part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St...
, 1870 - Michigan State CapitolMichigan State CapitolThe Michigan State Capitol is the building housing the legislative and executive branches of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the state capital of Lansing in Ingham County...
, Lansing, MichiganLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, 1872 - First Presbyterian Church, Albion, MichiganAlbion, MichiganAlbion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The population was 9,144 at the 2000 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, circa 1873 (burned 1883, but the shell was incorporated in the replacement) - President's House, Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, East Lansing, MichiganEast Lansing, MichiganEast Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
, 1874 (demolished 1940s) - Grosvernor House, Jonesville, MichiganJonesville, MichiganJonesville is a village in Fayette Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,337 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, 1874 - Lansing High School, Lansing, MichiganLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, 1875 (demolished summer 2006) - Plymouth Congregational Church, 1877 (burned, 1971)
- Eastern Michigan Asylum for the InsaneClinton Valley CenterThe Clinton Valley Center , located in Pontiac, Michigan, was the second oldest psychiatric hospital in Michigan. CVC, originally named the Eastern Michigan Asylum for the Insane, opened its doors on August 1, 1878. In 1911, the hospital changed its name to Pontiac State Hospital and was renamed...
(aka Clinton Valley Center), Pontiac, MichiganPontiac, MichiganPontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, circa 1878 (demolished, 2000) - Grant County Courthouse, Marion, IndianaMarion, IndianaMarion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Grant County...
, circa 1880 (dome removed) - Lorain County Courthouse, Elyria, OhioElyria, Ohio-Community:Elyria has an extensive, although financially burdened, community food pantry and "Hot Meals" program administered through the Second Harvest Food Bank and several churches Elyria is served by Elyria Memorial Hospital.-Recreation and parks:...
, circa 1881 - same design as Grant County, Indiana (dome also removed) - Texas State CapitolTexas State CapitolThe Texas State Capitol is located in Austin, Texas, and is the fourth building to be the house of Texas government in Austin. It houses the chambers of the Texas Legislature and the office of the governor of Texas. It was designed originally during 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, and was...
, Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, 1881 - Knox County Courthouse, Galesburg, IllinoisGalesburg, IllinoisGalesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
, 1885 - Idaho territorial capitol, circa 1885
- Colorado State CapitolColorado State CapitolThe Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, is the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of Colorado and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. Designed...
, Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, 1885 - Seneca County Courthouse, Tiffin, OhioTiffin, OhioTiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 18,135 at the 2000 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Tiffin as a Tree City USA....
, circa 1886 - (Old) City HallOld City Hall (Richmond, Virginia)Old City Hall, known formerly as City Hall, is the former city hall of Richmond, Virginia that was designed by Elijah E. Myers. It served as City Hall from its completion in 1894 through the 1970s. The building occupies its own city block in downtown Richmond, bounded by 10th and 11th Streets to...
, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, circa 1887 - Central United Methodist Church, Lansing, MichiganLansing, MichiganLansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, 1888 - Grand Rapids City Hall, Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, 1888 (demolished 1960s) - Alumni Hall, Knox CollegeKnox College, IllinoisKnox College is a four-year coeducational private liberal arts college located in Galesburg, Illinois. Knox is classified as a more selective institution by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and is ranked 75th among liberal arts colleges by the 2011 edition of America's Best...
, Galesburg, IllinoisGalesburg, IllinoisGalesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
, 1890 - San Joaquin County Courthouse, Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, CaliforniaStockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, circa 1891 (demolished 1961) - Stockbridge Town Hall, Stockbridge, MichiganStockbridge, MichiganStockbridge is a village in Stockbridge Township, Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and lies from downtown Lansing, Michigan. The population was 1,218 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, 1892 - Columbia Buildings, World's Columbian ExpositionWorld's Columbian ExpositionThe World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
, Chicago, Illinois, circa 1890 (demolished) - asylum, Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, ante 1893 - Brazilian Parliament Building, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ante 1893 (demolished)
- Luzerne County Courthouse, Wilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaWilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaWilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, 1894 (unbuilt) - Bay City City Hall, Bay City, MichiganBay City, MichiganBay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
, 1897 - Helen Newberry Nurses HomeHelen Newberry Nurses HomeThe Helen Newberry Nurses Home is a multi-unit residential building located at 100 East Willis in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.- History :...
, Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, 1898 - Howell Carnegie District Library, Howell, MichiganHowell, MichiganHowell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township...
, 1902 - McDonough County Courthouse, Macomb, IllinoisMacomb, IllinoisMacomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois southwest of Galesburg. The population was 18,588 at the 2000 census. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.- Geography :...
- Stephenson County Courthouse, Freeport, IllinoisFreeport, IllinoisFreeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
- Harper Hospital, Detroit, MichiganDetroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, (demolished early 1970s)
Other sources
- Asylum: Pontiac’s Grand Monument from the Gilded Age, Bruce J. Annett, Jr., ISBN 0-9719141-0-9
- A Michigan Architect in Indiana: Elijah E. Myers and the Business of Architecture in the Gilded Age, Ronald D. Rarick, The Michigan Historical Review Vol. 26, No. 2, Fall 2000
- Elijah E. Myers: Politics, patronage, and professionalism, Paul Goeldner
- The Designing Architect: Elijah E. Myers, Paul Goeldner, Southwestern Historical Quarterly 92 (October 1988)
- Radford v. Myers 231 U.S. 725 (1914)
External links
- Myers biography, Colorado State website
- construction of the Colorado Capitol, Colorado State website
- Old Richmond City Hall
- photo album of the Eastern Michigan Asylum
- historical marker for Central United Methodist Church
- historical marker for Clinton Valley Center
- historical marker for First Presbyterian Church of Albion
- historical marker for Grosvernor House
- historical marker for Plymouth Congregational Church
- historical marker for Stockbridge Town Hall
- Radford v. Myers
- photos of San Joaquin County courthouses
- postcards of Harper Hospital
- Toledo Blade article on Myers