Ralph Adams Cram
Encyclopedia
Ralph Adams Cram FAIA
, (December 16, 1863 - September 22, 1942), was a prolific and influential American
architect
of collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic
style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.
to the Rev. William Augustine and Sarah Elizabeth Cram. He was educated at Augusta
, Hampton Falls
, Westford Academy
and Exeter
. While his father was a Unitarian
minister, he called himself an agnostic in his youth.
Cram moved to Boston
in 1881, at age 18, and spent five years in the architectural office of Rotch & Tilden
, after which he left for Rome
. During an 1887 Christmas Eve
mass in Rome, he had a dramatic conversion experience. For the rest of his life, he remained a fervent Anglo-Catholic who self-identified as High Church
Anglican.
In 1900 Cram married Elizabeth Carrington Read at New Bedford
. She was the daughter of Captain Clement Carrington Read C.S.A.
and bore him two children, Mary Carrington and Ralph Wentworth.
Cram and business partner Charles Wentworth started business in Boston in April 1889 as Cram and Wentworth. They'd landed only four or five church commissions before they were joined by Bertram Goodhue
in 1892 to form Cram, Wentworth and Goodhue. Goodhue brought an award-winning commission in Dallas (never built) and brilliant drafting skills to the Boston office.
Wentworth died in 1897 and the firm's name changed to Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson to include draftsman Frank Ferguson. Cram and Goodhue complemented each others' strengths at first but shifted into competition, sometimes submitting two differing proposals for the same commission. The firm's win of the 'United States Military Academy
at West Point' project in 1902 was a major milestone in their career, and it meant the establishment of the firm's New York office, where Goodhue would preside, leaving Cram to operate in Boston.
Cram's acceptance of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine commission in 1911 (on Goodhue's perceived territory) heightened the tension between the two. Close attention can attribute most projects to one partner or the other, based on the visual and compositional style and the location. The Gothic Revival Saint Thomas Church was designed by them both in 1914 on Manhattan
's Fifth Avenue in New York City. It is the last example of their collaboration, and the most integrated and strongest example of their work together.
Goodhue began his solo career on August 14, 1913. Cram and Ferguson continued with major church and college commissions through the 1930s. The successor firm is HDB/Cram and Ferguson
of Boston.
A leading proponent of disciplined Gothic Revival architecture
in general and Collegiate Gothic in particular, Cram is most closely associated with Princeton University
, where he was awarded a Doctor of Letters
and served as Supervising Architect from 1907 to 1929. For seven years he headed the Architectural Department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
,
Through the 1920s Cram was a public figure and frequently mentioned in the press. The New York Times called him "one of the most prominent Episcopalian laymen in the country". He made news with his defense of Al Smith
, saying "I... express my disgust at the ignorance and superstition now rampant and in order that I may go on record as another of those who, though not Roman Catholics, are nevertheless Americans and are outraged by this recrudescence of blatant bigotry, operating through the most cowardly and contemptible methods."
had been, at least in part, an unfortunate detour for western culture
. Cram argued that authentic development could come only by returning to Gothic
sources for inspiration, as his "Collegiate Gothic" architecture did, with considerable success. He was not altogether inflexible on this point, however, rejecting Gothic for his Rice University buildings in favor of a medieval north Italian Romanesque
style more in keeping with Houston's hot, humid climate. A modernist in many ways, to the chagrin of many traditionalists today, he designed Art Deco
landmarks of great distinction, including the Federal Building skyscraper in Boston and a great number of churches in deco style. For example, his design of the tower of the East Liberty Church, Pittsburgh, was inspired by the Empire State Building
. His work at Rice was as modernist as medieval in inspiration. His administration building there, his secular masterwork, has been compared by Shand-Tucci to Frank Lloyd Wright's work, particularly in the way its dramatic horizontality reflects the surrounding prairies.
In his review of the standard biography of Cram by Douglass Shand-Tucci, Yale professor and architectural historian Sandy Isenstadt writes: "what Shand-Tucci has done in this book...is to demonstrate how much (modernist) disdain (of Cram) turned out to be modernism's loss". Similarly, in another review by Peter Cormack, director of London's William Morris Gallery, the British scholar commented on the neglect of Cram's work, "a phenomenon which has significantly distorted the study of America's modern architectural history... (Cram) deserves the same kind of international--and domestic--recognition accorded (all too often uncritically) to his contemporary Frank Lloyd Wright".
and John LaFarge
with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)
on December 16.
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Cram was also a writer of fiction. A number of his stories, notably "The Dead Valley", were published in a collection entitled Black Spirits and White (Stone & Kimball, 1895). The collection has been called "one of the undeniable classics of weird fiction". H. P. Lovecraft
wrote, "In The Dead Valley the eminent architect and mediævalist Ralph Adams Cram achieves a memorably potent degree of vague regional horror through subtleties of atmosphere and description."
FAIA
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects is a postnomial, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects...
, (December 16, 1863 - September 22, 1942), was a prolific and influential American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
architect
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 collegiate and ecclesiastical buildings, often in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. Cram & Ferguson and Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson are partnerships in which he worked.
Early life
Cram was born on December 16, 1863 at Hampton Falls, New HampshireHampton Falls, New Hampshire
Hampton Falls is a New England town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census.-History:...
to the Rev. William Augustine and Sarah Elizabeth Cram. He was educated at Augusta
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, Hampton Falls
Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Hampton Falls is a New England town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Westford Academy
Westford Academy
Westford Academy is the public high school for the town of Westford, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1792, and is one of the oldest public high schools in the United States. Westford Academy was originally established as a private school and was changed to a public school in 1928...
and Exeter
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
. While his father was a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister, he called himself an agnostic in his youth.
Cram moved to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 1881, at age 18, and spent five years in the architectural office of Rotch & Tilden
Rotch & Tilden
Rotch & Tilden was an American architectural firm active in Boston, Massachusetts from 1880 through 1895.The firm was organized by partners Arthur Rotch and George Thomas Tilden...
, after which he left for Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. During an 1887 Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
mass in Rome, he had a dramatic conversion experience. For the rest of his life, he remained a fervent Anglo-Catholic who self-identified as High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
Anglican.
In 1900 Cram married Elizabeth Carrington Read at New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
. She was the daughter of Captain Clement Carrington Read C.S.A.
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
and bore him two children, Mary Carrington and Ralph Wentworth.
Career
Bertram Goodhue
Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue was a American architect celebrated for his work in neo-gothic design. He also designed notable typefaces, including Cheltenham and Merrymount for the Merrymount Press.-Early career:...
in 1892 to form Cram, Wentworth and Goodhue. Goodhue brought an award-winning commission in Dallas (never built) and brilliant drafting skills to the Boston office.
Wentworth died in 1897 and the firm's name changed to Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson to include draftsman Frank Ferguson. Cram and Goodhue complemented each others' strengths at first but shifted into competition, sometimes submitting two differing proposals for the same commission. The firm's win of the 'United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point' project in 1902 was a major milestone in their career, and it meant the establishment of the firm's New York office, where Goodhue would preside, leaving Cram to operate in Boston.
Cram's acceptance of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine commission in 1911 (on Goodhue's perceived territory) heightened the tension between the two. Close attention can attribute most projects to one partner or the other, based on the visual and compositional style and the location. The Gothic Revival Saint Thomas Church was designed by them both in 1914 on Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Fifth Avenue in New York City. It is the last example of their collaboration, and the most integrated and strongest example of their work together.
Goodhue began his solo career on August 14, 1913. Cram and Ferguson continued with major church and college commissions through the 1930s. The successor firm is HDB/Cram and Ferguson
HDB/Cram and Ferguson
HDB/Cram and Ferguson is an architectural firm operating in Boston, Massachusetts since the late 19th century. The original partnership was founded in 1889 by Ralph Adams Cram and Charles Francis Wentworth...
of Boston.
A leading proponent of disciplined Gothic Revival architecture
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
in general and Collegiate Gothic in particular, Cram is most closely associated with Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, where he was awarded a Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
and served as Supervising Architect from 1907 to 1929. For seven years he headed the Architectural Department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
,
Through the 1920s Cram was a public figure and frequently mentioned in the press. The New York Times called him "one of the most prominent Episcopalian laymen in the country". He made news with his defense of Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
, saying "I... express my disgust at the ignorance and superstition now rampant and in order that I may go on record as another of those who, though not Roman Catholics, are nevertheless Americans and are outraged by this recrudescence of blatant bigotry, operating through the most cowardly and contemptible methods."
Cram and Modernism
As an author, lecturer, and architect, Cram propounded the view that the RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
had been, at least in part, an unfortunate detour for western culture
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
. Cram argued that authentic development could come only by returning to Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
sources for inspiration, as his "Collegiate Gothic" architecture did, with considerable success. He was not altogether inflexible on this point, however, rejecting Gothic for his Rice University buildings in favor of a medieval north Italian Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style more in keeping with Houston's hot, humid climate. A modernist in many ways, to the chagrin of many traditionalists today, he designed Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
landmarks of great distinction, including the Federal Building skyscraper in Boston and a great number of churches in deco style. For example, his design of the tower of the East Liberty Church, Pittsburgh, was inspired by the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
. His work at Rice was as modernist as medieval in inspiration. His administration building there, his secular masterwork, has been compared by Shand-Tucci to Frank Lloyd Wright's work, particularly in the way its dramatic horizontality reflects the surrounding prairies.
In his review of the standard biography of Cram by Douglass Shand-Tucci, Yale professor and architectural historian Sandy Isenstadt writes: "what Shand-Tucci has done in this book...is to demonstrate how much (modernist) disdain (of Cram) turned out to be modernism's loss". Similarly, in another review by Peter Cormack, director of London's William Morris Gallery, the British scholar commented on the neglect of Cram's work, "a phenomenon which has significantly distorted the study of America's modern architectural history... (Cram) deserves the same kind of international--and domestic--recognition accorded (all too often uncritically) to his contemporary Frank Lloyd Wright".
Veneration
Cram is honored together with Richard UpjohnRichard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...
and John LaFarge
John LaFarge
John La Farge was an American painter, muralist, stained glass window maker, decorator, and writer.-Biography:...
with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)
Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America)
The veneration of saints in the Episcopal Church is a continuation of an ancient tradition from the early Church which honors important people of the Christian faith. The usage of the term "saint" is similar to Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Those in the Anglo-Catholic tradition may...
on December 16.
Works
Buildings
Cram's buildings include:- The BirchesThe Birches (Garrison, New York)The Birches is a house at the southeast corner of the junction of NY 9D and 403 in the hamlet of Garrison, New York, United States. It was built for William Osborn, as part of his nearby Wing & Wing estate, by architect Ralph Adams Cram in the Gothic Revival architectural style.In 1982 it was added...
, Garrison, New YorkGarrison, New YorkGarrison is a hamlet in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Philipstown and is on the east side of the Hudson River, across from the United States Military Academy at West Point...
, 1882 - RehobothRehoboth (Chappaqua, New York)Rehoboth is a historic former barn located at Chappaqua, Westchester County, New York. The original three level, concrete dairy barn was designed and built in 1856 by Horace Greeley . It was one of the first concrete structures in the country...
, Chappaqua, New YorkChappaqua, New YorkChappaqua is a hamlet and census-designated place in northern Westchester County, New York. As of the 2010 census, following a major revision to the delineation of its boundaries by the Census Bureau, the population was 1,436...
, 1891-1892 - All Saints' Church, Ashmont, Massachusetts, 1892
- Christ Church (Hyde Park, Massachusetts), 1892
- Church of St. John Evangelist, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1892
- Lady Chapel, Church of the Advent, Boston, Massachusetts, 1894
- Richmond CourtRichmond CourtRichmond Court is a site on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located from 1209 to 1217 Beacon Street in Brookline, Massachusetts....
, Brookline, MassachusettsBrookline, MassachusettsBrookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
, 1896 - Philips Church, Exeter, New HampshireExeter, New HampshireExeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, 1897 - Public Library, Fall River, MassachusettsFall River, MassachusettsFall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
1899 - Deborah Cook Sayles Public LibraryDeborah Cook Sayles Public LibraryThe Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library is an historic site at 13 Summer Street in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.The library was built in 1899 and added to the National Historic Register in 1975....
, Pawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
, 1899 - Emmanuel ChurchEmmanuel Church (Newport, Rhode Island)Emmanuel Church is an historic Episcopal church at 42 Dearborn Street in Newport, Rhode Island.The church began as a mission of Newport's Trinity Church in 1841. In 1852, it was admitted into the diocese as Emmanuel Free Church in its own right....
, Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode IslandNewport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, 1900 - Calvary Episcopal ChurchCalvary Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh)Calvary Episcopal Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that was founded in 1855. The church rented space from a German Lutheran Church until a building was constructed in 1861....
, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, 1904 - Holy Cross MonasteryHoly Cross Monastery (West Park, New York)Holy Cross Monastery is located on US 9W in West Park, New York, USA. It is the mother house of the Order of the Holy Cross, an Anglican religious order inspired by the Benedictine tradition....
, West Park, New YorkWest Park, New YorkWest Park is a hamlet on the west side of the Hudson River in the Town of Esopus, Ulster County, New York, United States.Holy Cross Monastery, an Anglican monastery of the Order of the Holy Cross, is located in West Park....
, with Henry VaughanHenry Vaughan (Architect)Henry Vaughan , a prolific and talented church architect, came to America to bring the English Gothic style to the American branch of the Anglican Communion . He was an apprentice under George Frederick Bodley and went on to great success popularizing the Gothic Revival style.-Life:Vaughan was...
, 1904 - All Saints' Chapel, Sewanee: The University of the South, Sewanee, TennesseeSewanee, TennesseeSewanee is an unincorporated locality in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States, treated by the U.S. Census as a census-designated place . The population was 2,361 at the 2000 census...
, begun 1904, finished 1959 - The Mather SchoolThe Mather SchoolThe Mather School is the oldest public elementary school in North America. It is located in the Dorchester region of Boston, Massachusetts and was named after Richard Mather...
, Dorchester, MassachusettsDorchester, MassachusettsDorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
, 1905 - La Santisima Trinidad pro-cathedral, Havana, Cuba, 1905
- Saint Thomas Church, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, 1905–1913 - First Unitarian Society in NewtonFirst Unitarian Society in NewtonThe First Unitarian Society in Newton is located at 1326 Washington Street in the village of West Newton in Newton, Massachusetts. Its building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the First Unitarian Church, Newton...
, Massachusetts, 1905–1906 - Many buildings at Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar College is a liberal arts women's college in Sweet Briar, Virginia, about north of Lynchburg, Virginia. The school's Latin motto translates as: "She who has earned the rose may bear it."...
, including Mary K. Benedict Hall, Fletcher Hall, Mary Harley Student Health and Counseling Center, Mary Helen Cochran Library. Sweet Briar, Virginia, 1906–1928 - Cathedral Church of St. Paul, DetroitCathedral Church of St. Paul, DetroitThe Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. The cathedral is located at 4800 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, adjacent to the campus of Wayne State University. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in...
, Michigan, 1908 - Russell Sage Memorial ChurchFirst Presbyterian Church of Far RockawayThe First Presbyterian Church of Far Rockaway, formerly known as the Russell Sage Memorial Church, is a historic Presbyterian church located in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, New York. It was designed by noted architect Ralph Adams Cram as a memorial to Russell Sage . It features a...
, Far Rockaway, New York, 1908-1910 - St. Florian Church, Hamtramck, MichiganHamtramck, MichiganHamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
, 1910, expanded by Cram 1928 - master plan and multiple buildings at Rice UniversityRice UniversityWilliam Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, 1910–1916 - Ryland Hall, Jeter Hall and North Court, all at Richmond CollegeRichmond CollegeRichmond College is a primary and secondary school in Galle, Sri Lanka. The school was established in 1814 by Christian missionaries. Richmond College is now a well established institution with a reputation as one of the finest schools in Sri Lanka...
, 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...
, 1910 - All Saints Cathedral, Halifax, Nova ScotiaCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, 1910 - Park Avenue Christian ChurchPark Avenue Christian ChurchThe Park Avenue Christian Church is located at 1010 Park Avenue at 85th Street, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At present, the building houses the Park Avenue Christian Church congregation of the Disciples of Christ, which also routinely shares its facilities and cosponsors interfaith...
, NYC, 1911 - Cathedral of Saint John the DivineCathedral of Saint John the DivineThe Cathedral of St. John the Divine, officially the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in the City and Diocese of New York, is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, begun 1912, unfinished - remodeling of Richard UpjohnRichard UpjohnRichard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...
's Grace ChurchGrace Church (Providence, Rhode Island)Grace Church is an historic church at 175 Mathewson Street in Providence, Rhode Island.The church building was constructed in 1845 by architect Richard Upjohn in a Gothic Revival style, then remodeled in 1912 by Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson with a parish house addition...
, Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, 1912 - multiple buildings at Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New JerseyPrinceton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, including the 1917 Cleveland TowerCleveland TowerCleveland Tower, designed by Ralph Adams Cram, is a prominent landmark of Princeton University. It is one of the defining architectural features of the Collegiate Gothic Graduate College, inspired by Boston College's Gasson Hall. The tower was built in 1913 as a memorial to former U.S. President...
, the 1928 Princeton University ChapelPrinceton University ChapelThe Princeton University Chapel is located on Princeton University's main campus in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. It replaces an older chapel that burned down in 1920. Designed in 1921 by Ralph Adams Cram in his signature Collegiate Gothic style, it was built by the university between 1924...
, Campbell Hall, McCormick Hall, and multiple buildings of the Graduate CollegePrinceton University Graduate CollegeThe Graduate College at Princeton University is a residential college which serves as the center of graduate student life at Princeton. It was dedicated on October 22, 1913, during the tenure of the first dean of the Graduate School, Andrew Fleming West and was the first residential college in the...
, 1913–1927 - Saint Paul's Episcopal Parish, Malden, MassachusettsMalden, MassachusettsMalden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...
, begun 1913, unfinished - Fourth Presbyterian ChurchFourth Presbyterian Church of ChicagoThe Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church located on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, directly across the street from the John Hancock Center.-History:...
, Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1914 - multiple buildings at the Phillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, Exeter, New HampshireExeter, New HampshireExeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, including the 1914 Academy Building - Chapel of St. Anne, Arlington, MassachusettsArlington, MassachusettsArlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, six miles northwest of Boston. The population was 42,844 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, 1915 - All Saints Church (Peterborough, New Hampshire), ca 1916-1920
- Chapel of Mercersburg AcademyMercersburg AcademyMercersburg Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding school for grades 9-12 located in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The school's mission is:...
, Mercersburg, PennsylvaniaMercersburg, PennsylvaniaMercersburg is a borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, southwest of Harrisburg. Originally called Black Town, it was incorporated in 1831. In 1900, 956 people lived here, and in 1910, 1,410 people lived here...
, 1916–1928 - Cole Memorial Chapel, Wheaton CollegeWheaton College (Massachusetts)Wheaton College is a four-year, private liberal arts college with an approximate student body of 1,550. Wheaton's residential campus is located in Norton, Massachusetts, between Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1834 as a female seminary, it is one of the oldest...
, Norton, MassachusettsNorton, MassachusettsNorton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, and contains the village of Norton Center. The population was 18,036 at the 2000 census...
, 1917 - Trinity Episcopal Church, Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, 1919 - St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Hastings, NebraskaHastings, NebraskaHastings is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, United States. It is the principal city of the Hastings, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Adams and Clay counties. The population was 24,907 at the 2010 census...
, 1921–1929 - Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Kentucky)Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Kentucky)Second Presbyterian Church is a historic church at 460 E. Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky.It was built in 1922 and added to the National Register in 1980....
, 1922 - Sacred Heart Church, Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New JerseyJersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, 1923 - buildings at The Choate SchoolChoate Rosemary HallChoate Rosemary Hall is a private, college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school located in Wallingford, Connecticut...
, Wallingford, Connecticut, 1924–1928, including St. Andrews Chapel (now Seymour St. John Chapel) and Archbold Infirmary (now Archbold House) - First Presbyterian Church, Utica, New York, 1924
- First Presbyterian Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1925–27
- Julia Ideson BuildingJulia Ideson BuildingThe Julia Ideson Building is a Houston Public Library facility in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The building, with Spanish Renaissance architecture, is part of the Central Library; it houses the archives, manuscripts, and the Texas and Local History Department...
of the Houston Public LibraryHouston Public LibraryHouston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. The library system has its headquarters in the Marston Building in Neartown Houston.-History:It can trace its founding to the Houston Lyceum in 1854...
, Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, 1926 - Chapel at St. George's School, NewportSt. George's School, NewportSt. George's School is a private, Episcopal, coeducational boarding school in Middletown, Rhode Island, USA, just east of the city of Newport. The school was founded in 1896 by the Rev. John Byron Diman, a member of a prominent Rhode Island family. It sits on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean...
, Rhode Island, 1928 - Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, 1928 - First Presbyterian Church of Glens FallsFirst Presbyterian Church (Glens Falls, New York)First Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian church at 402-410 Glen Street in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York. It was built in 1927 and is a substantial stone, Neo-gothic style church in a cruciform plan. It was designed by noted architect Ralph Adams Cram .It was added to the...
, Glens Falls, New YorkGlens Falls, New YorkGlens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
, 1928 - St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Winston-Salem, NC Winston-Salem, 1928
- Concordia Lutheran Church, Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, 1930 - Knowles Memorial ChapelKnowles Memorial ChapelKnowles Memorial Chapel, built between 1931 and 1932, is an historic Mediterranean Revival building located on the campus of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, in the United States...
, on the campus of Rollins CollegeRollins CollegeRollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
, Winter Park, FloridaWinter Park, FloridaWinter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, 1931–1932 - chancel, Brown Memorial Presbyterian ChurchBrown Memorial Presbyterian ChurchBrown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., is a large, Gothic Revival-style church built in 1870 and located at Park and Lafayette Avenues in the city's Bolton Hill section...
, Baltimore, Maryland, 1931 - Doheny LibraryDoheny LibraryThe Edward L. Doheny, Jr. Memorial Library is a library located in the center of campus at the University of Southern California .After the tragic shooting of his son, the Irish American oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny donated $1.1 million in 1932 to USC to build the Doheny Library. It was built by...
, Campus of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1931 - Saint Mary's Academy, Glens Falls, New YorkGlens Falls, New YorkGlens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
, 1932 - Cathedral of Hope, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, 1932–1935 - U.S. Post Office and Courthouse aka J.W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse, Boston, Massachusetts, 1933
- Conventual Church of St. Mary and St. JohnConventual Church of St. Mary and St. JohnConventual Church of St. Mary and St. John is an historic Episcopal church at 980 Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts.The church was built in 1936, to designs by architect Ralph Adams Cram, and added to the National Historic Register in 1982. It is home to monks of the Society of Saint John...
, Cambridge, MassachusettsCambridge, MassachusettsCambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, 1936 - buildings at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and MemorialAisne-Marne American Cemetery and MemorialThe Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War I cemetery in Belleau, Northern France. It is at the foot of the hill where the Battle of Belleau Wood was fought, with many American fatalities...
, BelleauBelleau-Places:* Belleau, Lincolnshire* Battle of Belleau WoodBelleau is the name of two communes in France:* Belleau, in the Aisne département* Belleau, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département-People:* Remy Belleau, French playwright...
, France, 1937 - buildings at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial, Fère-en-TardenoisFère-en-TardenoisFère-en-Tardenois is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, .-Population:-Personalities:It was the birthplace of Camille Claudel , sculptor and graphic artist.-Sights:...
, AisneAisneAisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
department, France, circa 1937 - Berkeley BuildingBerkeley BuildingThe Berkeley Building is a 36-story, structure located at 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It is the second of the three John Hancock buildings built in Boston; it was succeeded by the John Hancock Tower. The building is known for the weather beacon at its summit, which...
, Boston, Massachusetts, 1947 - St. James' Church, New York, renovation, 1924
Publications
Cram authored numerous publications and books on issues in architecture and religious devotion. Titles include:- Impressions of Japanese Architecture, The Baker & Taylor Company, 1905
- Heart of Europe, MacMillan & Co. London, 1916 325pgs.
- The Substance of Gothic, Marshall Jones Company, Boston, 1917
- Sins Of The Fathers, Marshall Jones Company, Boston, 1918
- Walled Towns, Marshall Jones Company, Boston, 1919
- Towards the Great Peace, Marshall Jones Company, Boston, 1922
Cram was also a writer of fiction. A number of his stories, notably "The Dead Valley", were published in a collection entitled Black Spirits and White (Stone & Kimball, 1895). The collection has been called "one of the undeniable classics of weird fiction". H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
wrote, "In The Dead Valley the eminent architect and mediævalist Ralph Adams Cram achieves a memorably potent degree of vague regional horror through subtleties of atmosphere and description."
Professional memberships etc
Cram was a- Fellow of the:
- Boston Society of Architects.
- American Institute of ArchitectsAmerican Institute of ArchitectsThe 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...
. - North British Academy of ArtsNorth British Academy of ArtsThe North British Academy of Arts was an art institution of Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England.-Overview:The Academy, sometimes known as the North British Academy of Arts, Science, Literature, and Music, was located in the Claremount Buildings on the western side of Barras Bridge on the...
. - Royal Geographical Society of London.
- Member of the:
- American Federation of ArtsAmerican Federation of ArtsThe American Federation of Arts is an organization in the United States of museums and other entities involved in the arts. It was established in 1909 at a convention held in Washington, D. C. from May 11–13 of that year called by the National Academy of Art. The concept for the organization was...
. - Architectural Association of London.
- American Federation of Arts
- Member of the clubs
- Puritan Club (Boston).
- Century Club (New York).
See also
- List of people on the cover of Time Magazine: 1920s - 13 Dec. 1926