William Rich Hutton
Encyclopedia
William Rich Hutton was a surveyor and artist who became an architect
and civil engineer
in Maryland and New York in the latter half of the 19th century. His sketches of the pueblo of Los Angeles
and diary of his life as a surveyor in California were published by the Huntington Library.
and botanist and explorer William Rich
. He studied mathematics, drawing and surveying at the Benjamin Hallowell School in Alexandria, Virginia
. Hutton traveled with his uncle William Rich to California in 1847 as a payroll clerk for the US volunteer forces in the Mexican-American War, accompanied by his younger brother James D. Hutton
, also an artist and surveyor. William Hutton remained in California for six years before returning east in 1853. His diaries and drawings record his travel west via Panama
and his six years in California, including a surveying expedition to Los Angeles in June 1849 with Lieutenant Edward O.C. Ord
. Ord and Hutton mapped Los Angeles in July and August 1849. Lieutenant Ord surveyed the pueblo; Hutton sketched many scenes of the pueblo and drew the first map from Ord's survey, recording street names in both Spanish and English for the first time. In July 1850, Hutton was appointed county surveyor of San Luis Obispo County, a position he held until resigning on August 4, 1851.
in 1853. He was an assistant engineer to General Montgomery C. Meigs
on the Washington Aqueduct
and Cabin John Bridge from 1855, succeeding Meigs as Chief Engineer in 1862-63. He later served as Chief Engineer for the Annapolis Water Works (1866), the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (1869), and the Western Maryland Railroad (1871).
Hutton also practiced as an architect, working in partnership with his youngest brother Nathaniel Henry Hutton
(1834–1907) between 1873 and 1880, but little is known of his work in this field. He relocated to New York in the 1880s, serving as Chief Engineer for the Washington Bridge
in 1888 and 1889 and the Hudson River Tunnel from 1889 to 1891. He consulted on projects including the New Croton Aqueduct
and designed the locks on the Kanawha Canal
. Hutton died on December 11, 1901.
In the 1930s, his daughters sold a selection of his personal letters and diaries and ninety-five drawings of California to the Huntington Library. Papers related to his engineering career are housed in the Division of the History of Technology at the National Museum of American History
.
In 1942, the Huntington Library published Glances at California 1847–1853: Diaries and Letters of William Rich Hutton, Surveyor and California 1847–1852: Drawings by William Rich Hutton.
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...
and civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
in Maryland and New York in the latter half of the 19th century. His sketches of the pueblo of Los Angeles
Pueblo de Los Angeles
El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles was the Spanish civilian pueblo founded in 1781, which by the 20th century became the American metropolis of Los Angeles....
and diary of his life as a surveyor in California were published by the Huntington Library.
Early life and California
William Rich Hutton was born on March 21, 1826 in Washington, DC. He was the eldest son of James Hutton (d. 1843) and his wife, the former Salome Rich, sister of bibliographer Obadiah RichObadiah Rich
Obadiah Rich was an American diplomat, bibliophile and bibliographer specializing the history of Latin America. He was credited with making the field of Americana a recognized field of scholarship by the bibliographer Nicholas Trübner.-Life and career:Obadiah Rich was born on Cape Cod, at Truro,...
and botanist and explorer William Rich
William Rich
Major William Rich was an American botanist and explorer who was part of the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842.William Rich was the youngest son of Captain Obadiah Rich who commanded the brig Intrepid in the American Revolutionary War, and his first wife Salome Lombard...
. He studied mathematics, drawing and surveying at the Benjamin Hallowell School in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
. Hutton traveled with his uncle William Rich to California in 1847 as a payroll clerk for the US volunteer forces in the Mexican-American War, accompanied by his younger brother James D. Hutton
James D. Hutton
James Dempsey Hutton was an artist, surveyor, cartographer and early photographer active in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota in the years before the American Civil War. He served as an engineer in the Confederate States Army in that conflict, and died in exile in Mexico in...
, also an artist and surveyor. William Hutton remained in California for six years before returning east in 1853. His diaries and drawings record his travel west via Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and his six years in California, including a surveying expedition to Los Angeles in June 1849 with Lieutenant Edward O.C. Ord
Edward Ord
Edward Otho Cresap Ord was the designer of Fort Sam Houston, and a United States Army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the American Civil War. He commanded an army during the final days of the Civil War, and was instrumental in forcing the surrender of Confederate...
. Ord and Hutton mapped Los Angeles in July and August 1849. Lieutenant Ord surveyed the pueblo; Hutton sketched many scenes of the pueblo and drew the first map from Ord's survey, recording street names in both Spanish and English for the first time. In July 1850, Hutton was appointed county surveyor of San Luis Obispo County, a position he held until resigning on August 4, 1851.
Engineering career
Returned to Maryland, Hutton became the assistant engineer for the Metropolitan RailroadMetropolitan Railroad
The Metropolitan Railroad was the second streetcar company to operate in Washington, D.C. It was incorporated and started operations in 1864, running from the Capitol to the War Department and along H Street NW in downtown. It added lines on 9th Street NW, on 4th Street SW/SE, along Connecticut...
in 1853. He was an assistant engineer to General Montgomery C. Meigs
Montgomery C. Meigs
Montgomery Cunningham Meigs was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, construction engineer for a number of facilities in Washington, D.C., and Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army during and after the American Civil War....
on the Washington Aqueduct
Washington Aqueduct
The Washington Aqueduct is an aqueduct that provides the public water supply system serving Washington, D.C., and parts of its suburbs. One of the first major aqueduct projects in the United States, the Aqueduct was commissioned by Congress in 1852, and construction began in 1853 under the...
and Cabin John Bridge from 1855, succeeding Meigs as Chief Engineer in 1862-63. He later served as Chief Engineer for the Annapolis Water Works (1866), the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (1869), and the Western Maryland Railroad (1871).
Hutton also practiced as an architect, working in partnership with his youngest brother Nathaniel Henry Hutton
Nathaniel Henry Hutton
Major Nathaniel Henry Hutton was an American architect and civil engineer. He worked as a surveyor in the American West in the 1850s before participating in the Union Army defense of Baltimore in the American Civil War. After the war, he established an architectural practice in Baltimore...
(1834–1907) between 1873 and 1880, but little is known of his work in this field. He relocated to New York in the 1880s, serving as Chief Engineer for the Washington Bridge
Washington Bridge
The Washington Bridge carries six lanes of traffic over the Harlem River in New York City between the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx, connecting 181st Street and Amsterdam Avenue in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan to University Avenue in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx...
in 1888 and 1889 and the Hudson River Tunnel from 1889 to 1891. He consulted on projects including the New Croton Aqueduct
New Croton Aqueduct
The New Croton aqueduct, built roughly parallel to the Old Croton aqueduct was constructed to provide a large steady water supply for New York City. The aqueduct opened on July 15, 1890...
and designed the locks on the Kanawha Canal
James River and Kanawha Canal
The James River and Kanawha Canal was a canal in Virginia, which was built to facilitate shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western counties of Virginia and the coast....
. Hutton died on December 11, 1901.
In the 1930s, his daughters sold a selection of his personal letters and diaries and ninety-five drawings of California to the Huntington Library. Papers related to his engineering career are housed in the Division of the History of Technology at the National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
.
Publications
Hutton published The Washington Bridge Over the Harlem River, at 181st Street, New York City: A description of its construction in 1891.In 1942, the Huntington Library published Glances at California 1847–1853: Diaries and Letters of William Rich Hutton, Surveyor and California 1847–1852: Drawings by William Rich Hutton.