Background
Thomas Ustick Walter was born in 1804 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The son of a Philadelphia builder and brick-layer.
Thomas Ustick Walter was born in 1804 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The son of a Philadelphia builder and brick-layer.
At the age of fifteen he began architectural study in the office of William Strickland, but after a brief period of training turned his attention to extensive study of mathematics, the physical sciences and various branches of mechanical construction. In 1822 he re-entered Strickland's office, devoting himself entirely to architectural study.
He worked in the office of William Strickland and in 1830, with his first commission of importance, the Philadelphia County Prison. Among his works in the city of Philadelphia should be mentioned the first "Girard College for Orphans”; St. George’s Hall; the Preston Retreat; Savings Bank Building; the Debtors’ Prison (his only work in the Egyptian style); a number of churches, and the Biddle and Cowperthwaite "villas" on the Delaware river. He also designed the County Court House in Reading, Pa., Hibernia Hall, Charleston, S. C., dating from about 1840 (*); Church of St. James in Wilmington, N. C., and in West Chester, Pa„ the County Court House, Presbyterian Church and Horticulture (later Memorial) Hall.
In 1861 President Fillmore appointed Mr. Walter to the post of Government Architect, succeeding Robert Mills, and for fifteen years he continued active in Federal work. In Washington the major projects planned and executed under his directions were extensions to the Capitol, reconstruction of the west front, adding wings to the Senate and House of Representatives, and finally replace¬ment of the low "Bullfinch dome" with a larger dome of cast iron construction, the latter an outstanding achievement, ample evidence of his engineering skill. Mr. Walter also designed additions to the Treasury Building; extension of the Patent Office; repairs to the Congressional Library: extension of the General Post Office Building, and St. Elizabeth's, a Government Hospital for the Insane. With his reputation enhanced by these monumental structures of Classic design, Mr. Walter won recognition as the leading architect of his time.
Mr. Walter was elected Secretary, and continued an active member of the organization. Two decades later it was superseded by the present American Institute of Architects, and after being advanced to Fellowship, in 1872 following retirement of Richard Upjohn, the first President of the Institute.
For many years a member and closely identified with the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, he served on the Board of Managers for several years and in 1846 was elected president.