ALEXANDER W. LONGFELLOW

Background

Alexander W. Longfellow was born in 1854 at Portland, Maine, United States.

Education

The youth received a formal education at Harvard College, and after completing a course in architecture at "Boston Tech” spent two years (1879-81) in advanced study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris.

Career

In Boston, where Mr. Longfellow subsequently established residence, he began his career as draftsman for Henry H. Richardson, later in 1887 organized the firm of Longfellow, Alden & Harlow. For a decade or longer he practiced in that association, and after designing the City Hall at Cambridge, in 1892 the firm won the competition for the Carnegie Library at Pittsburgh, Pa. In considering supervision of the building, both Frank Alden and Alfred Harlow favored opening an office in Pittsburgh, but Mr. Longfellow dissented, not wishing to leave Boston, whereupon the partnership was terminated. After 1895 he and his brother, Richard K. Longfellow who died in 1914 were associated for a brief period, but mainly he practiced independently.

Early in the century Mr. Longfellow designed a number of buildings in Cambridge, the most important of which were the Philip Brooks House, cl900; Semitic Museum and Gibbs Memorial Library at Harvard College; and at Radcliff College, Agassiz House and domitories on the campus between 1904 and 1907. In Boston his best known works were the Arnold Arboretum; Stations on the Boston Elevated Railroad, and a number of public schools including the Oliver Holmes Building and the Abraham Lincoln School, prior to 1912 Mr. Longfellow maintained an office in the Tremont Building for many years.

Works

More photos

• Other Work

  • Washington Street Elevated

    (The Washington Street Elevated was an elevated segment of...)

  • Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

    (The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is the public library ...)

Connections

He was unmarried.

Uncle:

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Brother:

Richard K. Longfellow

After 1895 Alexandew W. Longfellow and his brother, Richard K. Longfellow who died in 1914 were associated for a brief period.

employer:

Henry H. Richardson

Alexander W. Longfellow began his career as draftsman for Henry H. Richardson.

coworker:

Frank Alden

Alexander W. Longfellow in 1887 organized the firm of Longfellow, Alden & Harlow.

coworker:

Alfred Harlow

Alexander W. Longfellow in 1887 organized the firm of Longfellow, Alden & Harlow.