Background
Charles Alonzo Rich was born in 1855 in Beverly, Massachusetts, United States.
Charles Alonzo Rich was born in 1855 in Beverly, Massachusetts, United States.
Mr. Rich studied Engineering at Chandler Institute, Dartmouth College, and following graduation in 1875 spent five successive years (three of them in Europe) pursuing his studies preparatory to a career in Architecture.
In 1882 he formed a partnership with the late Hugh Lamb of New York, and through the ensuing twenty years the firm designed a number of buildings in New York, including theatres, one of which was W. A. Brady's "Playhouse." Mr. Rich, however, was better known in the field of Collegiate architecture, identified in particular with the design of the main group at Barnard College, New York, twenty buildings on the campus of Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H., others at Williams, Smith and Amherst colleges in Mass., and Colgate College in Hamilton, N. Y.
Following Mr. Lamb’s death in 1903, Frederick Mathesius (a recent graduate of M. I. T. in Boston) began joint practice with Mr. Rich. They were commissioned to plan additional buildings at Dartmouth (including the Gymnasium and Swimming pool), Auditorium at the Peddie School, Hightstown, N. J., Green Hall at Smith’s College, also two office buildings in New York, 16 East 41st Street and 12 West 40th Street.
A long-time member of the New York Chapter, A. I. A. Mr. Rich was elected to the American Institute of Architects in 1900, and advanced to Fellowship in 1913.