Background
Dwight H. Perkins was born in 1867 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States.
Dwight H. Perkins was born in 1867 in Memphis, Tennessee, United States.
At the age of eighteen he arrived in Boston to enroll as an architectural student at the Massachusetts Institude of Technology, and on the completion of a two-year course graduated with the class of 1887.
He was in practice under the firm name of Perkins, Fellows & Hamiliton from 1894 until 1925, with an interim of four years (1906-10) when he served as Architect for the Chicago Board of Education. After 1925 he continued architectural work for a decade in association with Melvin C. Chatten and C. Herrick Hammond (Perkins, Chatten & Hammond) with offices at No. 160 North LaSalle Street.
With a prospect of obtaining work in Chicago, Mr. Perkins left for that city. He secured a position as draftsman in the office of Wheelock & Clay, and was successively employed with Burnham & Root and other leading firms until 1894, when he formed a partnership with the late William K. Fellows and John L. Hamiliton. Specializing in the design of High School buildings, the firm was widely known for its work in that field, and in addition to buildings in Chicago, designed the Senior and Junior High Schools at Bay City, Mich. (1921-22); High School at Manitowoc, Wis., Evanston, (Ill) Junior High, and High School at Richmond, Ind., 1922-24.
Aside from his professional practice, Mr. Perkins found time to participate in the work of various civic organizations. Over a period of ten years (1899-1909) he served as Chairman of the Playgrounds Comittee of the Park Commission, the City Planning Commission of Chicago, Municipal Art Commisson.
He had been an active member of the Chicago Chapter, A. I. A. after 1902, and in 1907 was raised to Institute Fellowship.
After 1925 Mr. Perkins continued architectural work for a decade in association with Melvin C. Chatten and C. Herrick Hammond (Perkins, Chatten & Hammond) with offices at No. 160 North LaSalle Street.
After 1925 Mr. Perkins continued architectural work for a decade in association with Melvin C. Chatten and C. Herrick Hammond (Perkins, Chatten & Hammond) with offices at No. 160 North LaSalle Street.
