Background
James C. Bucklin was born in 1801.
James C. Bucklin was born in 1801.
James served an apprenticeship under the late John Holden Greene afterward worked with William Tallman, a builder and lumber merchant, subsequently joined Russell Warren in preparing plans for the Arcade Building. This structure dating from 1828 still serves its original purpose as a shopping center in Providence. Warren and Bucklin also designed the Westminster Congregational Church, built in 1829 but no longer standing, remembered as a distinguished example of the Greek style with an imposing eight-column portico.
During the remainder of a long career, Mr. Bucklin continued active and carried out many commissions to plan both commercial and public buildings. Among his late works were several private homes in the city including the Thomas Davis house, 1869; the S. S. Sprague residence, 1870; and the old Hoppin homestead, a three-story brick mansion at Snow and Westminster Streets, his last known work dating from about 1875.