Background
John Mervin Carrere was born at 1858 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The son of John Carrere of Baltimore, a coffee merchant, and descendant on his father's side of a French family.
(Built by thefirm of Carrere & Hastings.)
Built by thefirm of Carrere & Hastings.
1891
(Of French Renaissance style. Built by thefirm of Carrere ...)
Of French Renaissance style. Built by thefirm of Carrere & Hastings.
(Designed in a modified form of Spanish Renaissance for He...)
Designed in a modified form of Spanish Renaissance for Henry M. Flagler.
John Mervin Carrere was born at 1858 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The son of John Carrere of Baltimore, a coffee merchant, and descendant on his father's side of a French family.
The youth was educated in Europe, and while a student at the Institute Breitenstein in Switzerland spent his vacation at Dieppe, France, at the home of his paternal grandmother. At the age of twenty he passed the examination to enter the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Awarded his diploma in 1882, he left France
In New York he entered McKim, Mead & White's office. Another Beaux Arts student, Thomas Hastings, whom Carrere had known in Paris was a draftsman in the office and within a few months the two young men decided to begin architectural practice together.
Under the firm name of Carrere & Hastings they established an office in 1884, and shortly after Henry M. Flagler, American capitalist who was interested in the development of property on Florida’s east coast, became their client. For him they designed a number of buildings in St. Augustine including the Hotel Ponce de Leon, the Alcazar Hotel, and the Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church, all completed prior to 1890, and designed in a modified form of Spanish Renaissance.
With an auspicious start, the partners continued a successful career through the following years, designing various public buildings in many different cities and distinctive private homes and large country estates for wealthy clients. Among their early achievements were the Congregational Church at Providence, Rhode Island, 1891; Hotel Laurel-in-the-Pines at Lakewood, New York, of French Renaissance style; “Life" Building at 17 W. 31st Street, New York , 1893- Jefferson Hotel at Richmond, Virginia: City Hall, Paterson, New Jersey; the Townsend home, Massachusetts Avenue, Washington; the New York main public Library won in a competition in 1897 and after a long delay opened the Public in 1911; residence for Mrs. Richard Gambriil at Newport, Rhode Island.
An active member and twice elected president of the New York Chapter, A.I.A., member of the Architectural League and the Beaux Arts Society of Architects, a co-founder and past-president of the latter, he also helped organize the New York Art Commission and the Federation of Fine Arts. In addition he was chosen a member of the Academy of Arts and Letters, served as Director and one time Instructor at the American Academy at Rome, and was elected to the National Academy of Desion an honor, it is said, he prized highly.
Carrère was noted for his generous enthusiasm and his unflinching honesty. His organizational skill, artistic judgment, and energy were essential to the establishment and success of the Carrère and Hastings firm.
Thomas Hastings and John Carrere organized thenationally known firm of Carrere & Hastings.
Henry M. Flagler, American capitalist who was interested in the development of property on Florida’s east coast, became the big client of Carrere & Hastings. For him they designed a number of buildings in St. Augustine
