Background
Norman S. Patton was born in 1852 at Hartford, Connecticut, United States.
(The chapel was built in 1916, fifty years after Carleton ...)
The chapel was built in 1916, fifty years after Carleton College was founded, and was financed by a gift from Emily Willey Skinner. Her husband, Miron Skinner, had been a trustee of the college until his death in 1909.
Norman S. Patton was born in 1852 at Hartford, Connecticut, United States.
He completed an early education at Amhersy College, Massachusetts, afterward entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a student in architecture.
In 1874 he established an office in Chicago for professional practice. In 1878 he joined the late C. E. Randall in a partnership (Randall & Patton), and in the ensuing years was successively a member of the following named firms: Patton & Fisher, 1885-99; Patton, Fisher & Miller, 1896-1901; Patton & Miller, 1901-12, and finally from 1912 until his death, Patton, Holmes & Flynn.
One of the original members of the old Western Association of Architects in 1885, and after the merger of the Association with the A. I. A. in 1889 raised to Institute Fellowship, Mr. Patton was elected a member of the national Board of Directors in 1896, for a two year term, and re-elected in 1900 for another two years.
Among his works, designed independently or with associates, were the following well known buildings: Scoville Institute, Oak Park, 111., 1885; Armour Flats, 1886, first large housing project built in Chicago; Armour Institute, Chicago 1890; Hackley Public Library, Muskegon, Michigan: Museum of Natural History, Chicago Academy of Science, begun 1893; Beloit, (Wis.) College, several buildings, from 1893 to 1915; Oberlin (Ohio) College. Library, 1907. Dormitory, 1908, and Conservatory of Music, 1912; Wheaton (Ill.) College, Gymnasium and other buildings, 1895-1915; Carleton College, Northfield, Minn., Chapel and Dormitory, 1914; First Congregational Church, Oak Park, III. (English Gothic); First Presbyterian Church, Rockford, Ill. (Patton & Miller); and in addition, many Carnegie libraries, schools and collegiate buildings throughout the country.
One of the original members of the old Western Association of Architects in 1885, and after the merger of the Association with the A. I. A. in 1889 raised to Institute Fellowship, Mr. Patton was elected a member of the national Board of Directors in 1896, for a two year term, and re-elected in 1900 for another two years.