Background
Ralph A. Fishbourne was born in 1884 at Vallejo, California, United States.
Ralph A. Fishbourne was born in 1884 at Vallejo, California, United States.
After completing his education in San Francisco, he studied at the Wilmarding School of Industrial Art, and in 1903 left for Paris, France, to supplement his architectural training at the Ecole des Beaux Arts.
He began professional practice in San Francisco shortly after the earthquake and fire of 1906, and was active in reconstruction work for a number of years. The next phase of his career was in New York where he was employed as draftsman in the offices of several leading firms until 1917.
In Honolulu he worked for nearly ten years with the firm of Ripley & Davis, subsequently opened an office to practice for himself. In his work Mr. Fishbourne designed a number of buildings on the Islands, notable examples of which were: St. Patrick’s Church at Kaimki; Buildings at the University of Hawaii, including Farrington Hall, Agriculture Building, Founder's Gate, and additions to the Library; also Hospital at the Ewa Plantation Company. In addition he was associated on the preparation of plans for the McKinley High School, St. Francis Hospital, and the new Princess Theatre in Honolulu.
In 1926 he was elected President of the Hawaiian Chapter, A.I.A.