Background
Thomas R. Kimball was born in 1862 at Linwood, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.
1905
Thomas R. Kimball was born in 1862 at Linwood, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.
The youth attended the University of Nebraska for two years (1877-78) and at the age of eighteen went to Boston to study art and painting. In 1885 he enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a special student in architecture, and on completion of a three- year course continued his studies in art and drawing under teachers in Boston and Paris.
Opening an office in Boston in 1889, he was shortly after joined in partnership by C. Howard Walker & Herbert D. Best. When appointed architects in charge of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha, the firm represented by Mr. Kimball, opened an office in the city in 1894. Withdrawing from the firm in 1898, he carried on work alone for two decades, except for a brief association (1903-04) with Mr. Walker in designing buildings for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. In 1928 he was joined by William L. Steele and Josiah D. Sandham in organizing the firm of which he remained the head until his death.
Active throughout a long career, Mr. Kimball was identified with the design of many outstanding public buildings in mid-western cities. In Omaha he was co-architect with C. Howard Walker on the old Burlington Railroad Terminal built in 1897, later remodeled, and the Electric Building at the Exposition of 1903-04 in St. Louis, also designed independently or with associates the Omaha Public Library, St. Cecilia's Cathedral; St. Philomen's Church; Hotel Fontanelle, and the World-Herald Newspaper Building. Among his works in other cities was the Church of Christ Scientist at Minneapolis; County Court House at Grand Island, Neb., Hotel Paddock at Beatrice, Neb., and elsewhere many schools, commercial buildings and private residences.
In addition to his private practice, Mr. Kimball frequently served as Advisor in architectural competitions, including that for the Nebraska State Capitol; the Kansas City War Memorial, and the Indianapolis War Memorial.
He was also a skilled artist and painter, and was appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909 to membership in the U. S. Federation of Fine Arts.
Prominent professionally, he had been a member of the Nebraska Chapter, A. I. A. for thirty-four years; was raised to Institute Fellowship in 1910, and for many years served on the national Board of Directors.
In 1889 Thomas R. Kimball was joined in partnership by C. Howard Walker & Herbert D. Best.
In 1889, Thomas R. Kimball was joined in partnership by C. Howard Walker & Herbert D. Best.
In 1928 Thomas R. Kimball was joined by William L. Steele and Josiah D. Sandham in organizing the firm of which he remained the head until his death.
In 1928 Thomas R. Kimball was joined by William L. Steele and Josiah D. Sandham in organizing the firm of which he remained the head until his death.
