Background
William E. Eames was born in 1859 at Clinton, Michigan, United States.
William E. Eames was born in 1859 at Clinton, Michigan, United States.
He received his early education in St. Louis. He began the study of architecture at Washington University, continued his training in draftsmanship in different offices in St. Louis, and later entered the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris for a supplementary period of study.
Shortly after returning to St. Louis Mr. Eames was appointed Deputy Com¬missioner of Buildings for the city, but resigned from the office after a year of service to begin professional practice in 1885 in partnership with Thomas C. Young. Among the early commissions executed by Eames & Young were a number of Penitentiary Buildings for the U. S. Government, the best known of which were at Atlanta, Ga. and Leavenworth, Kansas, the latter dating from 1907.
During the many years Mr. Eames was engaged in practice, his firm acquired a national reputation as architects of many outstanding works including the following: the University Club; Title Guaranty Building; the Liggett, Wright and Frisco Buildings; Boatman's Bank & Office Building, 1913-14; Rankin School of Mechanical Trades; the Mississippi Valley Trust Company Building.
In addition Eames G Young designed the Education Building erected at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, in 1904, while in other cities the following important works were planned and built under the direction of the firm; the U. S. Custom House in San Francisco (1906-11); the Walker Building in Salt Lake City; Robinson Hotel at St. Joseph, Mo., and the Fine Arts Building at the Trans-Mississippi Expostion at Omaha, Nebraska.
Admitted to membership in the American Institute of Architects early in his career, and advanced to Institute Fellowship in 1890, Mr. Eames achieved a position of prominence in the profession, and in 1904 was elected President of the A. I. A., succeeding Charles F. McKim in that office. He also served on the national Board of Directors for a period of fifteen years.
In St. Louis he was a founder and one of the charter members of the St. Louis Chapter, A.I.A. (1890) and later served several successive terms as its president. He was also a member of the Architectural League of New York and various other professional societies.