Background
Willoughby J. Edbrooke was born in 1843 in England, United Kingdom.
Willoughby J. Edbrooke was born in 1843 in England, United Kingdom.
As early as 1867 Mr. Edbrooke began architectural practice in Chicago, and for several years was engaged in the planning and erection of a number of buildings in midwest cities.
In preparation of plans for the State Capitol at Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Edbrooke was associated with Franklin P. Burnham between 1887 and 1891. The monumentally classical Georgia State Capitol shows Burnham's design sensibility rather than Edbrooke's, as Edbrooke's late constructions show. At the turn of the twentieth century, fire destroyed many of the documents in storage at the Capitol, including the original plans and specifications for the building. In the following year was appointed by President Harrison to the post of Supervising Architect. His work in that office comprised a number of Court Houses in Illinois. After resuming private practice Mr. Edbrooke entered a competition for the first and main building of the University of Notre Dame, and was successful in winning the commission.
Edbrooke was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.