VOL. XX. No. 3. SEPTEMBER, 1906 WHOLE No. 96. mulinn The Work of Messrs. McKIM, MEAD & WHITE Illustrated 153 HENRY W. DESMOND, HERBERT CROLY Notes and Comments Illustrated 247 Resolutions on the Death of Stanford White The Church and the Architect Planning the Church Yard A Restoration Enthusiasm and Good Sense Public Art League New York's Big Buildings Effective Building Sites in New York An Extraordinary Record Ecclesiastical Architecture Social Service in Small Parks C. W. SWEET, Publisher E.W. REINHOLD, Business Mgr. H.W. DESMOND, Editor H. D. CROLY, Associate Editor Subscription (Yearly), $3.00 Published Monthly OF PUBLICATION: Nos. 14 and 16 VESEY STREET, NEW YORK CITY WESTERN OFFICE: 511 IVONAONOCK BLOC., CHICAGO, ILL. Cbe Vol. XX SEPTEMBER, 19O6 No. 3. The Work of Messrs. McKim, Mead & White In the about eleven of year 1895, just ume the work testified sufficiently to years an entire number of the its ago, popularity, if, indeed, popularity can Architectural Record was devoted to be asserted of any of the embodiments the work of Messrs. McKim, Mead & of an art which in this country evokes White. that At time the firm had been so little genuine popular understanding in active for some fifteen or practice years ; general popular appreciation. At all and its work was already distinguished events their names were more frequent- among that of contemporary American ly than that of any other firm in the THE NEW PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION BIRD'S-EYE VIEW. Seventh to Ninth Avenues, 31st to 33d Streets, New York. architectural firms at once for its va- mouths of people who had no commer- riety, its volume, and for a certain dis- cial or technical interest in architec- tinctive character. the three ture and certain Although ; buildings which they members of the firm were still compara- had designed had excited an unusual tively young men, they had won a place amount of interest among an unusually in their profession which could fairly large number of people. Moreover, this be called pre-eminent ; and no matter popularity had not been obtained at the from what point of view this pre-emi- expense of their professional standing. nence was tested, their title to it could Their work was for the most part cor- be pronounced valid. The mere vol- dially admired and approved by their Copyright, 1906, by "THE ARCHITECTURAL RECORD COMPANY." All rights reserved. Entered May 22, 1902, as second-class matter, Post Office at New York, N. Y., Act of Congress of March 3d, 1879. THE ARCHITECTURAL RECORD. 154 THE WORK OF McKIM, MEAD 6- WHITE. fellow-architects ; and this admiration their success, by the conspicuousness and was free from approval singularly of their position; and there were few and It was bestow- qualification envy. architectural firms whose work both in ed them almost as much archi- upon by its general tendency and its details had whose tendencies tects, own of design less to fear from such a test. were as architects who on if dissimilar, by But their work provoked and re- THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH. Baltimore, Md. the whole accepted the same traditions paid criticism in 1895, how much more and believed in the same ideas. Even does it provoke and repay criticism to- in 1895, conseqently, their work invited day? It is true that during the eleven to an altogether peculiar extent a can- years which have supervened, their po- did and careful critical estimate. They sition in relation to their colleagues and provoked criticism by the greatness of the public has not essentially altered. 156 THE ARCHITECTURAL RECORD. American architecture has in the mean- tain distinctive quality. They have time come to attract the attention of a during these years manifestly confirmee much larger number of people. Its op- their leading position, and by tl portunities have been multiplied and mere fact of having maintained an< enlarged. Its practitioners have in- confirmed it under such altered circum- creased considerably in numbers and stances, they once again challenge th< have been bringing to their work difficult, but we trust, useful test of crit- a higher technical equipment. But ical examination. For in the meantime, in the midst of these larger oppor- while their eminence has rather in- tunities and this severer competi- creased than diminished in the eyes of THE NEWPORT CASINO. Newport, R. I. (Photo by Alman & Co.) tion, the firm of McKim, Mead & their colleagues and the public, theii White has more than held its own. Its work and its significance has assumec work still evokes the most cordial and from the point of view of the critic on the of inter- and it i< general approval part somewhat new complexion ; ested amateurs, and the leading mem- necessary to explain at the outset whj bers of their profession are still ready and in what respect they demand a to acknowledge their pre-eminence. critical estimate. Certain other architects have become In 1895 the several members of th< more distinguished for special kinds of firm of McKim, Mead & White were work, but McKim, Mead & White re- all comparatively young men. The] main conspicuous for the number and had been working together for fifteei of their and for a cer- but these fifteen variety buildings years ; during yean THE WORK OF McKIM, MEAD & WHITE. 157 their work had necessarily been more could conform or from which it could or less experimental. Between 1880 revolt. The genius of Richardson had, and 1895 the conditions under which indeed, provoked a "Romanesque Re*- the art of architecture in this country vival;" but it was only a spasm, which was practiced had been changing con- the imitators of Richardson soon dis- tinually; and the buildings which they credited and which was less influential had designed during the first half of in New York than it was in Boston and their term of partnership differed con- Chicago. Under such conditions a new siderably in cost and character from the firm was obliged to feel its way; and it buildings which they designed during was not until the end of the first fifteen THE NEWPORT CASINO. ewport, R. I. (Photo by Alman & Co.) that there became lie second half. Not only, however, years of its practice in the work of McKim, vas there a change taking place in the recognizable a dominant conomic conditions underlying archi- Meade & White tendency. time no one could tell whether ectural practice, but the ideas which At that con- letermined the forms used in Ameri- this tendency would or would not It was an architecture were also undergoing tinue to pervade their designs. several other experi- nodification. During the eighties no only one among which either be super- ne tendency of design, no single choice ments might or else modified recogni- f style had been adopted by any large seded beyond is no the lumber of architects. A firm begin- tion. Such, however, longer and tendencies in iing practice in that decade found no case. The aspects which were have pecific technical tradition, to which it their work, embryonic, THE ARCHITECTURAL RECORD. 158 reached a mature growth, and what- pected that they will do anything hen ever there was which was hazy and un- after which will alter the general stam certain in their point of view has become ing and significance of their worl definite and consistent. They stand What they stand for now they wil for the use of certain stand for until the end and it pre-eminently ; should architectural forms and for a certain possible at the present time to make specific intellectual attitude towards more conclusive appraisal of their worl the fundamental problems of American and of their point of view than it and if the Amer- in We have the architecture ; younger 1895. essentially same ican architects of the present day have material before us for criticism as wil a more tangible tradition either to ac- the historian of American architecture it in cept, to modify or to reject, they owe 1950 and while we cannot sun THE HORSESHOE NEWPORT CASINO. Newport, R. I. (Photo by Alman & Co.) more than to any other single influence this material from so safe a distance to Messrs. McKim, Mead & White. Their can the future historian, we can at leas example and success have helped to es- enable him the better to judge how th( tablish the popularity of one group of work of McKim, Mead & White in its architectural forms and t( ; they could not large and general aspects appealed at the present time start off upon a their contemporaries. wholly new tack without an impossible And in the beginning we cannot se- self-stultification. The consequence is lect a more significant point of depar- that while we may expect from their ture for such an appraisal than the plaii draughting-boards many new and in- fact that the work of McKim, Mea< teresting buildings many even like the & White has obtained such a larj new Madison Square Presbyterian measure of popular and professional Church or the Woman's Athletic Club, success. It has pleased the people which contain novelties in design or in whom it was important and necessary the of use materials it is not to be ex- to please. Their clients have been satis- THE WORK OF McKIM, MEAD & WHITE. 159 THE TIFFANY RESIDENCE. Madison Avenue and 72d Street, New York. (Photo by J. H. Symmons.) fied, as far as the race of clients can be not attempt to say; but at all events satisfied. The public have admired. the frequent repetition of such a charge Their colleagues have approved.