Walter Library is an academic library located on the East Bank campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota . It currently houses the College of Science and Engineering library and dean's office, the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute , and The Toaster. Walter Library is situated along Northrop Mall , a grassy area at the center of campus that is bordered by the University's physics, mathematics, chemistry, and administration buildings, plus Northrop Auditorium .
23-488: Walter Library was built between 1922 and 1924 for a total cost of $ 1.4 million. Designed by Minnesota State Architect Clarence H. Johnston , the building served as the university's primary library for much of the twentieth century. The library was named in honor of Frank Keller Walter in 1959. Walter, who had participated in the planning of the library, was the University of Minnesota Librarian from 1921 to 1943. Planning for
46-569: A draughtsman . Radcliffe's firm was a local training ground for aspiring architects at the time. In September 1876, Cass Gilbert joined Radcliffe's firm as an apprentice, and Gilbert and Johnston soon became close friends. In the fall of 1878, Gilbert and Johnston enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). There they met James Knox Taylor , who had also grown up in Saint Paul and joined MIT as an architectural student
69-682: A bill that allowed the Supervisory Architect to hold competitions among private architects for major structures. Competitions under Taylor's supervision included the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House , James Farley Post Office , Cleveland Federal Building , U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (Baltimore, Maryland) and U.S. Customhouse (San Francisco, California) (which are all now on the National Register of Historic Places ) among others. The competitions were met with enthusiasm by
92-463: A major rehabilitation of Walter Library began in the early 1990s. Work began in 1999 and continued until 2002. While the building received many technical upgrades during the project, much of the work also involved historical restoration. The project, conducted by the architectural firm of Stageberg Beyer Sachs, was completed in December 2002 for a sum of $ 63.4 million. Walter Library was formally listed in
115-609: A similar trip, but Johnston was preoccupied with a job offer from Herter Brothers in New York. One of the projects on which he worked during his tenure at Herter Brothers was J.P. Morgan 's brownstone house on Madison Avenue at 36th Street. In the summer of 1880, Cass Gilbert returned from Europe and settled in New York, working for the firm of McKim, Mead & White . Gilbert and Johnston, along with their MIT classmate Francis Bacon, shared rooms at 40 Irving Place. That same year Johnston, Gilbert, Bacon, Taylor, and William A. Bates founded
138-452: A total of five children. Johnston's son, Clarence H. Johnston Jr, was also an architect. Taking charge of the Johnston firm upon his father's death, he went on to design Coffman Memorial Union and the old Bell Museum building at the University of Minnesota, among other projects. Johnston was also the father of Jimmy Johnston , a noted amateur golfer. The Minnesota State Board of Control
161-400: A year earlier. Gilbert and Johnston, along with Taylor, had opted to take the special two-year course in architecture, rather than the full four-year degree-granting program. However, Johnston was forced to drop out after one term due to financial reasons. He moved back to Saint Paul and worked briefly at the firm of Edward Bassford , where the firm was more conscious of costs to the client in
184-435: Is considered one of the most prolific architects in the state's history. Johnston's parents, Alexander Johnston and Louise Johnston ( née Buckhout), moved to Waseca County, Minnesota , in 1856, along with a few other families. They established a settlement named Okaman on the shores of Lake Elysian. Their first son, John Buckhout Johnston, was born in 1858, and became a prominent manufacturer and businessman. Clarence Johnston
207-581: The Minnesota State Prison , buildings at various state college campuses, hospitals , sanitoriums , and other public structures. Since state business was at the whims of the Minnesota Legislature and was not always consistent, he continued his private practice during this time. Retaining private commissions allowed him to operate his office continuously and receive a higher rate of return. Johnston continued as State Architect until 1931, when
230-734: The National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property to the Northrop Mall Historic District in January 2018. Walter Library was designed in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture by Minnesota State Architect Clarence H. Johnston Sr . Like the other buildings on Northrop Mall , Walter Library features a red brick facade with Bedford limestone trim and a colonnaded Ionic Order portico . Its interiors feature ornate columns and pilasters, marble staircases, vaulted ceilings, and gold leaf gilding . A common motif found within
253-458: The Pioneer and Endicott Buildings . In 1893 he moved to Philadelphia and formed a partnership with Amos J. Boyden. In 1895 he got a job with Aiken, the Supervisory Architect, as a temporary draftsman. In 1897, following a Civil Service Commission examination, he became the Supervisory Architect, the first architect promoted from within. In 1893 Missouri Congressman John Charles Tarsney introduced
SECTION 10
#1732858767077276-780: The Sketch Club, which later became the Architectural League of New York . Accounts vary on which members were actually the founders of the club. After finally traveling to Europe and the Asia Minor in February 1883, Johnston returned to the United States and established his own practice in Minnesota in 1886. He quickly gained a reputation as a respected domestic architect, designing countless homes and churches in Saint Paul, especially in
299-655: The State Division of Construction was dissolved. Johnston was also architect for the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota and drew plans for all the new buildings constructed on campus during his tenure. Johnston never officially retired, but backed off on his practice after the State Architect position dissolved in 1931. He died December 29, 1936. Johnston married Mary "May" Thurston October 1, 1885. The couple had
322-461: The ceiling design to make them almost unnoticeable unless pointed out. Clarence H. Johnston Sr. Clarence Howard Johnston Sr. (August 26, 1859 – December 29, 1936) was an American architect who practiced in the US state of Minnesota during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Specializing in domestic, religious, and public architecture, he served as Minnesota State Architect from 1901 to 1931. He
345-471: The community but were also marred by scandal, as when Taylor picked his ex-partner Cass Gilbert for the New York Customs House commission. In 1913 the act was repealed. In 1912, Taylor returned to MIT for two years as director of the department of architecture, then moved to Yonkers, New York , where for several years he continued practicing. In 1928, he retired to Tampa, Florida , where he died
368-404: The design and construction process. This influenced Johnston to view economic constraints as a challenge to be solved by inventiveness, instead of being a restriction on his artistry. During these years, Gilbert and Johnston kept in touch through a large number of letters. In January 1880, Cass Gilbert departed to Europe for an architectural tour. Gilbert wrote back to Johnston urging him to make
391-464: The family returned to Saint Paul permanently in 1868. Alexander Johnston was then a reporter for the Daily Pioneer newspaper. Johnston started attending Saint Paul High School in 1872 and took on a job as a clerk at the law firm of Rogers and Rogers. His mother died May 8, 1874, at the age of 42. That same year, Johnston quit his clerical job and began work at the firm of Abraham M. Radcliffe as
414-498: The library is that of an owl, which represents both wisdom and knowledge. There are an estimated 225 owl engravings located throughout the library, and a small restaurant in the building's basement is known as the Wise Owl Café. During the remodel, a sprinkler system was installed to bring the library up to modern building codes. In order to maintain the ceiling artwork, sprinkler heads and smoke detectors were strategically placed within
437-564: The vicinity of Summit Avenue and Saint Paul's Hill District . In 1886 Johnston formed a partnership with William H. Willcox which lasted through 1890. In 1895 Johnston entered the competition to design the new Minnesota State Capitol , but lost to Cass Gilbert. On May 22, 1901, the Minnesota State Board of Control, a body responsible for the construction and operation of all state-funded institutions, appointed Johnston as State Architect. As State Architect, Johnston prepared plans for
460-644: Was Supervising Architect of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1897 to 1912. His name is listed ex officio as supervising architect of hundreds of federal buildings built throughout the United States during the period. The son of H. Knox and Mary (Young) Taylor, he was born in Knoxville, Illinois , and attended schools in Minnesota . He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he
483-515: Was a classmate of William Martin Aiken , who would precede him in the position of Supervisory Architect, and Cass Gilbert . After graduation, he worked in the New York City office of Charles C. Haight and later with Bruce Price . In 1882 he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota where he formed a partnership with Gilbert, as Gilbert & Taylor. They built many homes and churches. Subsequently, they designed
SECTION 20
#1732858767077506-400: Was born August 26, 1859. The family then moved to Wilton, which was then the county seat of Waseca County, and Alexander Johnston took over the publication of a local newspaper. In 1861 the family moved to Faribault . Their third child, Grace, was born March 2, 1862. They moved again, to Saint Paul , where their fourth child, Charles Albert, was born in 1864. After moving briefly to Hastings ,
529-467: Was initially in charge of nine institutions. Johnston designed buildings at these following institutions: While Johnston was State Architect, the Minnesota State Board of Control added the following institutions to its governance: For all the institutions above, Clarence H. Johnston Sr. either designed new buildings, designed improvements to existing buildings, or both. James Knox Taylor James Knox Taylor (October 11, 1857 – August 27, 1929)
#76923