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Birth / Established: February 27, 1827
Death / Dissolved: August 17, 1884

Biography

Walter Blythe was born in Leeds, England. He came to America at the age of thirteen in 1849 and located in Cleveland one year later. He married Florida Geneva Heard, the daughter of architect Charles Heard. He learned the avocation of stone-cutter from his father-in-law. He later became a draftsman and then an architect. He was a veteran of the Forty-first Ohio Volunteers regiment during the Civil War. Immediately after the war, from 1866 to 1871, he was a partner in the firm of Heard and Blythe. In 1871 he went into business for himself. He was the president of the Board of Water Works. All of his work was built before the issuance of building permits by the City of Cleveland (1888), thus making it unidentifiable. He lived at the edge of the city at Kinsman Road and East 40th Street. He was the architect of many important commercial and governmental buildings built during the High Victorian era.

Building Name Address Built Status
Oberlin College Council Hall Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 1871-4 Demolished
Colonel Frank Lynch Residence 2913 Clinton Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1872 Standing
Lewis Kies Residence 4208 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1872 Standing
Tremont School West 10th and Tremont, Cleveland, OH 1872 Demolished
Cleveland Fire Station #9 East 55th south of Woodland, Cleveland, OH 1873 Demolished
Euclid Avenue Block 206-16 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1873 Demolished
Mary Groh Residence 3043 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1873 Standing
Standard Oil Block 43-55 Euclid (1885), Cleveland, OH 1873 Demolished
Striebinger House 62 Michigan Street, Cleveland, OH 1873 Demolished
Union School House 39 South Main Street, Oberlin, OH 1873-4 Standing
Clark Block 331-3 West Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1874 Demolished
Cleveland Fire Station #4 1455 West 29th Street, Cleveland, OH 1874 Standing
Hoyt Block 700 St. Clair Avenue NW, Cleveland, OH 1874 Standing
Outhwaite School Outhwaite near Willson, Cleveland, OH 1874 Demolished
Paine Block 1350-98 Ontario Street, Cleveland, OH 1874 Demolished
Brainard Block 322-6 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1876 Demolished
Cleveland Fire Station #11 4090 East 91st Street, Cleveland, OH 1876 Standing
Windsor Block 340 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1876 Standing
E. M. McMillan Store 210 Federal Street, Youngstown, OH 1880 Demolished
Marsh and Harwood Acid Works factory addition Independence and E. 26th, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Block for Oscar Townsend 721-711 West St. Clair, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
Block of stores Broadway and Hamlet, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
Fred Dieboldt Residence 2429 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
George Warrington House 2613 Franklin Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
H.P. McIntosh Residence 1071 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
Masonic Temple Superior and East 6th Street, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
S. Brainard and Sons East 4th Street, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
Block of Blair and Bros. on Public Square Cleveland, OH 1882 Demolished
Building for Jno Vincent Frankfort Street, Cleveland, OH 1882 Demolished
Commercial Building College and Main, Oberlin, OH 1882 Standing
Business block on Ontario for E.M. McGillin Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Phil Morris Residence 2075 East 96th Street, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Pipe foundry for Silas Merchant Lake Shore RR near Case Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Evangelical Association Building 1903-23 Woodland, Cleveland, OH 1884 Demolished
Payne Building 701-33 St. Clair Avenue NW, Cleveland, OH 1884 Demolished
White Elephant Building 2303-7 East 4th Street, Cleveland, OH 1884 Demolished
Monroe Street Cemetery Gatehouse Cleveland, OH n.d. Standing

Sources

Inland Architect and Builder, September 1884
Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: November 25, 1823
Death / Dissolved: February 25, 1891

Biography

Joseph M. Blackburn was born in Cudworth, Yorkshire, England. In England he served a seven year apprenticeship to William and Thomas Topam at Ackworth, Yorkshire. Blackburn worked as an architect at Ackworth for an additional four years. He came to the United States and to Cleveland in 1850. As an architect from 1850 to 1891, he worked in Cleveland throughout the Victorian era designing buildings in the Second Empire, Gothic and Italianate styles of his day. He received many significant commissions during his career including the St. Vincent's Charity Hospital, the Ohio Deaf and Dumb Asylum in Columbus, the Central Ohio Insane Asylum in Columbus, and the remodeling of Presidential candidate James Garfield's Mentor home. He was the architect of private and public buildings in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. During his career he formed many partnerships. From 1861 to 1864 he was a member of the firm of Blackburn and Fuller. About 1865 he moved to 471 Euclid Avenue. From 1866 to 1868 he was a member of the firm of Blackburn and Koehler; from 1879 to 1880 he was a member of the firm of Blackburn and Charlot; and finally he was with the firm of Blackburn and Daniels. When not in partnership he was listed as working alone. J. N. Richardson and Andrew Mitermiler worked in his office before they went into business in their own firms. Most of his buildings were constructed before building permits were required in Cleveland (1888) and remain unidentified. He was a member of the Euclid Avenue Baptist Church. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery.

Building Name Address Built Status
Clinton French Building 318-24 Superior Avenue, N. W., Cleveland, OH 1857 Demolished
Cleveland City Prison and Police Court 420 Champlain Street, Cleveland, OH 1860 Demolished
Dr. Worthy S. Streator Residence 9803 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1864 Demolished
St. Vincent's Charity Hospital 2315 East 22nd Street, Cleveland, OH 1865 Demolished
University Heights Congregational Church (St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church) 2460 West 14th Street, Cleveland, OH 1865 Standing
First Presbyterian Church 201 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, OH 1866-8 Demolished
Euclid Avenue Baptist Church 1746 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1868 Demolished
Parshall Opera House 201-7 West Spring Street, Titusville, PA 1870 Demolished
Second National Bank Enlargement 202-8 Spring Street, Titusville, PA 1871 Standing
Winslow Block 1228-44 Old River Road, Cleveland, OH 1872 Standing
McKenzie House Prospect Street, Ashtabula, OH 1874 Unknown
Caine-Miller House 9135 Broadway, Cleveland, OH 1878 Demolished
6 residences for I. Reynolds Sibley Street, Cleveland, OH 1882 Demolished
Southworth Building 2013-9 Ontario, Cleveland, OH 1882 Standing
Dr. Joseph Lewis Residence 2340 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Four dwellings for Price Brothers Sibley corner of Cedar, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Frame dwelling on Sibley for C.B. Couch Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
G.H. Chandler Residence 2230 East 40th Street, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Leader Sewing Machine Factory 1791-1807 East 40th Street, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Remington Arnold Residence 1646 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1883 Demolished
Residence for William McFarland 1877 East 59th Street, Cleveland, OH 1888 Demolished
Residence for William McFarland 1881 East 59th Street, Cleveland, OH 1888 Demolished

Sources

Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the 19th Century
Brenner, William A. Downtown and the University: Youngstown, Ohio, March 1976
Cleveland City Directories
Cleveland Necrology file

Birth / Established: 1866
Death / Dissolved: 1868

Biography

The principles of this architectural firm were Joseph Blackburn and Alexander Koehler. It was in existence between 1866 and 1868.

Building Name Address Built Status
Commercial Building for James Howland 1278 West 6th Street, Cleveland, OH 1865 Standing
St. Mary's Church 684 South Third Street, Columbus, OH 1866-8 Standing
Elyria Town Hall 131 Court Street, Elyria, OH 1867 Standing
Franklin Methodist Episcopal Church 3116 Franklin Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 1867 Demolished
Chester Bullock Residence 571 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 1868 Demolished
Gideon Mosier Residence 557 Chestnut Street, Meadville, PA 1868 Demolished

Sources

Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: 1888
Death / Dissolved: 1893
Building Name Address Built Status
Residence for McFarland 1877 East 59th Street, Cleveland, OH 1888 Demolished
Residence for McFarland 1881 East 59th Street, Cleveland, OH 1888 Demolished
Commercial Building for Benjamin Rose 2060-74 East 9th Street, Cleveland, OH 1889 Demolished
Gordon School 2136 West 65th Street, Cleveland, OH 1889 Demolished
Jacob Steinfeld Barn 2357 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1889 Demolished
William Sprague Residence 2025 East 69th Street, Cleveland, OH 1889 Demolished
Work Shop, Storage Room, and Tenements for Joshua E. Hall 1148 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1889 Standing
Clement Apartment House for M. B. Clark 500 Rockwell Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1890 Demolished
Residence for Travis Dempsey 1674 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1890 Demolished
Birth / Established: 1879
Death / Dissolved: 1881

Biography

This architectural firm included Joseph Blackburn and Nevins Charlot. It was in existence between 1879 and 1881 with offices in the Perkins Building.

Building Name Address Built Status
J. J. Cartright Mausoleum in Riverside Cemetery 3607 Pearl Road, Cleveland, OH 1879 Standing
Chisholm Steel Shovel Building 1580 East 40th Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Standing
Cleveland Baking Company 2035 Ontario Street (Rear), Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Cleveland Provision Company 2130 East 4th Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Commercial Building for Marshall Shay Pearl Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Cummins Block 143-5 South Main Street, Marion, OH 1880 Demolished
Dwelling for Isaac Reynolds 3522 Cedar Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Garfield Residence Remodeling 8095 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, OH 1880 Standing
Norman Chamberlain Residence 1936 East 79th Street, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
William Stanley Residence 4208 Clinton Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1880 Demolished
Brush Electric 1801 East 43rd Street, Cleveland, OH 1881 Standing
Stephen Howland Residence 5815 Longfellow Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1881 Demolished
W.P. Southworth Carriage House 3334 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1881 Standing

Sources

Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: February 3, 1857
Death / Dissolved: March 5, 1942

Biography

Clarence H. Blackall of Boston, Massachusetts was in partnership with local architect George M. Page from 1903 to 1908 in the firm Blackall & Page, but never lived in Cleveland. He was chairman of the Boston Chamber of Commerce. In Boston he was the architect of Bowdoin Square Theater, Scolley Square Theater, the Wilbur Theater, and the U.S. Trust Company. His firm also designed the Alpha Tau Omega house, the University of Illinois Auditorium, and completed the campus plan for the University of Illinois at Champaign -Urbana.

Sources

Cleveland Town Topics 12.2.1908 50:17; 12.19.1908 51:4
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 12, 1908, 50:7
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 19, 1908, 51:14

Birth / Established: 1902
Death / Dissolved: 1913

Biography

This firm was opened in 1902 with offices in the Scofield Building. It is listed in Cleveland City Directories until 1913. Clarence Blackall remained in Boston while George Page lived and worked in Cleveland.

Building Name Address Built Status
William A. Harshaw Residence 11440 Juniper Drive, Cleveland, OH 1902 Demolished
Second German Baptist Church 1643 East 55th Street, Cleveland, OH 1904 Standing
Two residences on Lincoln Avenue near Euclid East 83rd Street, Cleveland, OH 1904 Demolished
Antioch Baptist Church Central Ave & East 24th, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Commercial Building for German Baptist Publication Society 1706 East 38th Street, Cleveland, OH 1905 Standing
Keemar Terrace 10079-99 Keemar Court, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Office building for Ohio Ceramic Engineering Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Terrace for C. E. Adams Republic Street, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
Terrace for H. S. Janes East 83rd Street, Cleveland, OH 1905 Demolished
American Auto Club Store and Garage St. Clair & Ontario, Cleveland, OH 1907 Demolished
Ben T. Quilling Residence 1575 East 108th Street, Cleveland, OH 1908 Standing

Sources

Cleveland Town Topics 12.2.1908 50:17; 12.19.1908 51:4
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 12, 1908, 50:7
Cleveland Town Topics Dec 19, 1908, 51:14
Image Source(s): Craig Bobby

Birth / Established: April 19, 1862
Death / Dissolved: May 5, 1945

Biography

Riley Austin Bissell was raised in Medina County, Ohio. He was listed as a Cleveland architect in Cleveland City Directories from 1893 to 1901. In the 1910 census he was living in Tacoma, Washington where he was employed as a contractor. In 1920 he had moved to Oakland, California where he was employed at a shipyard. He died in Oakland in 1945.

Building Name Address Built Status
Christ Koblenzer Residence 1905 Brainard Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1894 Standing
Lillian Towslee Residence 8118 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1895 Demolished
L. Barger Residence 8514 Wade Park Ave, Cleveland, OH 1896 Demolished
Residence for Lillian Towslee 1431 East 85th Street, Cleveland, OH 1899 Demolished
Residence for Lillian Towslee 7417 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1899 Demolished
Charles Miller Residence 1449 East 24th Street, Cleveland, OH 1901 Demolished

Sources

1910 Census - Washington - Pierce County - Tacoma - Supervisors District 2, Enumeration District 265, Sheet 4B
1920 Census - California - Alameda County - Oakland - Supervisors District 5, Enumeration District 114, Sheet 6A, Visitation 134
California Death Index

Birth / Established: March 1, 1871
Death / Dissolved: December 10, 1930

Biography

Frederic H. Betz was appointed as the City's first architect. He had worked for Hubbell & Benes for twenty years, where he worked on the design of the West Side Market. As City Architect, he designed the original plans for Public Hall and later additions. He resigned because of poor health before Public Hall was completed. He lived in Bay Village and is buried in Riverside Cemetery.

Building Name Address Built Status
Woodland Hills Park Comfort Station Woodland Hills, Cleveland, OH 1913 Demolished
Cottage Ward Sunny Acres Hospital, Warrensville, OH 1917 Demolished
Central Avenue Public Bath House 2522 Central Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1919-20 Standing
St. Clair Avenue Bath House 6250 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1919-21 Standing
Cleveland Public Auditorium 500 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1920-29 Standing
Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 2325 Forestdale Avenue, Cleveland, OH 1925-6 Standing
Edgewater Bathhouse Cleveland, OH n.d. Demolished
Recreation Hall and Bath House at Gordon Park Cleveland, OH n.d. Unbuilt
Wade Park Boat House Cleveland, OH n.d. Demolished

Sources

Obituary - News December 10, 1930
Obituary - Plain Dealer December 11, 1930

Birth / Established: October 13, 1893
Death / Dissolved: August 28, 1969

Biography

Fred Betker was Polish-born. He was identified as both architect and general contractor in Cleveland City Directories. He lived at 907 Cambridge in Cleveland Heights.

Building Name Address Built Status
Residence 1024 Nelaview Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1924 Standing
Residence 2590 Shaker Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1926 Standing
Residence 917 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1927 Standing
Residence 923 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1927 Standing
Residence 911 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1928 Standing
Residence 915  Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1928 Standing
Residence 911 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1929 Unbuilt
Residence 907 Cambridge Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1931 Standing
Residence 13427 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 1947 Standing

Sources

Cleveland City Directories
Cleveland Necrology file
Kara Hamley O'Donnell, City of Cleveland Heights

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