Do you know who the first American-born architect was?

Although considered by many to be the first American architect and engineer, Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764-1820) was born in England.

Benjamin is a contemporary of Charles Bulfinch, the first American-born architect.

Here is a summary based on a publication of The West End Museum, “dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of the history and culture of the West End of Boston.”

Enjoy this reading for the weekend.

Charles Bulfinch, the first American-born architect, was born in Boston in 1763 to a prominent physician.

He was educated at Boston Latin School and Harvard University, studying Mathematics and Perspective, culminating in his graduation with a master’s degree in 1784.

Upon graduating from Harvard and expecting to inherit a large fortune, Bulfinch wrote that he “found himself at leisure to cultivate a taste for Architecture.” After graduating from Harvard, he became an acquaintance of Thomas Jefferson. He mentored the young Bulfinch and suggested great architectural works for him to visit in France, Italy, and other European states.

Bulfinch spent two years touring Europe with Jefferson’s travel plan in hand. Despite his European influences, Bulfinch has a “native genius” as the first American-born architect.

Bulfinch’s family lost its fortune when he returned to the United States in 1787; once he had to make it out on his own, Bulfinch became an architect, not for leisure but to make a living. His architectural designs thus created a unique imprint on Boston when the town was rebuilt and redeveloped in the post-war period. Before moving on to architecture, he briefly worked as a promoter, designing the Hollis Street Church (demolished 1935) and raising the memorial column.

He served on the Boston board of selectmen from 1791 to 1795 but resigned due to business pressures. He also served as fire and police superintendent during this period.

During his tenure as superintendent, he improved Boston’s streets, drains, public lighting, and civic center.

Most notably, he designed the Boston Common (extant), remodeled and expanded Faneuil Hall in 1805 (standing), and built the India Wharf (now the site of the Harbor Towers).

Bulfinch was involved in numerous other public and private projects during the same period. These included the Massachusetts State Prison Boylston Market, Harvard’s University Hall, Lancaster Meeting House (now First Church of Christ), and Mass General Hospital’s Bulfinch Building.

Bulfinch maintained a business partnership with Harrison Gray Otis from 1796 to 1807. In 1796, Otis and David Sears put their money in Tontine Crescent when Bulfinch was on the brink of bankruptcy. He intended Tontine Crescent to be a beautiful residential section of town, including the Boston Theater he designed.

Most of Bulfinch’s designs after 1796 were on projects funded by Harrison Gray Otis and his circle, and Otis received most of the returns. The last project that Bulfinch and Otis worked on was filling the Mill Pond in 1807 to expand downtown Boston.

In 1818, after a presidential visit to Boston that saw Bulfinch and President James Monroe become fast friends, Bulfinch was appointed as Architect of the Capitol in Washington, the first position Bulfinch held that guaranteed a consistent income.

Bulfinch held some combination of the Architect post and Commissioner of Public Buildings for the remainder of his career.

Bulfinch left a significant mark on the cityscapes of Washington, DC, and Boston. His works brought a classical style to the US and showed a remarkable mastery of proportion.

Bulfinch returned to Boston in 1830 after being removed from his post by President Andrew Jackson.

He died here in 1844, at the age of 80.

Note: Prepared by Sebastian Belfanti and Adam Tomasi; Sourced from Wikipedia (and building-specific pages); Historic New England; MentalFloss; snac; Find a Grave; Encyclopedia Britannica; Architects of the Capitol; Harvard Art Museums; The Financial Misadventures of Charles Bulfinch; Boston History and Architecture; The Cultural Landscape Foundation; Massachusetts State House. Proceedings, 1898