31:
163:
277:, which became known as the Town Bridge. The design was of great importance because it could be built quickly by relatively unskilled workers from readily available material. The design also avoided the need for the heavy piers needed for stone arches. The design was widely known throughout the world and made Town wealthy (Town is said to have charged one to two dollars per foot in royalties for his designs). Town's design can still be seen in two of
151:
764:
263:
401:
624:
Atlantic
Steamships. Ideas and Statements, The Result of Considerable Reflection on the Subject of Navigating the Atlantic Ocean with Steam-Ships of Large Tonnage. Also, the Arrival, Description, and Departure of the Two First British
617:
A Detail of Some
Particular Services Performed in America, During the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, and 1779, Compiled from Journals and Original Papers...taken from the Journal Kept on Board of the Ship 'Rainbow' Commanded By Sir George
667:
Seymour, G. D. "Ithiel Town", Dictionary of
American Biography Base Set, American Council of Learned Societies, 1928-1936. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale.
181:. One of the first generation of professional architects in the United States, Town made significant contributions to American architecture in the first half of the 19th century. His work, in the
428:. The library was amassed at a time when only a handful of significant architecture books had been published in America. Town left many of his books to Yale upon his death; the rest were sold.
231:. He demonstrated his virtuosity as an engineer by constructing the spire for Center Church inside the tower and then raising it into place in less than three hours using a special
420:. His library contained more than 11,000 volumes of architecture books and prints and was far larger than any other personal collection anywhere at the time, including that of Sir
342:
643:
637:
416:
style; here he kept what was then an extraordinary architectural library — an inspiration to many, including Davis and another noted New Haven architect,
30:
804:
705:
524:
712:
824:
809:
794:
532:
729:
223:
His earliest important architectural works include Center Church (1812β1815), and
Trinity Church (1813β1816), both on the
829:
531:βFounded in 1829, sanctuary built 1831-1832 to designs by Town & Davis. "Within a few years it changed its name to
538:
Skinner House, New Haven, Connecticut (now Yale
International Center of Finance), Town and Davis, 1832. Greek revival.
814:
799:
235:. Trinity Church, built from local seam-faced trap rock and topped with a square tower, was one of the earliest
819:
558:
510:
373:
352:
The firm lasted until 1835; for eighteen months in 1832 and 1833, it operated as Town, Davis, and Dakin, when
346:
768:
547:
369:
294:
498:
453:
338:
314:
317:. Many other extant covered bridges also employ Town's basic design. The lattice is sometimes called a
568:
Apthorp House, New Haven, Connecticut (now Evans Hall, Yale School of
Management), Town and Davis, 1836
334:
243:
186:
99:
155:
590:
485:
437:
417:
709:
551:
518:
330:
329:
In 1829, Town formed one of the first professional architectural firms in the United States with
574:
492:
469:
365:
228:
72:
584:
465:
449:
361:
298:
205:
54:
162:
789:
784:
442:
274:
8:
514:
302:
193:
356:
joined the firm. Their works included the state capitol in New Haven, the city hall and
611:
A Description of Ithiel Town's
Improvement in the Construction of Wood and Iron Bridges
594:
580:
357:
208:, to Archelaus Town, a farmer, and Martha (Johnson) Town. He trained with the eminent
130:
528:
456:
and modified by Austin. Town designed a number of other stately homes on
Hillhouse.
306:
290:
409:
385:
381:
333:, together producing notable buildings in a range of new Revival styles, including
286:
716:
504:
251:
224:
103:
757:
Ithiel Town papers (MS 499). Manuscripts and
Archives, Yale University Library.
734:
679:
481:
353:
310:
282:
267:
247:
236:
217:
209:
190:
178:
758:
392:. It was considered one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the time.
778:
600:
Ithiel Town (Sheffield) Mansion, New Haven, Connecticut. Greek revival. Razed
562:
541:
413:
389:
377:
182:
432:
278:
421:
400:
150:
174:
232:
571:
State capitol, New Haven, Connecticut, 1837. Greek revival. Razed
388:(1833β1843), which allowed fully loaded canal boats to cross the
763:
425:
213:
349:. Town also traveled in Europe during this period (1829β30).
262:
35:
Memorial plaque to Town, Center Church on the Green, New Haven
318:
464:
Town died in New Haven on June 13, 1844, and is interred in
273:
On
January 28, 1820, Town was granted a patent for a wooden
166:
Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut (with A. J. Davis)
242:
In 1825, Town became one of the original members of the
173:(October 3, 1784 – June 13, 1844) was an American
380:(1833β1842). During this time, Town also designed the
730:"A Giant Takes Steps to Rebuild Its Smaller Neighbor"
154:
Samuel Russell House, Middletown, Connecticut (with
501:, New Haven, Connecticut, 1813β1816, Gothic Revival
527:(1831β1832), 273 Bleecker Street, Carmine Street,
431:In 1839, Town commissioned noted American painter
627:(Wiley & Putnam/J. P. Wright, New York, 1838)
776:
706:New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
216:and began his own professional career with the
696:, American Council of Learned Societies, 2000.
404:Town-Sheffield Mansion, New Haven, Connecticut
677:Bilger, Burkhard, "Mystery on Pearl Street,"
372:(1833β1840), and the U.S. Custom House, now
577:, Town and Davis, 1840. Demolished in 1877.
565:, Town and Davis, 1833β1842. Greek revival.
544:, New York, New York, 1832. Greek Revival.
663:
661:
659:
699:
671:
533:West Presbyterian Church (New York City)
399:
261:
257:
161:
149:
644:New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 190
638:New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 158
805:Architects from New Haven, Connecticut
777:
727:
656:
554:, Town and Davis, 1840. Greek revival.
321:, although it lacks vertical members.
728:Dunlap, David W. (December 9, 2004).
196:, was influential and widely copied.
721:
604:
408:Town designed his New Haven home on
395:
13:
368:(1831β1840, demolished 1877), and
14:
841:
825:People from Thompson, Connecticut
751:
475:
324:
199:
810:Burials at Grove Street Cemetery
795:19th-century American architects
762:
591:Leake and Watt's Children's Home
535:." It has since been demolished.
448:Town's house was later owned by
29:
692:Byars, Mel. "Town, Ithiel" in
686:
559:Federal Hall National Memorial
511:Samuel Wadsworth Russell House
374:Federal Hall National Memorial
1:
650:
435:to execute a painting called
548:North Carolina State Capitol
295:West Cornwall Covered Bridge
246:and was awarded an honorary
7:
694:American National Biography
631:
499:Trinity Church on the Green
454:Sheffield Scientific School
364:, the capitol buildings of
315:Washington County, New York
10:
846:
830:Engineers from Connecticut
244:National Academy of Design
100:National Academy of Design
525:North Presbyterian Church
441:, which now hangs in the
144:
136:
122:
114:
110:
95:
87:
79:
61:
40:
28:
21:
815:Greek Revival architects
800:American civil engineers
640:: Cornish-Windsor Bridge
557:U. S. Custom House, now
486:Cambridge, Massachusetts
459:
646:: Haverhill-Bath Bridge
552:Raleigh, North Carolina
519:Middletown, Connecticut
331:Alexander Jackson Davis
710:"Designation List 425"
683:, Jan. 7, 2008, p. 64.
587:, 1842. Gothic revival
521:, 1828. Greek revival.
493:New Haven, Connecticut
470:New Haven, Connecticut
405:
270:
229:New Haven, Connecticut
167:
159:
73:New Haven, Connecticut
820:Federalist architects
597:, 1843. Greek revival
585:Hartford, Connecticut
466:Grove Street Cemetery
450:Joseph Earl Sheffield
438:The Architect's Dream
403:
362:Hartford, Connecticut
266:Town's lattice truss
265:
258:Town's lattice bridge
239:churches in America.
206:Thompson, Connecticut
165:
153:
55:Thompson, Connecticut
771:at Wikimedia Commons
495:, 1812β1815. Federal
452:, benefactor of the
443:Toledo Museum of Art
275:lattice truss bridge
194:architectural styles
140:Lattice truss bridge
515:Wesleyan University
715:2017-02-01 at the
595:New York, New York
581:Wadsworth Atheneum
575:Indiana Statehouse
406:
358:Wadsworth Atheneum
271:
168:
160:
131:Wadsworth Atheneum
16:American architect
767:Media related to
613:(New Haven, 1821)
605:Selected writings
529:Greenwich Village
307:Eagleville Bridge
204:Town was born in
148:
147:
837:
766:
746:
745:
743:
742:
725:
719:
703:
697:
690:
684:
675:
669:
665:
620:(New York, 1835)
507:, obelisk, 1826.
410:Hillhouse Avenue
396:Home and library
386:Washington, D.C.
382:Potomac Aqueduct
187:revivalist Greek
68:
50:
48:
33:
19:
18:
845:
844:
840:
839:
838:
836:
835:
834:
775:
774:
754:
749:
740:
738:
726:
722:
717:Wayback Machine
704:
700:
691:
687:
676:
672:
666:
657:
653:
634:
607:
505:Groton Monument
491:Center Church,
488:, 1810. Federal
478:
462:
398:
327:
283:covered bridges
260:
252:Yale University
225:New Haven Green
202:
129:
127:
106:honorary degree
75:
70:
66:
57:
52:
51:October 3, 1784
46:
44:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
843:
833:
832:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
773:
772:
760:
753:
752:External links
750:
748:
747:
735:New York Times
720:
698:
685:
680:The New Yorker
670:
654:
652:
649:
648:
647:
641:
633:
630:
629:
628:
621:
614:
606:
603:
602:
601:
598:
588:
578:
572:
569:
566:
555:
545:
539:
536:
522:
508:
502:
496:
489:
482:Asa Gray House
477:
476:Selected works
474:
461:
458:
397:
394:
370:North Carolina
354:James H. Dakin
326:
325:Town and Davis
323:
311:Shushan Bridge
268:patent drawing
259:
256:
248:Master of Arts
237:Gothic Revival
218:Asa Gray House
210:Asher Benjamin
201:
200:Life and works
198:
191:Gothic revival
179:civil engineer
146:
145:
142:
141:
138:
134:
133:
128:Trinity Church
124:
120:
119:
118:Town and Davis
116:
112:
111:
108:
107:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
81:
77:
76:
71:
69:(aged 59)
63:
59:
58:
53:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
842:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
782:
780:
770:
765:
761:
759:
756:
755:
737:
736:
731:
724:
718:
714:
711:
707:
702:
695:
689:
682:
681:
674:
664:
662:
660:
655:
645:
642:
639:
636:
635:
626:
622:
619:
615:
612:
609:
608:
599:
596:
592:
589:
586:
582:
579:
576:
573:
570:
567:
564:
563:New York City
560:
556:
553:
549:
546:
543:
542:Colonnade Row
540:
537:
534:
530:
526:
523:
520:
516:
512:
509:
506:
503:
500:
497:
494:
490:
487:
483:
480:
479:
473:
471:
467:
457:
455:
451:
446:
444:
440:
439:
434:
429:
427:
423:
419:
415:
414:Greek Revival
411:
402:
393:
391:
390:Potomac River
387:
383:
379:
378:New York City
375:
371:
367:
363:
359:
355:
350:
348:
344:
340:
336:
332:
322:
320:
316:
312:
308:
305:, and in the
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
287:Bull's Bridge
284:
281:'s remaining
280:
276:
269:
264:
255:
253:
249:
245:
240:
238:
234:
230:
226:
221:
219:
215:
211:
207:
197:
195:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
164:
157:
156:David Hoadley
152:
143:
139:
135:
132:
126:Center Church
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
74:
65:June 13, 1844
64:
60:
56:
43:
39:
32:
27:
20:
739:. Retrieved
733:
723:
701:
693:
688:
678:
673:
623:
616:
610:
463:
447:
436:
430:
418:Henry Austin
407:
351:
328:
272:
250:degree from
241:
222:
203:
170:
169:
67:(1844-06-13)
790:1844 deaths
785:1784 births
769:Ithiel Town
625:Steam-Ships
433:Thomas Cole
279:Connecticut
171:Ithiel Town
80:Nationality
23:Ithiel Town
779:Categories
741:2008-12-25
651:References
422:John Soane
88:Occupation
47:1784-10-03
175:architect
123:Buildings
91:Architect
713:Archived
632:See also
347:Egyptian
309:and the
299:Cornwall
233:windlass
220:(1810).
115:Practice
83:American
618:Collier
412:in the
366:Indiana
183:Federal
426:London
345:, and
343:Tuscan
339:Gothic
303:Sharon
214:Boston
137:Design
96:Awards
668:2008.
460:Death
376:, in
335:Greek
319:truss
301:and
293:and
291:Kent
189:and
185:and
177:and
104:Yale
62:Died
41:Born
424:in
384:in
360:in
313:in
297:in
289:in
227:in
212:in
781::
732:.
708:.
658:^
593:,
583:,
561:,
550:,
517:,
513:,
484:,
472:.
468:,
445:.
341:,
337:,
285:,
254:.
102:;
744:.
158:)
49:)
45:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.