Contemplating.

Contemplating.
Wayzata, Minnesota

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Alphabe-Thursday - Jones

ALPHABE-THURSDAY



THE LETTER "J" STANDS FOR -  JONES



HARRY WILD JONES





Harry Wild Jones born in Schoolcraft, Michigan June 9, 1859  became a popular Minneapolis architect.  Despite his abundant achievements, even outside of Minnesota, Jones is not as well known as he should be.
During his heyday he worked amongst other well known architects like, Cass Gilbert and Clarence Johnston.  All three men were premodernist designers, and each struggled with the upcoming, architectural modernism of the late 1930's that swept through Minneapolis as well as the United Sates.


I've been fascinated with Harry Wild Jones from the moment I learned about this talented and charming style.
Well known for his humor and friendly demeanor as well as being a devoted family man.

He brought much of the Tangletown neighborhood to life; including his Washburn Water Tower.

Jones had a special talent and a whimsical nature in designing roof-lines and a series of cones and circles evoking an almost witch-like-hat style in most of his accomplishments.

What follows is a mere pittance of Jones work.

Perhaps, Jones hoped his designs would be easily spotted around town.


B. R. Coppage House
built
1891

1912 Queen Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Still a private residence.


Years after Jones designed this castle like house with a witch's-hat roof,
 it lost its porch as well as the clapboard siding (another favorite trend of Jones) replaced with stucco. Big mistake if you were to see Harry's first creation!


An almost naked feel without its porch.
A short distance away, sits Jones design built in 1889 where he
used a golden Mankato-Kasota stone, yes from our dear city of Mankato.
Next
The Henry Ladd House
1889



His design features a wraparound porch with a gridiron-like stone railing.  Henry Ladd was the first owner and he was in the real estate business.

 
Again with the witch's-like hat on a castle-like cone.


131 Oak Grove
Minneapolis, Minnesota


Next:
Jones didn't just dabble in private houses.  His accomplishments were industrial, from office buildings to churches, apartments and park structures as well.


Lake Harriet Women/Men Comfort Stations, 1892
Recently all were completely refreshed and returned to the glamorous style they once were.



The Restrooms - inside the women's area is an unbelievable fireplace for those chilly temperatures!


I've posted these lovely buildings before.  To the left is the Lake Harriet Band shelter, where we spend many Friday nights taking in the free entertainment all summer long.
To the right are more restrooms within the building that houses snacks inside what they call the refectory all under a pagodalike wooden structure.
Thank goodness Dairy Queen didn't get their way to tear it all down
and build their own modern day fiasco that we can find around too many corners.




Next hop on board!

This was when the Como-Harriet Streetcar line ran.


Lake Harriet has a street-car station too!
Designed by Jones.
There were three other pavilions located at this site, which all suffered disastrous ends.



Just a block away ........


The "Lynnhurst" houses series
two of the most interesting are attributed to Jones

4601 Fremont Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota
just a short walk away from Lake Harriet.

and

4629 Fremont Avenue South
two doors down.








Behold what they call
The Johnson Triple House
106-8 24th Street East
and
2319 First Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota



 A Romanesque-Gothic brick and sandstone triple house with Jones adding his marvelous witch's hat roof that caps his famous corner towers and is complete with exquisite stonework on the front porches.


It offers three tiny lancet windows about the entrance to 108 as pictured above.


Moving on
to the
Lakewood Cemetery
3600 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis

Harry Wild Jones died in his Elmwood House located in the Tangletown neighborhood on September 25th 1935 and was buried at Lakewood Cemetery
but before his death he designed the
Lakewood Cemetery's Memorial Chapel
an architectural centerpiece of the cemetery.

Jones modeled the chapel after the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

The interior was created by New York designer Charles Lamb, inspired by the mosaic design in the San Marco Cathedral in Venice.
It was completed in 1910.












From Wayzata, Minnesota
at
605 Rice Street East
built in 1916
as
Congregational










Side door entrance.



Front Entrance from Rice Street East.

If you want to view more of Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday posts
go here

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2012/07/alphabe-thursday-letter-j.html


Also I put a quick video together with some of his work here on youtube

 
CHECK IT OUT!

22 comments:

Leovi said...

I like it, good job, great pictures on the architecture of this great genius, great tribute.

JJ said...

4629 Fremont Avenue South - I could be very happy there.

Judie said...

Fabulous architecture! Just fabulous! I would love to see the inside of some of those homes.

Staart saving your pennies so we can have a Blog Sisters Convention at the "McEwen Plantation" in Brunswick. Would'nt that be fun!!

xoxo

Unknown said...

He certainly has an interesting and distinctive style. I'm glad a lot of his buildings still exist.

Naperville Now said...

I love this man's vision -- the buildings (right down to the comfort stations!) are fantastic. glad to see genius protected.

21 Wits said...

JJ- I agree with your choice too, of these posted here. But he has some even better ones, I didn't post. It's a block from Lake Harriet, and sadly not for sale, but there is another nice one across the street for sale!

21 Wits said...

Judy - absolutely I am! and that sounds fabulous.... a convention for sure!

VBR said...

This is a fabulous J post. Thanks for sharing. I love to look at 'old' houses and buildings. They have charm and character and depth that so many new structures do not. Some of these remind me of miniature castles. I love the roofline he uses. Most excellent post.

storybeader said...

I love looking at the architectural attributes of buildings. These are great! The little "comfort stations" are so cute, and the cone rooms would be fun as a little getaway. Maybe to read in! {:-Deb

Jim said...

I like his style of houses, Karen. They seem to be very traditional to me. My sister would like his torrets which make them seem more castle-like.

His churches are nice too.

Is 'Wild' a made up name or did someone give him a nickname like that? Some people at work called me "Mr or Dr Excitemnt" because I'm pretty low key.

Thank you for peeking in on my "J's" and for your nice words.
Our daughter's (one of two daughters) name is Karen. I may use her next week for the "K" word. :)
..
..

Cathy Kennedy said...

Beautiful architecture with style and charm. You just don't see much of this being done in today's designs. Truly sad! :( What a great 'J' post!

Catherine said...

I love these! They all look like they belong on storybook pages! I especially like the white on on Freemont. I could move right in!

Gattina said...

A very talented architect !

FilipBlog said...

Some of these houses look enormous. Buidling with so many towers and chapels must be expensive.

Greetings,
Filip

darlin said...

Wow, this Jones was an amazing designer of homes and such. I particularly like house number two, the veranda and stone... yup, it's captured my attention. I agree that the first home needs a porch or something, it's pretty plain but I have an amazing imagination and with the porch, veranda or whatever one added would totally enhance this mini-castle.

Thank goodness Dairy Queen didn't get their way, what a shame that would have been!

Have a wonderful weekend Karen! Cheers.

JosephAlsarraf said...

Great pictures of the houses! I liked your video too! Interesting designs those houses have I like the 131 Oak Grove one the most! : )

Galen Pearl said...

Great photos, as always. J is also for my grandson Jaden James!

anitamombanita said...

Wonderful! Love the Ladd house!

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

wow!! LOTS and lots of really cool architecture!! i'm always partial to the STONE...those first few houses really look like little castles!!

GREAT pic's karen!!

Jenny said...

This is a wonderful tribute...

His work is amazing...

I would love to see it in person someday...

Great job for the letter "J"...

Thanks for linking.

A+

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