Re: Architect questions

Well, in 1881:

"The original plan was to put up a building that should cost twenty-five thousand dollars, half to be raised at home, while they hoped to raise the rest among the generous people of the state who loved Granville. These donors stipulated that "they would pay the sums opposite their names, provided that the church should raise twelve thousand dollars, and that the whole amount raised should reach $25000."

As always happens, however, in the end it cost more, indeed twice as much, the contract, as before stated, being for thirty-three thousand dollars, while the furnishing and finishings brought it up to a fraction less than fifty thousand dollars."

[So...]

"The building committee consisted of Deacon Shepardson, Mr. E.M. Downer, and Professor A. U. Thresher. The Architect was Mr. L. B. Vaulk, of New York City, and the contractors Messrs. Gerber and Vance, of Newark. If crowded, the building

will seat about twelve hundred."

[Dedication in November 1883]

Now, Levi Scofield was architect of both the Ohio Reformatory in Mansfield, and the Athens Asylum complex (beloved of Ohio University alumni and their parents who attended all the home games for the marching band, overlooking Peden Stadium as it does). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Scofield

The history volume for Granville Baptists is in error at least in spelling: the architect was Lawrence B. Valk (no U), and HE has some interesting credits:

L. B. Valk was an architect who designed many churches and residences in the United States between 1859 and 1924.
Born in Florida in 1838, Valk was listed in New York City directories as an architect as early as 1859. His son Arthur was his junior partner in the firm from 1885 on.
Valk's work included the First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska (1884-1885) and the Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in New Orleans (1886-1887).
Firm: Valk's firm, L. B. Valk and Son, was based in Brooklyn, New York. During the decades when they were based in New York, Lawrence and Arthur Valk completed commissions for many churches in New York and other states east of the Mississippi River. After moving to Los Angeles in the late 1890s, they spent the remainder of their careers designing Craftsman bungalows along with a smaller number of known churches. In addition, Arthur Valk is credited with designing some of California's early movie theaters.

A list of some of his buildings:

https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2017/Architects_valk.pdf

And a much longer list -- which doesn't include Granville! But clearly he's the architect here.
https://noveltytheater.net/person/lawrence-b-valk

I hope you have as much fun skimming those links as I did finding them!

Pax,
Jeff Gill
http://knapsack.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/Knapsack
"Live your faith, share your life"

On Tue, Nov 26, 2024 at 9:08 PM David Ball <dball@rosenbergball.com> wrote:

Hi Jeff, 

Kim and I were watching the Shawshank redemption a day or two ago and it certainly looked like the stonework of the original building of the Ohio reformatory was very very similar to the stonework of the United Church of Granville. Our Internet research suggests that the architect of the Ohio reformatory was Eric Scofield. I have to think that the architect of our church was the same man. Curious if you have any information about this? 

Best, Dave

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