George W. Longstaff

Barnum Institute of Science and History, Bridgeport, CT. 1891-93.

Westerly Memorial and Public Library, Westerly, RI. 1894.

Waldo C. Bryant House, Bridgeport, CT. 1895.

George W. Longstaff (1850-1901) was an American architect practicing in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

George W. Longstaff was born in 1850 in England. In early life he relocated to the United States, eventually arriving in Bridgeport.^[1] His education, training, and early career are unknown. Around 1885 he established the partnership of Longstaff & Hurd with Frank W. Hurd (1857-1915),^[2] a lumber and millwork dealer. In addition to designing buildings, the firm also dealt substantially in millwork and interior decoration. The firm was dissolved in 1894 after a bankruptcy, brought upon by the Panic of 1893. In 1895 Longstaff formed the G. W. Longstaff Company.^[3] This firm was succeeded in 1898 by G. W. & H. Longstaff, with Herbert Longstaff. Longstaff also often served as the contractor or builder on his designs.

He died in New York City January 12, 1901.^[1]

Architectural works

Longstaff & Hurd, c.1885-1894:

• Burroughs Memorial Chapel, St. John's Episcopal Church, 768 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1886–88) - On the north end of the building.^[4]
• Sherman H. Hubbard House, 115 Broad St., Bridgeport, CT (1887)^[5]
• P. T. Barnum House (Marina), 374 Linden Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1888–89) - Demolished.^[6]
• Edinburgh Crescent, 431-449 Washington Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1889)^[7]
• Frederick J. Banks House, 803 Clinton Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1890)^[8]
• Ingleside, Ingleside Pl., Bridgeport, CT (1890) - Longstaff's own residence until he lost it in 1894. Evidently vacant.^[9]
• Sea Side Club, State St. & Lafayette Blvd., Bridgeport, CT (1890) - Demolished.^[8]
• Barnum Grammar School, 529 Noble Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1891) - Built with a third floor, now removed.^[10]
• Barnum Institute of Science and History, 820 Main St., Bridgeport, CT (1891–93)^[11]
• Sanford Building, 16 Cannon St., Bridgeport, CT (1891) - Longstaff & Hurd had their offices here. Demolished.^[12]
• Barnum-Thompson Building, 177 State St., Bridgeport, CT (1892)^[13]
• Staples Building, 189 State St., Bridgeport, CT (1892)^[13]
• Maplewood Avenue School, 434 Maplewood Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1893)^[14]
• Wheeler School, 115 Highland Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1893)^[15]
• Westerly Memorial and Public Library, 44 Broad St., Westerly, RI (1894)^[16]

G. W. Longstaff Company, 1895-1898:

• Waldo C. Bryant House, 271 Park Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1895) - Now Bryant Hall of the University of Bridgeport.^[17]
• Wilmot & Hobbs Manufacturing Co. Factory, Cherry St. & Hancock Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1895) - Demolished.^[18]
• Court Exchange Building, 211 State St., Bridgeport, CT (1896)^[19]
• Mailands, N. Benson Rd., Fairfield, CT (1896) - A residence of Oliver G. Jennings. Now Fairfield University's McAuliffe Hall.^[20]

G. W. & H. Longstaff, 1898-1901:

• Westerly Memorial and Public Library (Gallery wing), 44 Broad St., Westerly, RI (1898) - Attached to the rear of the 1894 building.^[21]
• Edward Fitzgerald House, 480 E. Washington Ave., Bridgeport, CT (1900-01)
• Burroughs Library (Remodeling), 955 Main St., Bridgeport, CT (1900) - Demolished.^[22]

Other work

Longstaff also entered, but lost, the architectural competitions for the Clinton Avenue School (1888),^[23] Y. M. C. A. Building (1888)^[6] and the First Baptist Church (1892),^[24] all in Bridgeport. He was also appointed supervising architect for the U. S. Post Office at the corner of Broad & Cannon Streets in 1889.^[25] It has been demolished.

The Clinton Avenue School^[26] and Y. M. C. A. Building^[27] went to Warren R. Briggs, and the First Baptist Church^[28] to Joseph W. Northrop.

References

1. New York Herald 14 Jan. 1901: 12.
2. "Frank W Hurd (1857 - 1915) - Find A Grave Memorial". findagrave.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
3. Waldo, George Curtis. Standard's History of Bridgeport. 1897.
4. St. John's Episcopal NRHP Nomination
5. Engineering and Building Record 22 Oct. 1887: 592.
6. American Architect and Building News 1888.
7. "Historic Buildings of Connecticut". historicbuildingsct.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
8. Engineering Record, Building Record and Sanitary Engineer 1890: xi.
9. Charles, Eleanor. "Connecticut Guide". New York Times 4 May 1986.
10. Sanitary News 9 Aug. 1890: 180.
11. Faude, Wilson H. Hidden History of Connecticut. 2010.
12. Sanitary News 1 Nov. 1890: 322.
13. "Historic Buildings of Connecticut". historicbuildingsct.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
14. Waldo, George C., Jr. History of Bridgeport and Vicinity. New York: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917.
15. Waldo, George C., Jr. History of Bridgeport and Vicinity. New York: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917.
16. Jordy, William H. Buildings on Paper: Rhode Island Architectural Drawings, 1825-1945. 1982.
17. http://focus.nps.gov/pdfhost/docs/NRHP/Text/82004382.pdf
18. Chicago Journal of Commerce 28 March 1895: 23.
19. "Historic Buildings of Connecticut". historicbuildingsct.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
20. Chronicle (Southport, CT) 18 June 1896: 3.
21. Monthly Bulletin of the Westerly Public Library June 1898.
22. Engineering News 30 Aug. 1900: 67.
23. American Architect and Building News 1 Sept. 1888: 93.
24. Catalogue of Practical Books on Architecture, Building, Carpentry, Painting and Decoration. New York: William T. Comstock, 1890s.
25. Evening Gazette (Pittston, PA) 28 June 1889.
26. Building 4 Feb. 1888: 3.
27. History of Bridgeport and Vicinity. 1917.
28. "Historic Buildings of Connecticut". historicbuildingsct.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.