Victor W. Voorhees

Victor W. Voorhees
Born	Victor W. Voorhees, Jr. May 4, 1876 Cambria, Wisconsin
Died	August 10, 1970 (aged 94) Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nationality	American
Occupation	Architect
Buildings	Washington Hall of Danish Brotherhood Building

Victor W. Voorhees (1876–1970) was an American architect most active in Seattle, Washington. He is credited with the design of over 110 building projects. His residential plan book, Western Home Builder, which went through six editions between 1907 and 1911, provided templates for popular local house designs like the Seattle box.^[1][2]

Life

Voorhees was born in Cambria, Wisconsin on May 4, 1876. After working as a real estate and loan agent in Minneapolis, he moved to Seattle and founded his first architectural firm, Fisher & Voorhees, in 1904. He practiced architecture in Seattle as principle in his own firm from 1906-1941, and was listed as a practicing architect in Seattle's city directory until 1957.^[3]

Projects

Washington Hall (1918), formerly the Danish Brotherhood Society Hall, in March 2013.

A Seattle box house, based on Voorhees' plan from Western Home Builder

Voorhees designed both commercial and residential buildings, including private homes, apartment buildings, automotive show rooms, movie theaters, and hotels. Several of his designs have been recognized as local and national historic landmarks, including:

• the Washington Hall (Seattle, Washington), a City of Seattle Landmark^[4]:5
• Old Georgetown City Hall, 6202 13th Ave., S., Seattle, Washington, listed on the National Register of Historic Places^[5]

References

1. Andersen, Dennis A.; Krafft, Katheryn H. (October 1994). "Plan and Pattern Books: Shaping Early Seattle Architecture". Pacific Northwest Quarterly 85 (4): 150–158. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
2. Chesley, Frank (August 19, 2009). "Housebuilding in Seattle: A History - Historylink.org essay 9116". HistoryLink.org: The Free Encyclopedia of Washington State History. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
3. Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl, ed. (1998) [1994]. Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press. ISBN 978-0-295-97366-1.
4. Zola Mumford and B. N. Barleycorn. "City of Seattle Landmark application: Washington Hall" (PDF).
5. Staff (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.