Edward B. Stratton
Edward B. Stratton | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 21, 1870 Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | June 1, 1953 (aged 83) Marblehead, Massachusetts, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Architect |
Edward B. Stratton (March 21, 1870 – June 1, 1953) was an American architect in practice in Boston during the early 20th century. Chiefly a residential architect, Stratton designed apartment buildings and homes throughout Greater Boston.
Life and career
Edward Bowman Stratton was born March 21, 1870, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, to William A. Stratton and Ellen M. Stratton, née Paine.[1] He worked as a drafter for several Boston architects, spending the longest amount of time with J. Williams Beal. He was a member of the Boston Architectural Club (BAC) and took advantage of the club's night classes in architecture and design. In 1897 he was the inaugural, and possibly only, recipient of a BAC traveling scholarship which enabled him to spend a year studying abroad.[2] He began practice c. 1900 as a partner of Frederic P. Simonds in the firm of Stratton & Simonds. Then, c. 1903, he joined Arthur Bowditch to form Bowditch & Stratton. This lasted until c. 1907, after which Stratton practiced independently for the rest of his career.[1]
With Bowditch, Stratton was involved in the design of the Vermont Building (1904, NRHP-listed) and the Stoneholm (1907), "a splendid Baroque extravanganza" of an apartment building in Brookline.[3] As an independent practitioner, he was primarily a residential architect. In Boston proper he designed apartment buildings and apartment hotels, including the Hotel Puritan (1909) and the Charlesview (1924) in the Back Bay.[4][5] Across the river in Cambridge he designed the Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (1935) in the Neo-Byzantine style often used for Orthodox churches.[6]
In the Boston suburbs Stratton was a prolific architect of single-family homes, including his own home (1912, NRHP-listed) in Newton.[7] He also designed the former West Newton branch of the Newton Free Library (1926), now used as an annex by the Newton Police Department, and the Woman's Club of Newton Highlands (1927), eclectic buildings in the Tudor and Spanish Colonial Revival styles, respectively.[8][9]
Outside of Greater Boston Stratton completed several projects in Stamford, Connecticut, including the pavilion (1922, demolished) at Cummings Park and the Gurley, now Valeur, Building (1925), a downtown office building.[10][11]: 7-2 (PDF p.5) Further afield is Casa De Josefina (1923, NRHP-listed) near Lake Wales, Florida, which is unique in Stratton's portfolio. It is unclear how he was chosen architect as his clients, Irwin A. and Josephine Yarnell, were from Minneapolis. Casa De Josefina is an elaborate Mediterranean Revival mansion, combining elements of Italian, Spanish and Gothic architecture.[12]
Personal life and death
Stratton was married in 1903 to Bertha E. Smith.[1] They had four children, including three sons and one daughter. He died June 1, 1953, in Marblehead at the age of 83.[13]
References
- ^ a b c Edward Bowman Stratton, Back Bay Houses, no date. Accessed June 26, 2025.
- ^ "New kind of scholarship: Mr. Edward B. Stratton the fortunate man," Boston Globe, July 4, 1897.
- ^ Douglass Shand-Tucci, Built in Boston: City and Suburb, 1800–2000 (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1999): 145-146.
- ^ 388-390 Commonwealth, Back Bay Houses, no date. Accessed June 26, 2025.
- ^ 534 Beacon (1 Charlesgate East), Back Bay Houses, no date. Accessed June 26, 2025.
- ^ Jeffery Howe, Houses of Worship: An Identification Guide to the History and Styles of American Religious Architecture (San Diego: Thunder Bay Press, 2003): 278.
- ^ Historic Building Detail: NWT.2897 (Stratton, Edward B. House), Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed June 26, 2025.
- ^ Historic Building Detail: NWT.3871 (West Newton Branch Memorial Library), Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed June 26, 2025.
- ^ Historic Building Detail: NWT.3374 (Newton Highlands Womens Club), Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, no date. Accessed June 27, 2025.
- ^ Engineering News-Record 86, no. 17 (April 28, 1921): 248.
- ^ Nils Kerschus and John Herzan (January 1983). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Downtown Stamford Historic District". National Park Service. and Accompanying 21 photos, from 1982 and 1983
- ^ Diane Greer and J. Rodney Little, Casa de Josefina NRHP Inventory–Nomination Form (1975)
- ^ "Edward B. Stratton," Boston Globe, June 2, 1953.