Wikipedia

Richards, McCarty & Bulford

Richards, McCarty & Bulford was an American architectural firm. It was active in Columbus, Ohio, from 1898 until 1943 and was for much of that period the leading architectural firm in the city. They were responsible for a wide range of public and private buildings built in Ohio and elsewhere in the Southern and Midwestern United States.

The School Building (1899) of the former Ohio Institution for the Deaf and Dumb in Columbus, designed in the Châteauesque style
The former Carnegie Public Library (1905) in Anderson, Indiana, designed in the Neoclassical style
The Ohio National Bank Building (1911) in Columbus, designed in the Neoclassical style
The Hardin County Courthouse (1915) in Kenton, designed in the Neoclassical style
The Frederick A. Miller House (1915) in Columbus, designed in the Tudor Revival style
The Athletic Club of Columbus (1916), designed in the Colonial Revival style
The Citizens Building (1917) in Columbus, designed in the Neoclassical style
The Lassen Hotel (1918) in Wichita, Kansas, designed in the Colonial Revival style
The First National, now INTRUST, Bank Building (1922), in Wichita, Kansas, designed in the Renaissance Revival style
South High School (1924) in Columbus, designed in the Colonial Revival style
The Ross building of the Columbus Museum of Art (1931), designed in the Renaissance Revival style
The Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse (1934) in Columbus, designed in the Stripped Classical style
The American Education Press Building (1936, demolished) in Columbus, designed in the Art Moderne style

History

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The firm was established in 1898 under the name Richards & McCarty by Clarence Earl Richards (February 22, 1865 – February 21, 1921) and Joel Edward McCarty (December 9, 1856 – July 22, 1952), employees of the leading local architectural firm, Yost & Packard. McCarty, the elder of the partners, was born in Macomb, Illinois. He was raised in Iowa and attended public schools before entering the Iowa State Normal School; after graduating in 1880 he taught for two years. In 1883 he moved to Columbus and joined the office of architect Joseph W. Yost, his mother's brother.[1]: 899–900  Richards was born in Jackson, Michigan. In 1871 Richards's father moved the family to a homestead in Butler County, Kansas; after ten years they moved into the county seat of El Dorado, where Richards completed his public school education. He then went on to the Kansas State Normal School to train as a teacher, which profession he followed until 1886. Richards had always wanted to be an architect or engineer and to that end he obtained a position as an assistant engineer with the Missouri Pacific Railroad. In that role he worked as a superintendent of buildings and bridges for the railroad's southwestern division. In 1889 he moved to Cincinnati, where he joined the office of established architect Edwin Anderson. After two years with Anderson he moved to Newark, Ohio, where he formed a partnership with his brother, an engineer, under the name Richards Brothers. In 1893 this was dissolved and Richards moved to Columbus, where he joined McCarty in the recently-reorganized firm of Yost & Packard.[2]: 316–317 

In 1899 they were joined by George Henry Bulford (January 19, 1870 – April 23, 1942) and the firm was reorganized under its familiar name. Bulford was born in Worcester, England, and came to Columbus in 1886 with his widowed mother and siblings. There, he joined McCarty in Yost's office and stayed until joining his former colleagues in partnership.[1]: 892–893  By 1920 the firm had emerged as the leading architects in Columbus and its partnership was recognized as being the longest-lasting in the profession in Ohio. By this time they had also completed notable works in Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.[2]: 316–317  In 1921 Richards died, though his partners continued under the same name.[1]: 899–900 

Bulford became active in the Columbus Chamber of Commerce during the presidency of his former employer, Frank L. Packard, in 1919–20. Packard appointed Bulford chair of the chamber's Civic Center committee, which was responsible for developing proposals for what became the Columbus Civic Center. After Bulford's committee made its report the influential Packard took over leadership of the project. Major planning did not begin until after Packard's death; to execute the project local architects, including McCarty and Bulford, formed the Allied Architects Association of Columbus in 1924. Bulford was president of the association for its entire existence and his firm was responsible for the last of the civic center buildings to be built, the Joseph P. Kinneary United States Courthouse (1934, NRHP-listed). The association was voluntarily dissolved in 1936.[3][4]

In December 1940 McCarty, aged 84, and Bulford, aged 70, were noted as two of Ohio's oldest and most respected architects.[3] Bulford died in the spring of 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II.[4] After Bulford's death McCarty apparently ceded control to two employees of the firm, Wilfred A. Paine and George D. Crumley, who formed a successor partnership under the name Paine & Crumley. With Crumley away on defense work during World War II, Paine's sudden death in October 1943 concluded the firm's 45 years of continuous operation.[5]

Legacy

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In 1945, shortly before the end of the war, the firm resumed as Tibbals, Crumley & Musson under the leadership of Todd Tibbals, Crumley and Noverre Musson.[6] In 1975 the firm, now led by Musson, merged with the practice of Wolfgang Doerschlag to form Doerschlag/Musson. Doerschlag withdrew only a year later and Musson continued the firm as Noverre Musson Associates until his retirement in 1987.[7]: 2246  Musson donated his records to the Ohio Historical Society in 1986.[8]

Richards, McCarty & Bulford has been described by historians at the General Services Administration as the "preeminent" architectural firm in Columbus.[9] The firm's partners were local leaders in the architectural profession. In 1913 McCarty and Bulford were among the charter members of AIA Columbus, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), with Bulford serving as inaugural chapter president.[10] McCarty served as chapter president in 1914, Richards in 1916 and Bulford served for a second term in 1921.[11]

A number of the firm's works, listed below, are listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Architectural works

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Indiana

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Kansas

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Kentucky

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Missouri

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Ohio

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Columbus

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Elsewhere

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Tennessee

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Texas

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See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Opha Moore, History of Franklin County, Ohio (Topeka and Indianapolis: Historical Publishing Company, 1930)
  2. 1 2 3 Osman Castle Hooper, History of the City of Columbus, Ohio (Columbus and Cleveland: Memorial Publishing Company, 1920)
  3. 1 2 3 "Buckeye architects: number five" in Ohio Architect (December 1940): 2.
  4. 1 2 3 "George H. Bulford, architect" in Ohio Architect (November-December 1942): 6-7.
  5. ↑ "Passing of W. A. Paine. A distinct loss to the profession" in Ohio Architect (Third quarter 1943): 15.
  6. ↑ Weekly Bulletin of the Michigan Society of Architects 19, no. 19 (March 6, 1945): 12.
  7. ↑ Who's Who in America, 45th ed., vol. 2 (Wilmette: Marquis Who's Who, 1988)
  8. ↑ Tibbals, Crumley and Musson records, Ohio History Connection, no date. Accessed May 31, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse," General Services Administration, no date. Accessed January 22, 2011.
  10. ↑ "New Columbus chapter of A.I.A." in Ohio Architect, Engineer and Builder (July 1913): 63.
  11. ↑ "Past presidents," AIA Columbus, April 20, 2025. Accessed May 31, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Marion's Carnegie library building," Marion Daily Leader, May 8, 1901.
  13. ↑ "Presbyterians to dedicate beautiful home this morning," Marion News-Tribune, December 11, 1904.
  14. ↑ "Marion's new jail to be modern affair," Marion News-Tribune, July 15, 1902.
  15. ↑ "Work on the library at Anderson," Indianapolis News, July 12, 1902.
  16. ↑ "Architects for the skyscraper. Work on the Beacon building will start at once," Wichita Daily Beacon, August 21, 1909.
  17. ↑ "Contractors will commence work on auditorium soon. Contract for new convention hall and market house formally let to Dieter & Wenzel yesterday," Wichita Daily Beacon, May 25, 1910.
  18. ↑ "Plans being made. No more delay on the Beacon building," Wichita Daily Beacon, August 31, 1909.
  19. ↑ "Hutchinson's skyscraper. A. O. Rorabaugh, of Wichita, interested in a new building in a neighboring city," Wichita Beacon, November 17, 1913.
  20. ↑ "Hotel to open, it has cost one million. Nothing better in entire middle west," Wichita Beacon, December 30, 1918.
  21. ↑ Architectural Forum 37, no. 6 (December 1922)
  22. ↑ Old Wheeler-Kelly-Hagny Building National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form (1982)
  23. ↑ O. C. Emery, "First National Bank formally opens tomorrow. First National Bank construction sets a new building record. Total cost of building without bank equipment is $1,450,000," Wichita Beacon, March 14, 1922.
  24. ↑ "Bank building designed for stability and service," Emporia Weekly Gazette, June 28, 1923.
  25. ↑ "Plans of the new S. T. & S. V. building," Lexington Herald, June 10, 1903.
  26. ↑ "To push work. New YMCA building to be ready to occupy by June 1 next year," Lexington Leader, June 7, 1903.
  27. ↑ "Bank moves to handsome home. Property of City National transferred to new building last night," Lexington Herald, December 17, 1905.
  28. ↑ Bettie L. Kerr, Lexington: A Century in Photographs (Lexington: Lexington-Fayette County Historical Commission, 1984)
  29. ↑ "Proposed Hill Street church which will occupy site of old church now being razed," Lexington Herald, September 22, 1907.
  30. ↑ "New First Methodist Church on High Street, which will be dedicated next Sunday morning," Lexington Herald, January 3, 1909.
  31. ↑ "$500,000 Phoenix Hotel. Eight-story addition to be erected at eastern side of the present building," Lexington Leader, March 27, 1910.
  32. ↑ "Cornerstone laid for new Broadway Christian Church," Lexington Leader, September 12, 1917.
  33. ↑ "Broadway church. Will be dedicated with impressive services Sunday," Lexington Leader, May 2, 1919.
  34. ↑ Walter E. Langsam, Eleventh District School National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form (1983)
  35. ↑ "Our new post office," Central Missouri Republican, January 1, 1914.
  36. ↑ "In new post office," Central Missouri Republican, June 3, 1915.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Jeffrey T. Darbee and Nancy A. Recchie, The AIA Guide to Columbus (Athens: Ohio University Press, 2008)
  38. ↑ Johnson-Campbell House National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form (1986)
  39. ↑ Brickbuilder (December 1910): 285.
  40. 1 2 Kathy Mast Kane, Frederick A. Miller House National Register of Historic Places Inventory–Nomination Form (1985)
  41. ↑ David Gebhard, The National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996)
  42. ↑ "Denison University growing. Granville institution expects soon to erect four more buildings," Newark Daily Advocate, June 19, 1903.
  43. ↑ Mary Anne Reeves, Barbara Powers and Nathalie Wright, Eldridge-Higgins Building National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (1998)
  44. 1 2 3 Mary Ellen Armentrout, Carnegie Libraries of Ohio: Our Cultural Heritage (Wellington, 2003)
  45. ↑ Charles R. Goslin, A History of the First Methodist Church of Lancaster, Ohio, 1799 to 1962 (Lancaster: First Methodist Church of Lancaster, 1962)
  46. ↑ John Deacon, "Lawrence County," American Courthouses, 2012. Accessed May 31, 2026.
  47. ↑ "Frank A. Huber to erect a residence," Marion Daily Star, September 30, 1907.
  48. ↑ John Deacon, "Hardin County," American Courthouses, 2015 and 2018. Accessed May 31, 2026.
  49. ↑ Ralph W. Kline, Marting Hotel National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (1999)
  50. ↑ "Preble County's $250,000 court house dedicated," Richmond Item, September 11, 1918.
  51. ↑ "State warned years ago of danger at penitentiary but ignored ideal plans at London prison farm," Dayton Daily News, April 27, 1930.
  52. ↑ Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Three Decades of Progress: A Retrospective of Growth (Columbus: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, 2002)
  53. ↑ "Dedicate new high school at Canal Winchester Monday night Dec. 16," Lancaster Daily Eagle, December 13, 1929.
  54. ↑ "Plans for school building received by school board. School board expects to have handsome new high school ready for 1931 graduation," Union County Journal, May 29, 1930.
  55. ↑ "Community spirit responsible for new hotel venture. Monument to Lancastrian pride, belief in home town," Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, June 3, 1940.
  56. ↑ "Knoxville's new banking structure" in Manufacturers' Record (July 9, 1908): 44.
  57. ↑ "Architects have been selected for hotel building," Wichita Daily Times, February 16, 1919.
  58. ↑ "Kemp Hotel opens doors to public Monday morning," Wichita Daily Times, October 4, 1920.
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