- Brentwood S. Tolan
Brentwood S. Tolan (
November 23 ,1855 -June 30 ,1923 ) was an Americanarchitect .Born in
Delphos, Ohio to Thomas J. and Harriet Skinner Tolan. With little formal art training, he apprenticed under his father, a marble craftsman-turned architect, starting in 1872 at age 17. In 1874, the father moved the family and architectural practice toFort Wayne, Indiana .The younger Tolan continued the architectural practice in Fort Wayne after his father's death in 1883. He became well-known during the
Progressive Era the Great Lakes area of theMidwest for designing municipal and local government buildings, includingcourthouse s and jails.His most notable work is the
National Historic Landmark -designated Allen County Courthouse in downtown Fort Wayne. Other prominent buildings include the Whitley County Courthouse inColumbia City, Indiana , the La Porte County Courthouse inLa Porte, Indiana as well as the now-demolished Old National Bank Building and Masonic Temple and Opera House in Fort Wayne.He later moved to
Lima, Ohio , where he practiced with the firm DeCurtin, Rawson, and Tolan. He is buried in Delphos, Ohio.External links
* [http://www.kneller.com/WhitleyIN/photos01.html Whitley County Courthouse photo]
* [http://www.historiclandmarks.org/noted/restored/restored1003.html Allen County Courthouse facts]
* [http://www.lapcohistsoc.org/history.htm La Porte County Historical Society site with courthouse pictures]
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