William Augustus Edwards

Infobox Architect


caption=Westcott Hall, used by permission of Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
name=William Augustus Edwards
nationality=American
birth_date=birth date|1866|12|8|mf=y
birth_place=Darlington, South Carolina
death_date=death date and age|1939|3|30|1866|12|61|mf=y
death_place=Atlanta, Georgia
practice_name=
significant_buildings=
Sumter County Courthouse (South Carolina)
Odd Fellows Building and Auditorium, Atlanta
significant_projects=
University of Florida Campus Historic District
awards=|

William Augustus Edwards, also known as William A. Edwards, (December 8, 1866-March 30, 1939) was an Atlanta-based American architect renowned for the educational buildings, courthouses and other public and private buildings that he designed in Florida, Georgia and his native South Carolina.

Early life and education

William Augustus Edwards was born in Darlington, South Carolina, the son of Augustus Fulton Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth Sarah Hart. After graduating from St. David's School in Society Hill, Edwards attended Richmond College, now the University of Richmond. for one year and then entered the
University of South Carolina where he received a degree in mechanical engineering in 1889. [ [http://www.nr.nps.gov/multiples/64000769.pdf Multiple Resource Area for 4 of the 9 South Carolina courthouses designed by William Augustus Edwards - 12 pages] ]

Career history

He and another Darlington County native, Charles Coker Wilson, set up an office together in Columbia, having previously worked in Roanoke, Virginia. The two men prospered for a time, but in 1901 Edwards found a new partner, Frank C. Walter. Between then and 1908 the two designed many public school buildings across the state. In 1908 the men moved their firm to Atlanta, Georgia, where they were briefly associated with an architect named Parnham. The firm lasted until 1911, at which point Walter left to work on his own.

In 1915 Edwards established another partnership, this one with William J. Sayward, and in 1919 Joseph Leitner joined the practice. Edwards continued working successfully from this office until his death in 1939.

Marriage and family

William Augustus Edwards married India Pearl Brown on December 21, 1898. They had two sons and two daughters. He was a member of the Unitarian Church.

Educational buildings

Among the academic institutions for which Edwards designed buildings were:

In Florida

From 1905-1925, William A. Edwards was architect for the Florida Board of Control and designed many buildings in the Collegiate Gothic style for the three existing state institutions of higher learning as well as other public schools.

Gainesville

*University of Florida: The following buildings in the University of Florida Campus Historic District:

Other

* Caroline Brevard Grammar School. Tallahassee

In Georgia

*Agnes Scott College, Decatur, Georgia: Buttrick Hall, 1930; McCain Library, 1936 [ [http://hcap.artstor.org/cgi-bin/library?a=d&d=d13 Historic Campus Project] ]
*Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia
*Georgia State Teachers College
* Georgia State Women's College (Valdosta State University)

In South Carolina

*Clemson College (Clemson University)
* Limestone College, Gaffney: Winnie Davis Hall, 1904,
* McMaster School, now USC's McMaster College, Columbia
*South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind, Spartanburg
*University of South Carolina, Columbia: Currell College (originally the law school named Petigru College, but changed in 1950 to Currell when a new Petigru was built for the law school) 1919,.
* Walhalla Graded School, Walhalla, 1901
*Winthrop College, Winthrop University, Rock Hill: Withers Building, Main Classroom - Office Building, 1912-1913.

County courthouses

William Augustus Edwards designed many county courthouses, as follows:

In Florida

* Hernando County Courthouse, 1913. [ [http://www.sptimes.com/2006/10/13/Hernando/Through_the_years.shtml St Petersburg Times: Brooksville 150 years] ]
* Sumter County Courthouse (Florida), 1914 [ [http://sumtercountyfl.gov/history.htm Sumter County Florida history] ]

In Georgia

* Fannin County Courthouse, Georgia, 1937, replaced 2004 by new courthouse next door. Old one is leased as "Georgia Mountain Center for the Arts". [ [http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/courthouses/fanninCH.htm Vinson Institute: courthouses in Georgia: Fannin] ] [ [http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/courthouses/fanninCHold.htm Vinson Institute: courthouses in Georgia: Old Fannin] ]
* Tift County Courthouse, Georgia, 1912-13 [ [http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/courthouses/tiftCH.htm Vinson Institute: courthouses in Georgia: Tift] ]

In South Carolina

Between 1908 and 1915 Edwards designed nine county courthouses for the state of South Carolina, all of which are still standing except the ones in Kershaw and Darlingon which were destroyed. The courthouses are as follows:
*Abbeville County Courthouse
*Calhoun County Courthouse
*Darlington County Courthouse, 1904 - 1964, replaced by highrise courthouse on same site [ [http://www.darcosc.com/Administrator/ Darlington County Administrator's page: has picture] ]
*Dillon County Courthouse
*Kershaw County Courthouse, destroyed
*Jasper County Courthouse
*Lee County Courthouse
*Sumter County Courthouse
*York County Courthouse

Other buildings

In Florida

* Covington House, Tallahassee, 1926
* Exchange Bank Building, Tallahassee, Florida
* Hotel Thomas, Gainesville, Florida, 1919

In Georgia

* City Hall and Firehouse, Bainbridge
* Odd Fellows Building and Auditorium, Atlanta, 1912-1913
* University Homes in the Atlanta University Center District
* Unitarian Church of Atlanta, 669 West Peachtree Street, 1915 [ [http://www.pitts.emory.edu/Archives/text/rg026.html Historical notes on Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta] ]
* U.S. Post Office and Courthouse (Columbus, Georgia), 1933

In South Carolina

* Abbeville Opera House, Abbeville
* Cain House at 1619 Pendleton Street, Columbia, South Carolina. 1912. now "The Inn at USC"'.
* South Carolina State Armory,1219 Assembly Street, Columbia, 1905

Reference

External links

* [http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/ufarch/edwards.htm Biography at the University of Florida library website]
* [http://www.international.icomos.org/madrid2002/actas/59.pdf Tate, Susan, Preservation and Compatible Growth of a Twentieth Century Campus: The University of Florida]