John Bailey McElfatrick (1826-1906), Architect
DBA: J. B. McElfatrick
John Bailey McElfatrick was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1826. He studied the trades of architecture and engineering under his father, Edward McElfatrick. By 1851, he was practicing independently. McElfatrick worked in Pennsylvania as well as cities further west, such as Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis. He began building theatres in 1855, which was the start of a specialized career; some deemed his work influential enough to call him "The Father of American Theatres." By the 1880s, his sons William H. and John Morgan, had joined his company.[1][2] He is credited with building over one hundred playhouses in New York City, Washington, Indianapolis, Memphis, Baltimore, St. Louis, Detroit, Atlanta, Boston, Nashville, Ottawa, Montreal, and elsewhere, including several in Nebraska.[2][5] J. B. McElfatrick died in 1906.[1][11][d]
This page is a contribution to the publication, Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. See the format and contents page for more information on the compilation and page organization.
Nebraska Buildings & Projects
Boyds Opera House (1881), (known was "Farnam Street Opera House after 1891), 15th & Farnam, Omaha, Nebraska.[3][b]
Remodeling survey of Hallo Opera House (1882), Lincoln, Nebraska.[6][1]
Plans for a Lutheran Church (1882), Omaha, Nebraska.[9][10][c]
Plans for "The Big Hotel" (1882), proposed for Tenth and Farnham, Omaha, Nebraska.[12][13][f]
Kearney Opera House (1890), 21st Street & Central Ave., Kearney, Nebraska.[4][e]
New Boyd Opera House (1890-1891), 17th & Harney, Omaha, Nebraska.[7][8][b]
Lansing Theater (1891), SW corner of 13th & P, Lincoln, Nebraska.[5][17]
Notes
a. The (Lincoln) Daily News of April 18, 1882 contained a brief mention that "J. H. [sic] McElfatrick, the celebrated architect of Louisville, Ky., who built the Grand opera house at Indianapolis and Boyd's at Omaha, is here in answer to a telegram from Hallo for the purpose of making a survey of the opera house, with a view of remodeling and improving it for more conveniently accommodating the public."[6]
b. James E. Boyd built a new opera house (also designed by McElfatrick) in 1891 and sued to prevent the earlier building from continuing to be advertised as "Boyd's" opera house. As a result, the original building was renamed "Farnam Street Opera House" and Mr. Boyd was able to use his name on his new building.[7][8]
c. Nebraska State Journal reported in April 1882 (citing Omaha Herald) that the "Plans for the new Lutheran church are being drawn by McElfatrick & Son, of St. Louis, architects of the Boyd opera house...The general plan decided upon by the committee, contemplates a brick building sixty-six by seventy-five feet, of the amphitheatre style...to have a seating capacity of between 700 and 800...A neat but plain exterior with a tower but no steeple, and in modern style is contemplated." Those plans may not have been adopted, as Omaha Daily Herald reported in June 1882 that Dufrene & Mendelssohn "are finishing the plans for the Lutheran church at Sixteenth and Harney streets" to be 65x80 feet with a tower and spire rising 150 feet.[9][10]
d. Considerable information about McElfatrick's architectural practice, especially in the period of his partnership with his sons, can be gleaned from a New York Supreme Court case between William H. McElfatrick and Margarette E. McElfatrick, widow of John B., regarding who had rights to use the name J. B. McElfatrick on an architectural practice after John's death.[11]
e. In 1890-1891 Kearney boosters commenced a long-awaited new opera house, including the facility within a five-story mixed-use building. Kearney architects Frank, Bailey & Farmer were described as "engaged upon the working plans of the new Kearney National block," referring to Kearney National Bank which was to be housed in the new opera house building. Subsequent accounts mentioned proposals received from several other Nebraska architects and firms including William Gray of Lincoln, F. E. Ellis of Omaha, and C. C. Rittenhouse of Hastings, before J. B. McElfatrick of Saint Louis was announced as the chosen designer.[4]
f. Omaha Bee reported in February 1882 that Omaha contractors had received a letter from McElfatrick that the architect "will be here in about three weeks with the completed plans for the big hotel which is to be erected on the corner of Tenth and Farnham streets," to cost $250,000 and "promised...[to] overshadow the other two splendid structures now being built, the Grand Central and Millard." [12][13] John Hamlin of Nebraska City, representing "the Finley estate, in Pennsylvania," was identified as the developer and architect McElfatrick brought the plans to Omaha in March 1882 for a five-story, 250 room hotel.[14] The project was subsequently abandoned; George A. Joslyn proposed an even larger hotel for that intersection in 1886 and by 1887 abandoned that effort as well. SEE Mendelssohn & Fisher, Architects.
References
1. Sandra L. Tatman, "McElfatrick, John Bailey (1826-1906)", Philadelphia Architects and Buildings (2017). Accessed on January 2, 2017. https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/23155
2. "McElfatrick, John Bailey", Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, n.d. Accessed on January 2, 2017. http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/2195
3. Omaha Illustrated: A History of the Pioneer Period and the Omaha of Today. (Omaha: D. C. Dunbar & Company, January, 1888).
4. “A Grand Structure,” Kearney Daily Hub (May 17, 1890), 4.
5. "Valuable Site Purchased. Tangible Evidence of a New Opera House. Henry Oliver and J. F. Lansing Proprietors--Ed A. Church Manager--Bids for Excavation Now Being Received," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (May 2, 1891), 7; "Here is the New Theatre. How the Lansing Will Look when Completed...A House that Mr. McElphatrick [sic] Declares Will Be Surpassed in State Appointments By No Theatre in the Whole Country," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (July 12, 1891), 12 (illustrated with perspective).
6. (Lincoln, Nebraska) Daily News (April 18, 1882), 4; (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (April 19, 1882), 4.
7. "Starting the New Boyd," Omaha World-Herald (May 29, 1890), 5.
8. "It Has Taken A New Name. Boyd's Opera House No More--It is Now 'Farnam Street Opera House,'" (Omaha) Morning World-Herald (July 28, 1891), 8.
9. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (April 30, 1882), 3 (citing "Omaha Herald).
10. "Summer Building. Active Operations Among the Architects and Contractors," Omaha Daily Herald (June 17, 1882), 8.
11. "W. H. McElfatrick v. M. E. McElfatrick," 1908, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division--First Department On-line at https://books.google.com/books?id=8oNm5yNAttkC&pg=RA1-PA88&lpg=RA1-PA88&dq=J.+M.+McElfatrick&source=bl&ots=rek9vciTDS&sig=h-zdBJgcfF_qlQssKhNCS9LGte8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiOz-Pw25jYAhWWyIMKHW4tCR4Q6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=J.%20M.%20McElfatrick&f=false accessed December 20, 2017.
12. "Architect McElfatrick...writes that he is now at work on the plans of the Hamlin hotel...the daisy house of the west," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (February 4, 1882), 8.
13. "Sure to Go Up. The Big Hotel on Tenth and Farnham [sic] Streets a Certainty," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (February 13, 1882), 8.
14. "Its Going Up. Another Magnificent Hotel to be Built This Year. It will cost $250,000 and be erected on the corner of Farnam and Tenth Streets," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (March 11, 1882), 8.
15. "Hamlin's Hotel. The Deeds of the Property Ready for Delivery--A Good Title Assured," Omaha (Nebraska) Evening Bee (April 1, 1882), 1.
16. William S. Skinner, One Hundred Views of Kearney, Buffalo County, Nebraska, Kearney, Nebraska: For sale by T. N. Hartzell, city clerk (1892), 43-44, (includes exterior and two interior views). Accessed on-line January 14, 2024 at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=one+hundred+views+of+kearney&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
17. Jim McKee, The Lansing Theatre, an amazing Lincoln landmark," Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star (April 19, 2015), D7.
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Page Citation
D. Murphy and E. Zimmer, “John Bailey McElfatrick (1826-1906), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, January 14, 2024. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 1, 2024.
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