Proudfoot, Rawson & Souers

Proudfoot, Rawson & Souers was the name of an American architecture office owned by William Thomas “Willis” Proudfoot (2 May 1860 in Indianola, Iowa - 8 June 1928), Harry Dustan Rawson (1 September 1872 in Des Moines - 14 February 1934) and Henry Clark Souers (08.08.1888 - 04.07.1970 in Denver, Colorado). At times it was also known as Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson; Proudfoot, Rawson & Souers; Proudfoot, Rawson, Souers & Thomas; or Monheim, Bird & Proudfoot. A large number of their buildings are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, mostly in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1928, the company participated with the design Field House, University of Iowa in the Art Competitions in both categories Architecture, Designs for Town Planning, and Architecture, Architectural Designs. The Field House was officially inaugurated in 1927. It was funded by bonds and built for only $300,000. The building had a sports hall with a capacity of over 13,000 seats and at that time probably the world’s largest indoor swimming pool at 50 yards. A few years ago, the pool was replaced by a fitness center.

William Thomas Proudfoot’s father was a carpenter. In 1880, he started working for the architectural firm of Foster & Liebbe in Des Moines. His only professional training were courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which he attended for less than a year from 1884/85. He then worked in South Dakota, Kansas and Salt Lake City (Utah) before returning to Des Moines in 1896. He was considered one of the outstanding architects in the state of Iowa.

Harry Dustan Rawson received a B.A. degree in architecture from MIT in 1896. Subsequently, he went on a bicycle tour through Europe. After a short spell in Chicago, he returned to his hometown of Des Moines forming Hallett & Rawson, and in 1910, he joined Proudfoot & Bird. The company probably also benefitted from his brother Charles Augustus’ (1867-1936) connections as a senator and member of the Republican National Committee. He served as president of the Iowa Chapter of the AIA.

Henry Clark Souers attended architectural classes at Iowa State College and Columbia University. In New York he worked for Des Moines born architect Frank M. Andrews. In 1914, Souers returned to Iowa to join Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, as a designer. He married a local millionaire, which allowed him to pay his way into becoming a partner in 1925. He stayed with the firm until he left for Arizona in 1933. Souers died in a car crash near Denver, Colorado.