Horace Trumbauer

Horace Trumbauer was an American architect from the Gilded Age and became one of Philadelphia’s leading architects in the early middle part of the 20th century. He established his own firm in 1890 and, with a team of talented designers, began designing mostly private residences. He also created residences in other states such as New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. By the middle of his career, Trumbauer was designing commercial and public buildings as well.

Locally, Trumbauer created the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Fairmount Park and parts of the Free Library. He also designed buildings for Jefferson Medical College and the Hahnemann Medical College. He was known for designing college and university buildings throughout the country, most notably much of Duke University’s campus in Durham, North Carolina. He also built the Widener Library at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Trumbauer’s 1928 entry was the clubhouse of the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. It was built on 16th Street in 1907 under the club presidency of George D. Widener (1861-12). The building was one of the first reinforced concrete structures in Philadelphia, the first with an above-ground swimming pool and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The five-story brick and marble façade was built in neo-Georgian style and still serves its purpose. One of the club’s famous players was 1908 Jeu de Paume gold medalist Jay Gould.