Fred Wesley Wentworth facts for kids
Fred Wesley Wentworth (born August 3, 1864 – died October 5, 1943) was an important American architect. He was famous for designing many buildings in Downtown Paterson, New Jersey. He also designed homes and theaters in other parts of northeastern New Jersey.
Wentworth had a huge impact on shaping Paterson. This was especially true after a big fire in 1902. That fire destroyed a lot of the city's main business area. He designed many different types of buildings. These included offices, stores, homes, churches, hospitals, and some of the first movie theaters made just for showing movies!
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Early Life and Training
Fred Wesley Wentworth was born on August 3, 1864. His birthplace was Boxborough, Massachusetts. He grew up in Dover, New Hampshire.
He went to Dartmouth College. He graduated in 1889 with a degree in architecture. On May 9, 1893, he married Florence Agnes Marie Hurlburt. They did not have any children. He passed away on October 5, 1943. He is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Dover.
Rebuilding Downtown Paterson
Wentworth worked in Paterson from 1888 until 1943. When he first arrived, Paterson was a small factory town. But it grew very quickly. Its population almost tripled while he was there!
He designed many new types of buildings the city needed. These included the post office, the court house, movie theaters, and parking garages. He also designed factories and other business buildings.
In 1902, a huge fire destroyed most of the city's center. Wentworth was in charge of much of the rebuilding work after this disaster. He designed many buildings, sometimes working with his partner, Frederick J. Vreeland. Many of his designs are now part of the Downtown Commercial Historic District.
Some of his notable buildings in Paterson include:
- United States Post Office (1899)
- Passaic County Courthouse (1902)
- First National Bank Building (1910)
- Masonic Temple (1923)
- Alexander Hamilton Hotel (1925)
- YMCA Building (1929)
Other Public Buildings
Wentworth also designed other important public buildings. These helped the community in different ways.
Some of his other public projects include:
- Public School #10, Paterson
- Public School #13, Paterson
- Passaic County Tuberculosis Sanitarium (1928) in Preakness
- Passaic County Welfare Home (1936) in Haledon and Wayne
- Valley View Sanitarium (1927–31)
Religious Buildings
Fred Wesley Wentworth also designed places of worship. These buildings served the spiritual needs of the community.
His religious designs include:
- Broadway Baptist Church, Paterson
- Temple Emanuel (1929) in the Eastside Park Historic District, Paterson
Designing Movie Theaters
Wentworth was asked to build several movie theaters. He worked for a man named Jacob Fabian. The Regent Theater was one of his designs. It was one of the very first buildings made just for showing movies! He also designed other grand movie palaces.
Some of the movie theaters he designed are:
- Regent Theater (1914), Downtown Paterson (now gone)
- Branford Theater (1920), Four Corners, Newark
- Fabian Theater (1925), Downtown, Paterson
- Ritz Theatre (1926), Midtown, Elizabeth
- Stanley Theater (1928), Journal Square, Jersey City
Homes and Residences
Wentworth also designed many private homes and fraternity houses. These show his skill in creating beautiful living spaces.
Some of his residential designs include:
- Psi Upsilon Fraternity House (1907), Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
- Fred Wesley Wentworth House, Eastside Park Historic District, Paterson
- John W. Griggs House, Eastside Park Historic District, Paterson
- Hobart Manor (1915 expansion) for Garret Hobart, now part of William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey
- Atwood-Blauvelt mansion (1896–97), Oradell, New Jersey
- Casque and Gauntlet addition (1923), Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
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