Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger facts for kids
Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger (born September 29, 1891, in Sumter, South Carolina – died February 3, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was an important American architect. He designed many famous buildings in and around the city of Pittsburgh.
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Early Life and Education
Louis Bellinger was born in Sumter, South Carolina. He loved learning and went to Howard University, a well-known college. In 1914, he earned a special degree in architecture. This meant he had learned how to design buildings.
After college, Bellinger moved to Philadelphia. He also spent some time teaching math in Florida and South Carolina. In 1917, he joined the U.S. Army. He trained at a place called Fort Des Moines.
In 1919, Louis Bellinger moved to Pittsburgh with his wife, Ethel. Ethel was a music teacher. She taught music to many students, first on her own, and later at a school.
Designing Pittsburgh's Buildings
In the early 1920s, Bellinger started working for the city of Pittsburgh. He helped design many important buildings. These included a police station and buildings in city parks. He even designed a baseball field called Central Park.
In 1926, Louis Bellinger decided to start his own business as an architect. One of his first projects was a building in Philadelphia. At that time, there were very few African-American architects in the country, fewer than sixty!
Famous Pittsburgh Designs
In the late 1920s and 1930s, Bellinger designed some of his most famous buildings in Pittsburgh.
- The New Granada Theater: This theater is in an area called the Hill District. It was first built for a group called the Knights of Pythias. This building is still standing today! It's so important that it's listed as a historic landmark.
- Greenlee Field: In 1931, Bellinger designed this baseball field for Gus Greenlee. It was used by Negro league baseball teams, which were baseball teams for African-American players.
- Other designs: Bellinger also designed his own home, apartment buildings, and helped remodel churches in nearby towns like Wilkinsburg and East Liberty.
Public Service and Later Work
In 1932, Louis Bellinger decided to get involved in politics. He ran for a seat in the United States Congress as a Republican. He was the only African-American candidate running in his area, but he was not elected.
Later in the 1930s, Bellinger closed his private architecture business. He then worked for the city as a building inspector for several years. This job meant he checked buildings to make sure they were safe and built correctly.
In his last years, in 1945 and 1946, he went back to designing. He created new plans and updated older public and private buildings.
Louis Bellinger passed away on February 3, 1946. He is buried in Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh. His buildings are still an important part of Pittsburgh's history and show his great talent.
