William Tinsley (architect) facts for kids
William Tinsley (born February 7, 1804 – died June 14, 1885) was a talented architect from Ireland. He moved to the United States in 1851 with his family. They settled in Cincinnati, where William Tinsley became well-known for designing many important buildings across the Midwestern United States.
Early Life in Ireland
William was born in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. He was the younger son of Thomas Tinsley and Lucy Brough. Around 1820, he joined his family's building business.
When he was 21, William changed his religion to Methodism. After his father passed away in 1825, William took over the family company. He received many jobs from local landowners. One of his most notable projects was rebuilding Darling Hill, a large estate.
William also studied the designs of a famous church architect named James Pain. After Pain's death, Tinsley became the official architect for the Diocese of Lismore. He designed the chapter house for St. John's Cathedral, Cashel, which held the famous Bolton Library.
Moving to the United States
In 1851, times were tough in Ireland after a period called the Great Famine, which meant less work for architects. So, William, his wife Lucy, and their nine children decided to move to the United States. They sailed from Waterford to New York, stopping in Liverpool along the way.
They eventually settled in Cincinnati. William's first big project in his new country was designing the original building for North Western Christian University. He started this work in late 1852 or early 1853.
William Tinsley went on to design many other important buildings. These include Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, and buildings for colleges like Rockwell, Kenyon (Ascension Hall), and Wabash. He also worked on Ohio Wesleyan University and Bascom Hall at the University of Wisconsin.
It's also believed he designed Christ Church at the Quarry (1863) in Gambier, Ohio. He was also the architect for Grace Episcopal Church in Pomeroy, Ohio, and St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Circleville, Ohio, built in 1866-1867. His last major project was the Ohio State School for the Blind in Columbus. William Tinsley passed away in 1885 and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Bascom Hall's Story
Bascom Hall was first called Main Hall. It opened in 1859 and was the very first building on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus used only for teaching. The building grew bigger with new parts added in 1899, 1905, and 1927.
Originally, Bascom Hall had a tall, impressive dome. But in 1916, the dome burned down and was never replaced. In 1856, a report described the building's plans. It said the building would have rooms for classes, lectures, a library, and even an observatory. It would also have labs, apartments for two faculty families, a dining hall for students, and a chapel. All parts of science, literature, arts, medicine, and law would fit inside.
Today, Bascom Hall is a famous and important building at UW-Madison. It houses the offices of the university's chancellor, the dean of students, and other leaders. The building still has some classrooms and two large lecture halls.
