John Joseph McMahon (April 22, 1875 – September 8, 1958) was an American architect who even today remains highly regarded for his churches, schools and other buildings for Catholic clients in Connecticut, especially Hartford and New Haven.

Early life and architectural training McMahon was born April 22, 1875, in Hartford, Connecticut, where he would live for the rest of his life. He studied as a boy at St. Patrick School where one of his classmates, John F. Callahan, would later become a Catholic priest and one of McMahon's clients. He left school a few months before graduation in 1890 and took a job as an errand boy.

Three years later he was hired by the architectural firm of Frederick R. Comstock as an apprentice. He worked both in Hartford and New York City. His most notable project was the 1899 Second Church of Christ Scientist, located at 68th Street and Central Park West, New York City. His architectural training was cut short when he enlisted in the Connecticut National Guard to take part in the Spanish–American War. Eventually McMahon attained the rank of colonel and was henceforth known, professionally and otherwise, as "the Colonel".

Architectural practice In 1900 McMahon became associate architect of the Hartford, CT firm J. J. Dwyer & J. J. McMahon, with John J. Dwyer. He remained in this position until 1911 when he entered into a long partnership with Frank Warren Whiton, forming the firm of Whiton and McMahon. They continued together until 1932 when the practice was dissolved due to the economic depression. After that McMahon practiced under his own name and briefly with architect Russell Hills.

Works include

J. J. Dwyer and J. J. McMahon Mount Saint Joseph Academy, West Hartford, Connecticut St. Michael Church, Hartford, Connecticut St. Augustine Church, Hartford, Connecticut (basement only) St. Joseph Church, Danbury, Connecticut St. Mary Church, Simsbury, Connecticut (this church has since been replaced) St, Mary Church, Branford, Connecticut (this church has since been replaced) St. Patrick Church, Bridgeport, Connecticut (superstructure only, built on a basement church by James Murphy St. Francis Hospital Hartford, Connecticut (administration building) Elks Club Lodge, Hartford, Connecticut St. Teresa Church, Woodbury, Connecticut St Mary's Home for the Aged, West Hartford, Connecticut St. Peter's Parochial School, Hartford, CT St. John's School for Boys, Deep River, CT St. John's Parochial School, Watertown, CT St. Joseph's Novitiate, West Hartford, CT

Whiton and McMahon

St. Luke Church, Hartford, Connecticut (basement church, later completed by another unknown architect) St. Justin Church, Hartford, Connecticut St. Augustine Church, Hartford, Connecticut (superstructure, school and rectory) St. Paul Church, Glastonbury, Connecticut St. Lawrence O'Toole Church, Hartford, Connecticut (with Russell Hills) St. John of the Cross Church, Middlebury, Connecticut St. Brendan Church, New Haven, Connecticut St. Rose of Lima Church, New Haven, Connecticut St. Bernard Church, Sharon, Connecticut St. Peter Church, Hartford, Connecticut (new towers) St. Gabriel Church, Windsor, Connecticut * St. Mary Chapel, Newington, Connecticut (this church has since been replaced) Most Holy Trinity Church, Hartford, Connecticut St. Thomas the Apostle Church, West Hartford, Connecticut Wilson St. School, Hartford CT Arsenal School, Hartford CT Alfred E. Burr School, Hartford CT St James Parochial School, Manchester, CT Washington St. School additions, Hartford CT Richard J. Kinsella School, (now the Betances School), Hartford CT Dr. James H Naylor School, Hartford, CT Moylan (Hillside Ave)School, Hartford, CT

John J. McMahon Corpus Christi Church, Wethersfield, Connecticut St Peter and Paul Church, Norwich, Connecticut St. Thomas the Apostle Church (superstructure), School and rectory, West Hartford, Connecticut

References

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