Frederick W. Keith (1879-1954) was an American architect, beginning his career in Indianola, Iowa but gaining prominence while practicing in Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Fargo, North Dakota. After a successful independent practice, he joined forces with William F. Kurke as Keith & Kurke.
Life Frederick Keith was born in Iowa in 1879, worked as an art professor for Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa, where he designed an auditorium that was never built.Indianola Herald, March 28, 1901 He married Eulah Goodhue of Indianola on January 15, 1902 Advocate Tribune, January 16, 1902 and they had a son in December 1902.Advocate Tribune December 25, 1902 After the Carnegie Foundation awarded $10,000 to Indianola, Keith partnered with a local contractor named W.J. Beymer Indianola, Herald, April 16, 1903 and they opened an architectural firm in order to submit a bid for the design and construction of Indianola's free public library. The short-lived firm of Beymer & Smith submitted the lowest of six bids and built Indianola's Carnegie using local craftsmen and suppliers.Advocate Tribune, June 11, 1903 Keith, his wife and son left Indianola around 1905. He worked as designer and draftsman for Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt until 1914, when he went to Grand Forks. There, he worked for William J. Edwards, a prominent local designer.Bismarck (ND) Tribune 18 June 1916: 3. In December 1915 he established an office in Grand Forks for himself.American Contractor 1 June 1916: 93. In June 1916 he went west to Bismarck, the city with which he is most associated. With the exception of a time of graduate work in Chicago from 1918–19,Bismarck (ND) Tribune 28 Sept. 1918: 5. he practiced independently until he associated with Fargo architect William F. Kurke in 1920. Keith & Kurke were the designated state architects, and designed the Liberty Memorial Building in Bismarck as well as many buildings on the campuses of the state schools. Keith & Kurke dissolved in 1926, and Keith returned to Chicago. He died there in 1954.
Architectural work
Frederick W. Keith, 1915-1920 1903 Indianola Public Library, 106 West Boston, Indianola, Iowa (now owned by the Des Moines Metro Opera) 1916- Henry H. Steele House, 103 W Ave B, Bismarck, North Dakota. 1980. 1916 - Wishek City Hall, 21 Centennial St, Wishek, North Dakota. 2005. Demolished c.2010 1917 - Gillette Hall, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North DakotaStone Dec. 1917: 655. 1917 - Bismarck Public Library, 517 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, North DakotaLibrary Journal June 1917: 484. Demolished 1918 - Armory, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North DakotaAmerican Contractor 12 Oct. 1918: 30. 1920 - Beulah School, 202 2nd St NW, Beulah, North DakotaEngineering and Contracting 31 March 1920: 66.
Keith & Kurke, 1920-1926 1920 - Liberty Memorial Building, 604 E Boulevard Ave, Bismarck, North DakotaEngineering and Contracting 2 June 1920: 76. 1921 - Stickney Hall, Dickinson State University, Dickinson, North DakotaAmerican Contractor 11 Sept. 1920: 53. 1922 - May Hall, Dickinson State University, Dickinson, North DakotaEngineering News-Record 16 March 1922: 120. 1922 - Morrill Hall, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 1986. 1922 - School of Law, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota.]American Contractor 29 July 1922: 52. 1923 - Graichen Gymnasium, Valley City State University, Valley City, North DakotaState Normal School at Valley City Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1995. 1923 - Herbst Dept. Store, 16 Broadway N, Fargo, North DakotaBridgemen's Magazine 1923: 177. 1923 - Leach Public Library, 417 2nd Ave N, Wahpeton, North Dakota 1925 - A. O. U. W. Building (Old), 811 2nd Ave N, Fargo, North DakotaEngineering News-Record 1925: 376. 1926 - Riley Building, 10 Roberts St N, Fargo, North Dakota. 1983.
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