Dudley St. Clair Donnelly (1870–1937) was an American architect practicing in New London, Connecticut in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Life and career Dudley St. Clair Donnelly was born September 17, 1870, in Barbados to Henry C. Donnelly and Catherine (Barry) Donnelly. In 1875 the family moved to Yonkers, New York, where Donnelly was educated, graduating from high school in 1888. He received his architectural training in the offices of Benjamin Silliman in New York City and Arthur F. Gray in Boston. In 1892 he was employed by Cole & Chandler, architects of New London and Boston.A Modern History of New London County, Connecticut, vol. 3, ed. Benjamin Tinkham Marshall (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922): 289-290. Cole died in New London in 1893,"Architect Cole of New London Dead," Boston Daily Globe, July 28, 1893, 6. and Chandler consolidated his practice in Boston. Donnelly then opened his own office in New London. He worked alone until 1899 when he formed a partnership with Louis R. Hazeltine. The partnership of Donnelly & Hazeltine was dissolved in December, 1906, after which Donnelly returned to private practice.
After fifteen more years in New London, in 1919 Donnelly began to live and work in Florida for part of the year.Morton Freeman Plant Hunting Lodge NRHP Registration Form (1988) He moved full-time to Coral Gables in 1925."Dudley St. Clair Donnelly," aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net, AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, n. d. Accessed April 9, 2021. During the land boom many northern architects moved to Florida. The local economy collapsed following the hurricanes of 1926 and 1928, and with the start of the Great Depression Donnelly returned to New London in 1930. He then served as city building inspector, and supervised the construction of WPA projects.
Personal life Donnelly married Joanna E. Hurley of New London, and they had two sons. He served on the city council.
Donnelly was a member of the American Institute of Architects from 1921 to 1929.
Donnelly died March 5, 1937, in New London."Father of West Hartford Fire Chief Dies at 68," Hartford Courant, March 6, 1937, 4.
Legacy Like many of his contemporaries, Donnelly was an eclectic designer and drew on different historical styles for each project. He was especially fond of the Renaissance Revival style, which he used extensively in his commercial and institutional projects. Other buildings utilized the Colonial Revival or the Gothic Revival styles, while some residential projects were inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the American Craftsman style. One of his major clients was Morton Freeman Plant, who commissioned him to design an office building in New London, his hunting lodge in East Lyme, a garage on his Groton estate and golf clubs in Groton and Belleair, Florida.
At least four buildings designed by Donnelly have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, though one has been demolished. Others contribute to listed historic districts.
Architectural works House for Dudley St. Clair Donnelly, New London, Connecticut (1897)Montauk Avenue Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1990) House for Col. Augustus C. Tyler, New London, Connecticut (1897, demolished)American Architect and Building News 56, no. 1122 (June 26, 1897): xi. Groton Congregational Church, Groton, Connecticut (1902) Saltonstall School (former), New London, Connecticut (1902–03)American Architect and Building News 76, no. 1374 (April 26, 1902): xiii.Hempstead Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1986) Savings Bank of New London Building, New London, Connecticut (1903–05)Daniel Sterner, "Savings Bank of New London (1905)," historicbuildingsct.com, Historic Buildings of Connecticut, January 16, 2014. Accessed April 13, 2021. House for Leander K. Shipman, New London, Connecticut (1904)Williams Memorial Park Historic District NRHP Registration Form (1987) Expansion of the Crocker House, New London, Connecticut (1905)Boston Home Journal 61, no. 11 (March 18, 1905): 16. New London Manual Training and Industrial School (former), New London, Connecticut (1905–06, demolished)Engineering News 53, no. 2 (January 15, 1905): 11. Mariners Savings Bank Building, New London, Connecticut (1906, demolished)Engineering News 54, no. 23 (December 7, 1905): 191. Day Building, New London, Connecticut (1907) Hunting lodge for Morton Freeman Plant, East Lyme, Connecticut (1908, NRHP 1988)Morton Freeman Plant Hunting Lodge NRHP Registration Form (1988) Expansion of the New London County Courthouse, New London, Connecticut (1909, NRHP 1970)New London County Courthouse NRHP Registration Form (1970) Garage at "Branford Farm" for Morton Freeman Plant, Groton, Connecticut (1910, NRHP 1984, demolished) Groton Heights School, Groton, Connecticut (1912)Engineering News 67, no. 10 (March 7, 1912): 126. Manwaring Building, New London, Connecticut (1913)Daniel Sterner, "Manwaring Building (1913)," historicbuildingsct.com, Historic Buildings of Connecticut, March 18, 2015. Accessed April 13, 2021. Natchaug School, Willimantic, Connecticut (1913)Engineering News 69, no. 24 (June 19, 1913): 47. Clubhouse, Shennecossett Country Club, Groton, Connecticut (1914)"New London Golf," Golf 35, no. 5 (November 1914): 331 and 336. Plant Building, New London, Connecticut (1914)Daniel Sterner, "Dewart Building (1914)," historicbuildingsct.com, Historic Buildings of Connecticut, May 15, 2015. Accessed April 13, 2021. Y. M. C. A. Building (former), New London, Connecticut (1915)Downtown New London Historic District (Boundary Increase) NRHP Registration Form (1988) March Building, New London, Connecticut (1916)American Contractor 37, no. 25 (June 17, 1916): 77. Winthrop House, Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut (1916)American Contractor 37, no. 28 (July 8, 1916): 58. Clubhouse, Belleview Country Club, Belleair, Florida (1919, demolished) Ohev Sholem Synagogue (former), New London, Connecticut (1919, NRHP 1995)"New London, Conn.," American Contractor 40, no. 41 (October 11, 1919): 51. Receiving Building, Connecticut State Farm and Reformatory for Women (former), Niantic, Connecticut (1920) Governor Waller School (former), New London, Connecticut (1923) House for Greta Hughes, Coral Gables, Florida (1926)Lauren Weiss Bricker, The Mediterranean House in America (New York: Abrams, 2008)
Gallery of architectural works
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