{{Short description|American architect (1876–1940)}} {{Infobox architect |name = Chase Roy Whitcher |image = Chase R. Whitcher, architect, 1907.jpg |image_size = |caption = Whitcher {{circa|1907}} |birth_date = {{Birth date|1876|12|8}} |birth_place = Lisbon, New Hampshire |death_date = {{Death date and age|1940|8|25|1876|12|8}} |death_place = Manchester, New Hampshire |practice = |significant_buildings= |significant_design = |awards = }} [[File:Dow Academy.jpg|thumb|Dow Academy in Franconia, designed by Whitcher in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1903.]] [[File:Colebrook Academy NH.JPG|thumb|Colebrook Academy in Colebrook, designed by Whitcher in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1911.]] [[File:DeerfieldNH Library.jpg|thumb|The Soldiers Memorial Building in Deerfield, designed by Whitcher in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1914.]] [[File:Lisbon NH Public Library.JPG|right|thumb|The Lisbon Public Library in Lisbon, designed by Whitcher in the Colonial Revival style and built in 1926.]] [[File:ManchesterNH ValleyCemetery Chapel.jpg|thumb|The chapel of Valley Cemetery in Manchester, designed by Whitcher in the Gothic Revival style and completed in 1932.]] [[File:Spaulding HS Rochester NH.jpg|thumb|Spaulding High School in Rochester, designed by Whitcher in the Colonial Revival style and completed in 1939.]] '''Chase R. Whitcher''' (December 8, 1876 – August 25, 1940) was an American architect in practice in Lisbon and Manchester, New Hampshire, from 1903 until his death in 1940. He served as State Architect from 1913 until the office was abolished in 1915.
==Life and career== Chase Roy Whitcher was born December 8, 1876, in Lisbon, New Hampshire, to Ward Priest Whitcher and Pheeb H. Whitcher, née Perkins.<ref name="Descendants">William F. Whitcher, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4pbAAAAMAAJ Descendants of Chase Whitcher of Warren, N. H.]'' (Woodsville: News Book and Job Print, 1907)</ref> He studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and with architects in Boston, but did not receive a degree. In 1898 Whitcher returned to Lisbon, where he began working as an architect, probably with local contractor L. W. Goudie. In 1903 he established an independent architect's office in Lisbon. Circa 1907 he moved this office to Manchester, but kept his residence and family in Lisbon. By 1909, his wife and children had joined him in Manchester. For his entire time in Manchester, Whitcher kept his office in the Beacon Building, the city's most prestigious business address. Whitcher was in continuous practice in Manchester until his death in 1940. He was assisted during his career by at least two other architects, George O. Peabody and Roland S. Simonds, and several draftsmen.<ref name="Monograph"/> New Hampshire architects Carl E. Peterson and Malcolm D. Hildreth also worked in his office.<ref>Lisa Mausolf, ''[https://www.nh.gov/nhdhr/publications/documents/mid_20th_century_architecture_nh.pdf Mid 20th Century Architecture in NH: 1945–1975]'' (Concord: New Hampshire Department of Employment Security, 2012)</ref>
In August 1913 Whitcher was appointed New Hampshire's second and last State Architect,{{efn|name=State|Whitcher replaced J. Edward Baker of Manchester, who had filled the office since it was established in May of 1913.<ref>"Personals," ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=tG9YAAAAYAAJ American Contractor]'' 34, no. 36 (September 6, 1913): 131.</ref>}} having charge of design and construction of buildings at the various state institutions. The office was abolished in 1915.<ref name="Monograph"/>
After Whitcher's death, Simonds continued the practice, working until his own death in 1963.<ref>"[https://aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AHDAA/pages/36985697/ahd1041199 Roland Scott Simonds]." aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net. AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, n. d. Accessed November 1, 2021.</ref>
==Personal life== In 1898 Whitcher married Eda M. Aldrich, also a native of Lisbon. They had two daughters.<ref name="Descendants"/><ref name="Monograph"/>
After several years of renting in Lisbon and Manchester, circa 1915 Whitcher built a home for his family at 1153 Union Street in Manchester. This was a traditional Colonial Revival home, and Whitcher lived there until his death.<ref name="Monograph"/>
Whitcher died August 25, 1940, in Manchester.<ref name="Monograph"/>
==Legacy== Almost all of Whitcher's buildings were designed in the popular Colonial Revival and Beaux-Arts styles, with only occasional forays in the Gothic Revival or eclectic styles. During his lifetime, Whitcher was best known as an architect of schools and public buildings, but is today best remembered for Hampshire House at The Balsams in Dixville Notch, one of the largest and most elaborate buildings of its time in New Hampshire.<ref name="Tolles">Bryant F. Tolles Jr., ''The Grand Resort Hotels of the White Mountains: A Vanishing Architectural Legacy'' (D. R. Godine, 1998)</ref>
At least six of Whitcher's works have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.
==Architectural works== * Bank Block, Lisbon, New Hampshire (1902)<ref name="Bank">"Building Intelligence," ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=2pEzAQAAIAAJ American Architect and Building News]'' 7, no. 1884 (July 5, 1902): xi.</ref> * Boynton Block, Lisbon, New Hampshire (1902)<ref name="Bank"/> * Dow Academy, Franconia, New Hampshire (1903, NRHP-listed 1982)<ref>"New Hampshire," ''Journal of Education'' 57, no. 19 (May 7, 1903): 300.</ref> * Littleton Hospital (former),{{efn|name=Littleton|Presently a senior residence known as Beattie House.}} Littleton, New Hampshire (1906–07)<ref name="Monograph">Laura B. Driemeyer, ''[https://www.nh.gov/nhdhr/publications/documents/whitcher_mono.pdf Chase Roy Whitcher: A Monograph]'' (Kensington: Preservation Company, 2008)</ref> * Laconia Hospital, Laconia, New Hampshire (1907–08, demolished)<ref>''Fifteenth Annual Report of the Receipts and Expenditures of the City of Laconia, New Hampshire, for the Year Ending February 15, 1908'' (Laconia: Laconia Press Association, printers, 1908)</ref> * Pembroke Village School (former), Suncook, New Hampshire (1907–08)<ref>''Annual Reports of the Selectmen, Treasurer, Highway Surveyors, Library Trustees and Board of Education of the Town of Pembroke for the Fiscal Year Ending February 15, 1908'' (Concord: J. Phaneuf & Son, printers, 1908)</ref> * Remodeling of the Dunlap Building,{{efn|name=Dunlap|Originally built in 1879.}} Manchester, New Hampshire (1908, NRHP-listed 2004)<ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/04000587 Dunlap Building NRHP Registration Form] (2004)</ref> * Beaumont Hall, Tilton School, Tilton, New Hampshire (1909)<ref>"New Hampshire," ''American Architect'' 96, no. 1756 (August 18, 1909): 10.</ref> * Bedford Town Hall, Bedford, New Hampshire (1909–10, NRHP-listed 1984)<ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/84000530 Bedford Town Hall NRHP Registration Form] (1984)</ref> * Quinby Building, Laconia State School, Laconia, New Hampshire (1909)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Bath Town Hall, Bath, New Hampshire (1910)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Colebrook Academy, Colebrook, New Hampshire (1910–11)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Lincoln Chambers,{{efn|name=Lincoln|Presently known as Cathedral Place.}} Manchester, New Hampshire (1910–11)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Warner Town Hall, Warner, New Hampshire (1910)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Brown School (former), Manchester, New Hampshire (1911–12)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Maynard School (former), Manchester, New Hampshire (1911–12)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Soldiers Memorial Building,{{efn|name=Deerfield|A contributing building to the Deerfield Center Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 2002.}} Deerfield, New Hampshire (1913–14)<ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/02000958 Deerfield Center Historic District NRHP Registration Form] (2002)</ref> * First Congregational Church, Lisbon, New Hampshire (1914)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Portsmouth State Armory, Portsmouth, New Hampshire (1914–16, demolished 2004)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Mary Lyon Hall, Plymouth State University, Plymouth, New Hampshire (1915–16)<ref>"Manchester, N. H.," ''American Contractor'' 36, no. 31 (July 31, 1915): 58.</ref> * Merchants National Bank Building,{{efn|name=Merchants|Manchester's second skyscraper, following the Amoskeag Bank Building.}} Manchester, New Hampshire (1915, demolished)<ref>"New England," ''Bankers Magazine'' 91, no. 3 (September 1915): 448.</ref> * Stratford Public School, North Stratford, New Hampshire (1915–16)<ref>Jeannette R. Thompson, ''History of the Town of Stratford, New Hampshire, 1773–1925'' (Concord: Rumford Press, printers, 1925)</ref> * Hampshire House, The Balsams, Dixville Notch, New Hampshire (1916–18, NRHP-listed 2002)<ref name="Tolles"/><ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/02000166 The Balsams NRHP Registration Form] (2002)</ref> * Manchester Practical Arts High School (former), Manchester, New Hampshire (1920)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Weston School, Manchester, New Hampshire (1921)<ref>"Buildings," ''Engineering and Contracting'' 55, no. 7 (February 16, 1921): 34.</ref> * A. Crosby Kennett High School (former),{{efn|name=Conway|Presently the A. A. Crosby Kennett Middle School.}} Conway, New Hampshire (1922–23)<ref>"Building," ''Engineering News-Record'' 89. no. 7 (August 17, 1922): 92.</ref> * Manchester Country Club, Bedford, New Hampshire (1922–23)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Brown Building, New Hampshire State Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire (1923–24)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Millville School, Concord, New Hampshire (1923, NRHP-listed 1985)<ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/85002781 Millville School NRHP Registration Form] (1985)</ref> * Capitol Theatre and Masonic Temple, Concord, New Hampshire (1925–27)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Huntress Hall, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire (1925–26)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Masonic Temple, Manchester, New Hampshire (1925)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Butterfield Hall, Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire (1926–27)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Lisbon Public Library, Lisbon, New Hampshire (1926)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Public Service Company of New Hampshire Building, Manchester, New Hampshire (1926)<ref name="Monograph"/> * General Draper High School,{{efn|name=Draper|A contributing building to the Hopedale Village Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 2002.}} Hopedale, Massachusetts (1927)<ref>"[https://mhc-macris.net/details?mhcid=hop.2 HOP.2]", mhc-macris.net, Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d.</ref> * Rhodes Hall,{{efn|name=Rhodes|Originally known as Spaulding Gymnasium.}} Keene State College, Keene, New Hampshire (1927–28)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Col. Town Community House, Lancaster, New Hampshire (1927)<ref>''Annual Report of the Town Officers of the Town of Lancaster for the Fiscal Year Ending January 31, 1928'' (Lancaster: 1928)</ref> * Cogswell Memorial School, Henniker, New Hampshire (1930–31)<ref>Henniker Historical Society, ''The Only Henniker on Earth'' (Henniker: Henniker Historical Society, 1980)</ref> * Pembroke Fire Station (former), Suncook, New Hampshire (1930)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Tobey Building, New Hampshire State Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire (1930)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Chapel, Valley Cemetery, Manchester, New Hampshire (1932, NRHP-listed 2004)<ref>[https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/04000964 Valley Cemetery NRHP Registration Form] (2004)</ref> * Spaulding Memorial School, Townsend, Massachusetts (1932)<ref name="Monograph"/> * Greenville Consolidated School, Greenville, Maine (1933)<ref>''Engineering News-Record'' 110, no. 19 (May 11, 1933): 19.</ref> * Pfeiffer Hall, Tilton School, Tilton, New Hampshire (1938)<ref>''Engineering News-Record'' 119, no. 27 (December 30, 1937): 32.</ref> * Spaulding High School, Rochester, New Hampshire (1938–39)<ref name="Monograph"/>
==Further reading== * Hobart Pillsbury, ''New Hampshire: Resources, Attractions and its People—A History'' 5 (Boston: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1927) * Laura B. Driemeyer, ''[https://www.nh.gov/nhdhr/publications/documents/whitcher_mono.pdf Chase Roy Whitcher: A Monograph]'' (Kensington: Preservation Company, 2008)
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitcher, Chase R.}} Category:Architects from New Hampshire Category:20th-century American architects Category:People from Lisbon, New Hampshire Category:People from Manchester, New Hampshire Category:1876 births Category:1940 deaths