Joseph Miller Huston

Joseph Miller Huston
Born	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	1940 (aged 74) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma mater	Princeton University (1892)
Spouse	Matilde Lewis MacGregor
Children	Judelle, Craig

Joseph Miller Huston (February 23, 1866 – 1940) was an architect notable for designing the third and current Pennsylvania State Capitol, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Construction started in 1902 of his Beaux-Arts design. He was one of five people convicted of graft in 1910 after a state investigation of cost overruns in association with construction and furnishing the capitol.

Early life and education

Huston was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1866. When he was seventeen, Joseph joined the firm of Frank Furness and Sons, where he worked during his college years. He graduated from Princeton University in 1892, and then rejoined the Furness firm full-time.[1]

Career

An illustration of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg

Oaks Cloister, Huston's home in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, has been described as one of the city's finest residences.

In 1895, Huston founded his own firm, and began designing buildings in Philadelphia, such as the Witherspoon Building, (1895).[2] In 1898–99, Huston toured Europe and Asia, along with his older brother, Samuel, experiencing historic styles which greatly influenced his later designs.[3]

Pennsylvania State Capitol

Further information: Pennsylvania State Capitol

In 1901, at the age of 36, Joseph Huston won the design competition for the commission for the new Pennsylvania State Capitol over eight other competitors. His design was overwhelmingly heralded as a success. At its dedication on October 4, 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt described the building as, " ... the handsomest State Capitol I ever saw!" [3] The total cost of the project was nearly triple what the legislature had appropriated, in part because of inflated costs for construction and furnishings due to the state's purchasing mechanism. Huston, and four other officials were convicted of graft in 1910 and sentenced to up to two years in prison for their parts in the overruns. Although he appealed, Huston lost his case and went to the Eastern State Penitentiary in 1911.[4]

Oaks Cloister

Further information: Oaks Cloister

Huston's home, known as Oaks Cloister and built around 1904, is located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia and has been described as one of the finest residences in the city. The Huston family sold the property in 1955 and it fell into disrepair over time and ultimately was abandoned. This venerable landmark was saved from demolition in 2002 by Dr. Russell Harris and Mr. John Casavecchia, who spent the following decade restoring the mansion to its original glory.[5][6]

In 1911, Huston designed the Searles Memorial Methodist Church, now located in the Old Pottstown Historic District.[7]

References

1. General Catalogue of Princeton University: 1746–1906. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 1908. p. 297.
2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
3. "Joseph Miller Huston (1866-1940)". cpc.state.pa.us. 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
4. "Huston goes to prison" (PDF). The New York Times. May 24, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
5. "Oaks Cloister". www.myphiladelphia.weebly.com. 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
6. LARMA, RIKARD (October 22, 2013). "Northwest Philadelphia home tour reveals the inside of historic and restored spaces". www.newsworks.org. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
7. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania". CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Archived from the original (Searchable database) on 2007-07-21. Retrieved 2012-05-26. Note: This includes Tom Hylton (June 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Old Pottstown Historic District" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-26. Retrieved 2012-05-24.