Perkins & McWayne was an architectural firm based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and active throughout the state of South Dakota. It was established in 1917 by architects Robert A. Perkins and Albert McWayne.
History
The firm which became Perkins & McWayne was founded in 1914 as the sole proprietorship of architect Joseph D. Livermore.[1] In 1916 he formed the partnership of Livermore & McWayne with Albert McWayne.[2] In 1917 Livermore moved to Madison, Wisconsin, and his interest in the firm was purchased by Robert A. Perkins and it was reorganized as Perkins & McWayne.[3]
Perkins retired from the firm in 1944 due to his declining health. McWayne continued the firm under the same name until 1954, when he formed the partnership of McWayne & McLaughlin with L. Earl McLaughlin, an employee since 1938.[4]
After McWayne's death in 1966, McLaughlin continued the firm as McWayne & McLaughlin until about 1969, and thereafter under his own name until his retirement in 1983.[5]
Partner biographies
Robert A. Perkins
Robert Augustus Perkins (November 5, 1882 – December 6, 1961) was born in Montello, Wisconsin. The family moved to Sioux Falls when he was about 12 years old. He was educated in the Sioux Falls public schools and at the Armour Institute in Chicago. He taught at Washington High School from 1909 to 1916, when he returned to Armour for a year of graduate study.[6]
Perkins was well known as a singer as a young man. He was married twice, first to Eva Zeller in 1911, who died in 1920, and second to Marion Tufts in 1921. They had four children, three sons and one daughter. In retirement he lived in Yucaipa, California, where he died at the age of 79.[7][6]
Albert McWayne
Albert McWayneAIA (November 8, 1885 – November 20, 1966) was born in Crown Point, Indiana. He was educated at Purdue University, graduating in 1910. He worked for architects and engineers in Chicago before moving to Sioux Falls in 1916. When architects were first licensed in South Dakota, McWayne was honored with license no. 1.[8]
McWayne was married twice, first to Nettie Bell Chenoweth in 1912, who died in 1947, and second to Mary Lamont in 1949.[8] He died in Sioux Falls at the age of 81.[9]