George O. Totten, 1921Edward H. Everett House, now theTurkish ambassador's residence.
George Oakley Totten Jr. (December 5, 1866 – February 1, 1939)[1] was an American architect who was one of the most prolific architects in theGilded Age inWashington D.C. He designed many mansions that were located primarily on or nearDupont,Sheridan (includingEmbassy Row), andKalorama circles and along16th Street, N.W., nearMeridian Hill. Most now serve as embassies, chanceries, or offices for national or international organizations.
Totten was born inNew York City on December 5, 1866, a son of George Oakley and Mary Elizabeth (Styles) Totten and a descendant of John Totten, from whomTottenville,Staten Island, was named.[2] After receiving his early education at public schools inNewark, New Jersey and theNewark Technical School, he graduated fromColumbia University with a Ph.B in 1891 and an A.M. in 1892.[3] He was awarded Columbia's McKim travelling fellowship in 1893, and for the next two years studied at theEcole des Beaux Arts andAtelier Daumet-Esquie. He returned to the United States and in 1896, was appointed chief designer in theOffice of the Supervising Architect,Department of the Treasury. He continued in that position until 1898, when he established an independent architectural practice in Washington D.C., which he continued until his death.
He was the architect for many public buildings in that city and drew plans for ten legations and embassy buildings, including the Turkish, Polish, Belgian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish, and Danish legations, and the former French embassy. He was an advisor when theU.S. Capitol Building was remodelled. He also designed many private city and country dwellings in Washington, including a group of houses in the 2600 block of16th Street, N.W., representing several styles of architecture. He also designed homes in Vermont and New Jersey. He was architect for a number of government buildings including the post office atWaterbury, Connecticut and the $3 millionpost office and federal court building atNewark, New Jersey, that opened in 1934.
US Post Office and Courthouse Newark
In 1923, he rescued architectH. H. Richardson'sWarder Mansion (1885–88), at 1515K Street NW, from demolition. He had the stonework and some of the interiors dissassembled, transported them about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from downtown toMeridian Hill, and re-erected the building alongside his house for use as apartments.[4] The Warder Mansion is the only surviving building by Richardson in Washington, D.C.[5]
He was active in professional architectural associations. From 1897 to 1939, he served as secretary and vice president of the American section of the permanent committee of theInternational Congress of Architects. DuringWorld War I, he served as a major with theArmy Corps of Engineers. In 1926, he authoredMaya Architecture.
^H. H. Richardson designed four houses in D.C.: the N. L. Anderson House, at 16th & K Streets NW (1881-83, demolished 1925); adjoining houses for Henry Adams and John Hay, at 16th & H Streets NW, (1884-86, demolished 1927); and the Warder House (1885-88). G. Martin Moeller Jr.,AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006), pp. 284-85.
^"MAJ. G.O. TOTTEN MARRIES: Weds Mrs. Vicken von Post, a Sculptress of Sweden,"The New York Times, August 23, 1921, P. 11.
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