Ezra Frank Kysor (1835–1907) was an American architect from Los Angeles, California. He is believed to be the first professional architect to practice in Southern California.
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Biography
editEarly life
editEzra Kysor was born on August 6, 1835, in Cattaraugus, New York.[1] Around the age of thirty, he traveled west to Virginia City, Nevada.[1]
Career
editUpon his arrival in Virginia City c.1865, Kysor established himself as a carpenter.[2] He may also have maintained an architectural office.[1] By 1868, however, he had settled in Los Angeles, California, as an architect.[1]
He practiced alone until March 1875, when he established Kysor & Mathews with Walter J. Mathews (1850-1947).[3] This firm was dissolved in April 1876.[4] He was again alone until 1879, when John F. Hennessy (1853-1924) became a member of Kysor & Hennessy.[5] Hennessy, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1875 or 1876, left Los Angeles for Australia in late 1880.[6]
Upon Hennessy's departure, Kysor made his chief draftsman, Octavius Morgan (1850-1922), a member of Kysor & Morgan. In 1886, John A. Walls (1858-1922) was added, the firm becoming Kysor, Morgan & Walls.[7] It was around this time the Kysor began to withdraw from practice, to focus on real estate speculation. He retired from the firm completely in 1890, which became Morgan & Walls.
Personal life
editHe was married to Clara Perry. They had a son, Charles H. Kysor (1883-1954), who was also an architect.[8]
Architectural works
editPrivate practice, 1868-1875
edit- Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 535 W. Roses Rd., San Gabriel, CA (1869–71)[9]
- Pico House, 494 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1869–70)
- Merced Theatre, 420 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1870)[10]
- William Workman House (Remodeling), 15415 E. Don Julian Rd., Industry, CA (1870)
- Congregation B'nai B'rith, 218 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1872–73) - Demolished.[11]
- Samuel C. Foy House, 1337 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1872)[12]
- Los Angeles High School, N. Broadway & Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1872–73) - Demolished.[13]
- Ducommun Building, 304 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1874) - Demolished.[14][15]
- Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles second building, west side of Main St. south of Plaza, Los Angeles, CA (1874)[16] - Demolished.
- Harris Newmark House, 233 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1874) - Demolished.[17]
Kysor & Mathews, 1875-1876
edit- Anaheim Hotel, 182 W. Center St., Anaheim, CA (1875) - Demolished.[18]
- Cardona Block, 118 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1875) - Demolished.[19]
- R. C. Cathedral of St. Vibiana (Completion), 214 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1875–76)[20]
- Herman W. Hellman House, 125 W. 4th St., Los Angeles, CA (1875) - Demolished.[21]
- McDonald Block, 129-131 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1876) - Demolished.[22]
- William H. Perry House, 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles, CA (1876)[23]
Private practice, 1876-1878
edit- Joseph Mullally House, 850 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1876) - Demolished.[22][24]
- Hellman & Mascarel Block, 230-240 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1878) - Demolished.[25]
Kysor & Hennessy, 1879-1880
edit- Horticultural Pavilion, Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1879) - Burned.[26]
Kysor & Morgan, 1880-1886
edit- University Building, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (1880)[27]
- Garnier Block, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1882–83)[28]
- Hotel Nadeau, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA (1882–83) - Demolished 1932.[29][30]
- Grand Opera House, 110 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1883–84) - Demolished.[31]
- First Baptist Church, 556 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1883–84) - Demolished.[28]
- Placentia School, Placentia & Chapman Aves., Anaheim, CA (1884) - Demolished.[32]
- Los Angeles Infirmary, 1111 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (1884) - Demolished.[33]
- Trinity M. E. Church, 522 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1884) - Demolished.[34]
Kysor, Morgan & Walls, 1886-1890
edit- Law Building, 125 Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1886) - Demolished.[35]
- Los Angeles National Bank Building, 100-104 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA (1886–87) - Demolished.[28]
- Abstract Title & Insurance Co. Building, 203 New High St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.[36]
- Granite Bank Building, 230 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA (1887) - Demolished.[36]
- Hazard's Pavilion, 427 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished 1905.[37]
- Los Angeles Orphans' Home, 817 Yale St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.[36]
- Palomares Hotel, 350 N. Garey Ave., Pomona, CA (1887) - Burned 1911.[36]
- Michael Sanders House, 1345 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1887)[36]
- Turn Halle, 321 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.[38]
- Gates Building, 215 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA (1888) - Demolished.[39]
- Frank Sabichi House, 2437 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA (1888) - Demolished.[39]
- Annex Building, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1889) - Demolished.[40]
- Gymnasium, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1890) - Demolished.[41]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Ezra Frank Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web.
- ^ Collins, Charles. Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-65. San Francisco: Agnew & Deffebach, 1865.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1875.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 2 April 1876.
- ^ Howard, Rod. "Hennessy, John Francis (Jack) (1853–1924)". http://adb.anu.edu.au/. Australian Dictionary of Biography. 1983. Web.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 22 Sept. 1880.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 27 Oct. 1886.
- ^ "Charles H. Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/. Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web.
- ^ Farnsworth, R. W. C. A Southern California Paradise. 1883.
- ^ Poole, Jean Bruce. El Pueblo: The Historic Heart of Los Angeles. 2002.
- ^ Dinkilspiel, Frances. Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California. 2008.
- ^ "Foy House". https://www.laconservancy.org. n.d.
- ^ "Morgan, Octavius". Out West April 1909: 385.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 16 June 1874.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 9 June 1874.
- ^ "The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank". Los Angeles Herald. June 14, 1874. p. 3.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 9 May 1874
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 22 June 1875.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 10 July 1875.
- ^ "The New Roman Catholic Cathedral". Los Angeles Herald 12 March 1876.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 25 June 1875.
- ^ a b Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1876.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1876.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 11 May 1876.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 18 May 1878.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 4 May 1879.
- ^ "University of Southern California - Non-Modern Buildings". https://www.laconservancy.org. n.d. Web.
- ^ a b c "Plaza House, 507-511 North Main Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA". https://www.loc.gov/. n.d. Web.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 14 June 1882.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 22 July 1882.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 31 Aug. 1883.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 22 Feb. 1884.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 23 July 1884.
- ^ "The New Trinity Church". Los Angeles Herald 21 May 1884.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1887.
- ^ a b c d e Los Angeles Herald 20 Nov. 1887.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 3 Dec. 1886.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 8 April 1887.
- ^ a b Inland Architect and News Record Dec. 1888: xvi.
- ^ Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1890.
- ^ "A Muscle Factory". Los Angeles Herald 30 Aug. 1890.