176:
371:
361:
387:. In 1847 he won a competition for the new statehouse with a daring Gothic design, a style he chose "because no other style ... could give suitable character to a building with so little cost" and because to use classic would give a building "which would appear to be a mere copy of some other edifice already erected and often repeated in every city and town of our country." Having moved to Baton Rouge, he supervised the capitol's construction until 1850.
25:
394:. He found the original design by Alexander Thompson Wood unsatisfactory and proposed instead a freestanding, cast-iron frame and a central courtyard for air circulation. But a political and sociological dispute arose between Creole and Anglo-Saxon factions over the changes. To create the courtyard for air and ventilation, Dakin proposed moving the main banking room from the center to the Canal Street front. The Creoles of the
317:. When difficulties occurred in its construction, Gallier was called in to revise the foundations and Dakin lost the contract in 1839. Ever afterward Gallier erroneously claimed it as one of his buildings. Dakin was also architect of the Methodist Episcopal Church (burned with the St. Charles Hotel), of "Union Terrace" (1836–37) on Canal Street, of the
199:. Apparently, too, he had some means. From May 1, 1832, to November 1, 1834, he was a partner of Town & Davis (now renamed Town, Davis and Dakin, Architects), and from existing accounts of the firm, he seems to have contributed a generous amount of working capital. The partnership ended in some disagreement; a letter from
441:
that his originality best appears; the interior of the former, with its intricate plaster ribbing and cleverly top-lighted sanctuary, and the varied and forceful masses of the latter, together with its original plan and fancifully delicate woodwork (renewed after a fire in 1887), reveal him as a man
452:
in Baton Rouge, Memphis, and New
Orleans—the river was the highway of the time—and the New York University campus in New York City helped draw attention to his highly imaginative designs and set lofty professional standards. Dakin also provided many engravings for
328:
At this time, too, Dakin, Bell & Dakin were employed as the architects of a proposed city hall for New
Orleans, but the project was abandoned and the architects paid and discharged by the City Council on March 28, 1837. The relation of this design to Gallier's
203:
to Davis indicates that Dakin, owing to his investment in the firm, considered he had a greater right to dictate policies than the older partners could countenance. During this period Town & Davis were engaged on many important works, including the
382:
James H. Dakin served briefly in 1846 as colonel of the 2nd
Louisiana Volunteers. He returned to design the University of Louisiana, adjacent to the Medical College. The latter was absorbed by the university, and the entire complex ultimately became
588:
Gallier, met to render a finding. Several other panelists, who were Irish-American builders and contractors, joined with
Gallier to dismiss Dakin; they subsequently gave the job to Gallier. Dakin appealed the resulting court case and won in the
186:
Dakin seems from an early date to have developed a practice of his own, for he was the architect of the large J. W. Perry house, in
Brooklyn, in about 1830–31, and of the Washington Square Dutch Reformed Church, an unusually advanced example of
457:'s architectural books, which became builders' handbooks all over America. Dakin had been honored in the 1830s by an invitation to become one of the founding members of the American Institution of Architects, forerunner of the
212:(1833; an influential Gothic collegiate work for which Dakin and Town did most of the design), and the Marine Pavilion (a luxurious hotel) at Rockaway; Dakin's name appears as one of the architects of the last two.
255:. Ambitious, he realized, as Gallier had, the opportunities New Orleans offered. For a time there seems to have been a loose partnership between the three. One example of their collaboration is
711:
282:, completed in 1836. The collapse of a row of warehouses he designed affected him so deeply that it is thought to have been a cause contributing to his early death in
556:
232:
in 1834. That year, having left Town, Davis and Dakin to establish his own firm in New York, Dakin designed one of the finest buildings of his career, the
322:
584:
The disagreement centered around the construction methods used by Dakin for the partially completed church. A panel of arbitrators, headed by the
665:
175:
263:, started in 1835. Both James Dakin and James Gallier claimed to have been the architects of certain New Orleans buildings of the period.
726:
426:
sided with Dakin. He returned to Baton Rouge, where he completed the capitol interior. He died there after "a long and painful illness."
164:, from Massachusetts. After learning the carpentry trade from his uncle, James Dakin moved to New York City, where he was apprenticed to
721:
706:
172:, the widow of George Collard. They had seven children including two pairs of twins, with just two children surviving to adulthood.
391:
333:, if any, is not known. There is also evidence that the Dakin brothers were the architects of several unidentified buildings in
310:
279:
89:
294:
61:
593:, but by the time of the judgment the church, which was owned by its Irish parishioners, was bankrupt as a result of the
68:
716:
543:
108:
168:
when the firm of Town and Davis, Architects, was formed in 1829. That year he married Joanna
Belcher (1796–1882) of
458:
407:
429:
As a designer Dakin was forceful and original and his influence was disseminated in many ways. The Perry house in
290:
to begin anew. That year (1839) the Great Fire of Mobile also destroyed much of the firm's incomplete work there.
564:
195:
during this period and, a beautiful draftsman drew a number of the plates, which are signed by him, in
Lafever's
42:
75:
46:
321:(1839), and of the gracious row of thirteen houses on Julia Street known as the "Thirteen Buildings" or the
597:. Dakin was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1841, partially as a result of the St. Patrick's Church matter.
205:
57:
470:
438:
364:
188:
133:
500:
681:
607:
434:
415:
403:
318:
306:
433:(remarkable for its conservatory wings) and the Julia Buildings show a competent use of the current
390:
Dakin left the capitol job with only interior detailing unfinished to become the architect for the
379:
353:, among the best of the next generation of Louisiana architects. After 1848 James lived chiefly at
350:
590:
165:
161:
35:
475:
411:
354:
283:
233:
179:
157:
137:
228:(1811–1839), then working as a draftsman at James Dakin's firm and whom Gallier took along to
82:
701:
696:
169:
153:
634:
8:
370:
298:
209:
341:. James Dakin carried on after his brother's death, designing the Gayoso House Hotel in
620:
525:
somewhat optimistically gives the figure as $ 4.00, but the firm accounts are definite.
342:
539:
446:
384:
346:
287:
399:
266:
Within a year, however, the Dakins left
Gallier and practiced for time together as
149:
461:. The spread of ideas on architecture and mutual support marked their activities.
360:
275:
260:
224:
for some four months at $ 2.00 a day. Here
Gallier met Dakin's younger brother,
454:
419:
395:
302:
256:
241:
192:
148:
Dakin was the son of James (1783–1819) and Lucy
Harrison Dakin (1784–1826) of
690:
594:
423:
245:
221:
480:
330:
314:
585:
252:
229:
200:
536:
Historic architecture in Alabama: a guide to styles and types, 1810–1930
445:
The location of his major buildings in highly visible places, like the
334:
156:. He was seventh in line from the immigrant ancestor, Thomas Dakin, of
129:
538:, p. 57. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: The University of Alabama Press, 1990.
338:
125:
677:
313:, an ambitious effort in a rich Gothic style, supposedly modeled on
24:
430:
274:; later on they split. Charles began an ill-fated branch office in
237:
422:, was ousted after a heated hearing in which the great architect
449:
653:
Dictionary of American Biography, Supplements 1–2: To 1940
251:
In 1835, James Dakin followed his brother and Gallier to
437:
forms. But it is in the Gothic of St. Patrick's and the
712:
American military personnel of the Mexican–American War
160:, through Simon, of the third generation, who went to
305:(1837–38), and the Merchants' Exchange (1835–36) on
655:. American Council of Learned Societies, 1944–1958.
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
349:(1843). By 1845 he had accepted as an apprentice
124:(August 24, 1806 – May 13, 1852) was an American
688:
293:James Dakin's work with Gallier (1835) included
410:congressmen debated the change on the floor of
374:Western side of the old Louisiana State Capitol
666:Historic Architecture of the Louisiana Arsenal
662:. American Council of Learned Societies, 2000.
278:, where he supervised the construction of the
240:, as well as the First Presbyterian Church in
502:Descendants of Thomas Dakin of Concord, Mass.
220:It was at this time that the firm employed
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
369:
359:
174:
132:buildings and was the architect for the
557:"Government Street Presbyterian Church"
297:, the front of which is preserved as a
215:
689:
549:
528:
280:Government Street Presbyterian Church
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
561:National Historic Landmarks Program
13:
727:Louisiana National Guard personnel
398:objected that that would give the
14:
738:
671:
722:People from North East, New York
707:19th-century American architects
459:American Institute of Architects
191:work. He also was in touch with
23:
678:James Harrison Dakin Collection
34:needs additional citations for
627:
613:
600:
578:
515:
494:
140:, and other public buildings.
16:American architect (1806–1852)
1:
645:
505:
406:a business advantage. Creole
208:(1832), the main building of
143:
347:Medical College of Louisiana
206:North Carolina State Capitol
7:
660:American National Biography
471:Old Louisiana State Capitol
464:
439:Old Louisiana State Capitol
365:Old Louisiana State Capitol
134:Old Louisiana State Capitol
10:
743:
682:New Orleans Public Library
621:New Orleans Daily Picayune
608:Louisiana State University
197:The Modern Builder's Guide
658:"Dakin, James Harrison".
442:with marked imagination.
414:. Dakin, a friend of the
301:clubhouse (1835–37), the
717:Greek Revival architects
651:"James Harrison Dakin".
606:Diary in the Library of
487:
392:New Orleans Custom House
591:Louisiana Supreme Court
272:Dakin, Bell & Dakin
166:Alexander Jackson Davis
162:Putnam County, New York
476:Old Bank of Louisville
375:
367:
309:. In 1838 he designed
284:St. Gabriel, Louisiana
183:
180:Old Bank of Louisville
158:Concord, Massachusetts
138:Old Bank of Louisville
512:accessed 14 May 2015.
483:in Memphis, Tennessee
373:
363:
226:Charles Bingley Dakin
178:
624:, 18 May 1852, p. 2.
504:by Albert H. Dakin,
380:Mexican–American War
311:St. Patrick's Church
216:Life as an architect
170:Norwich, Connecticut
122:James Harrison Dakin
43:improve this article
299:Knights of Columbus
210:New York University
376:
368:
343:Memphis, Tennessee
234:Bank of Louisville
184:
154:Northeast Township
447:Mississippi River
385:Tulane University
286:. He had gone to
268:Dakin & Dakin
119:
118:
111:
93:
734:
639:
638:
631:
625:
617:
611:
604:
598:
582:
576:
575:
573:
572:
563:. Archived from
553:
547:
532:
526:
519:
513:
510:
507:
498:
345:(1842), and the
323:Julia Street Row
182:building in 1987
150:Hudson, New York
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
58:"James H. Dakin"
51:
27:
19:
742:
741:
737:
736:
735:
733:
732:
731:
687:
686:
674:
648:
643:
642:
633:
632:
628:
618:
614:
605:
601:
583:
579:
570:
568:
555:
554:
550:
534:Gamble, Robert
533:
529:
521:Gallier in his
520:
516:
508:
499:
495:
490:
467:
331:later City Hall
261:Mobile, Alabama
218:
146:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
740:
730:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
699:
685:
684:
673:
672:External links
670:
669:
668:
663:
656:
647:
644:
641:
640:
635:"Gayoso Hotel"
626:
612:
599:
577:
548:
527:
514:
492:
491:
489:
486:
485:
484:
478:
473:
466:
463:
455:Minard Lafever
420:Zachary Taylor
402:sector across
400:Anglo-American
396:French Quarter
303:Verandah Hotel
257:Barton Academy
244:, done in the
242:Troy, New York
217:
214:
193:Minard Lafever
189:Gothic Revival
152:, and born in
145:
142:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
739:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
694:
692:
683:
679:
676:
675:
667:
664:
661:
657:
654:
650:
649:
636:
630:
623:
622:
616:
609:
603:
596:
595:panic of 1837
592:
587:
581:
567:on 2008-04-15
566:
562:
558:
552:
545:
544:0-8173-1134-3
541:
537:
531:
524:
523:Autobiography
518:
511:
503:
497:
493:
482:
479:
477:
474:
472:
469:
468:
462:
460:
456:
451:
448:
443:
440:
436:
435:Greek Revival
432:
427:
425:
424:Isaiah Rogers
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
393:
388:
386:
381:
372:
366:
362:
358:
356:
352:
348:
344:
340:
336:
332:
326:
324:
320:
319:State Arsenal
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
295:Christ Church
291:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
264:
262:
258:
254:
249:
247:
246:Greek Revival
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
222:James Gallier
213:
211:
207:
202:
198:
194:
190:
181:
177:
173:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
141:
139:
135:
131:
128:who designed
127:
123:
113:
110:
102:
99:November 2023
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
659:
652:
629:
619:
615:
602:
580:
569:. Retrieved
565:the original
560:
551:
535:
530:
522:
517:
501:
496:
481:Gayoso Hotel
444:
428:
404:Canal Street
389:
377:
351:Henry Howard
327:
315:York Minster
307:Royal Street
292:
271:
267:
265:
250:
225:
219:
196:
185:
147:
121:
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
702:1852 deaths
697:1806 births
586:Anglo-Irish
509: 1948
418:president,
378:During the
355:Baton Rouge
253:New Orleans
230:New Orleans
201:Ithiel Town
691:Categories
646:References
571:2008-02-01
408:Democratic
335:Cincinnati
144:Early life
130:Neo-Gothic
69:newspapers
339:St. Louis
126:architect
465:Projects
431:Brooklyn
412:Congress
238:Kentucky
270:and as
248:style.
83:scholar
542:
450:levees
276:Mobile
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
488:Notes
288:Texas
90:JSTOR
76:books
540:ISBN
416:Whig
337:and
62:news
680:in
259:in
236:in
45:by
693::
559:.
506:c.
357:.
325:.
136:,
637:.
610:.
574:.
546:.
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.