Frederick V. Murphy

The Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., completed in 1922. The Mullen of Denver Memorial Library of the Catholic University of America, completed in 1928. The L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building in Greensboro, North Carolina, completed in 1933. The Apostolic Nunciature to the United States in Washington, D.C., completed in 1937. Memorial chapel of the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, completed posthumously in 1960. Frederick V. Murphy (February 16, 1879 – May 4, 1958) was an American architect and architectural educator. He was in practice in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1954. He was best known for his work for the Catholic church and as the founder and director of the Catholic University School of Architecture and Planning from 1911 to 1949.

Professional and academic career Frederick Vernon Murphy was born February 16, 1879, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to John Vernon Murphy and Alice (McCue) Murphy. In the 1880s the family moved to Chicago, where Murphy attended the public schools, graduating from North Division High School in 1897. He received further instruction at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the former Chicago Athenæum before being appointed as teacher of freehand drawing in the Chicago schools. In 1899 he moved to Washington, D.C., where he joined the staff of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury. In 1905 he was awarded the traveling scholarship of the Washington Architectural Club, which enabled him to travel extensively in Europe. While in Paris Murphy took the entrance examinations of the École des Beaux-Arts, and was admitted to the school. In 1909 he was awarded a diplôme and he returned to the Supervising Architect in Washington.

Public service and honors As a graduate of the Beaux-Arts, Murphy joined the French Société des Architectes Diplômés par le Gouvernement in 1910 and later the American Society of Beaux-Arts Architects. In 1945 he was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by Harry S. Truman, and was the first Washington architect to sit on the commission. He served until 1950. In 1951 he was elected an associate of the National Academy of Design. Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 140 S Findlay St, Dayton, Ohio (1924–25) John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. (1925–28) St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 1458 Old Shell Rd, Mobile, Alabama (1926–28) L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building, 324 W Market St, Greensboro, North Carolina (1931–33, NRHP 2014) United States Post Office, 40 E Pearl St, Wellsville, New York (1931–33, NRHP 1989) Apostolic Nunciature to the United States, 3339 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, D.C. (1937) St Anthony of Padua Church, 1029 Monroe St NE, Washington, D.C. (1939) Archbishop Carroll High School, 4300 Harewood Rd NE, Washington, D.C. (1951–53) Marine Memorial Chapel, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, Virginia (1955–57)