George S. Cooper

George S. Cooper (December 14, 1864 – March 12, 1929) was an American architect and builder from Washington, D.C. During his 40-year career, he was responsible for designing around 850 properties, including homes, commercial buildings and apartment buildings, several of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The 1903 book History of the City of Washington states: "It may be thought that Mr. Cooper's forte lies in the designing of apartment houses, since the handsomest in the city are a result of his genius..." and "No young man has played a more important part in the active growth and great development of Greater Washington than George S. Cooper..."

Biography Cooper was born in Washington, D.C., to Henry C. and Georgeanna J. Cooper, natives of Kentucky. Following his education in Washington public schools, he received private tutoring in architecture. In the 1880s, he began his first job in the architectural field as a draftsman for Gray and Page, a local firm specializing in Victorian architecture. He then worked for the prominent firm Hornblower & Marshall for about a year before joining Alfred B. Mullett's firm. Cooper and B. Carlyle Fenwick opened their own office in 1886, though Cooper later established his own successful practice in 1888. He designed the first town houses in Kalorama Triangle, a row of houses on Wyoming Avenue constructed in 1895, and was responsible for developing and designing many homes in the Washington Heights neighborhood (present day Adams Morgan). Cooper's work was not limited to Washington, D.C. He was among the prominent architects responsible for designing homes in Chevy Chase Village in Maryland.

Personal life In 1884, Cooper married Margaret H. Steir and the couple had four children: Freddie (b. 1886), Daisy (b. 1887), Helen (b. 1890) and George Jr. (b. 1896) The family lived at 1807 R Street NW in Dupont Circle until moving to a new home, designed by Cooper, at 1620 T Street NW. During his career, Cooper progressed from being just an architect to becoming a designer, developer, and owner of several properties in the city. He was active in the Board of Trade, served on the board of directors of the Southern Maryland Trust Company, and became a member of the Washington City Club. Cooper was also an accomplished singer who performed at local churches, including the Church of the Incarnation and St. John's Episcopal Church, and served as president of the Damrosch Musical Society. He retired in the 1920s.

Selected works

1400–1408 5th Street NW (1899) 1800–1804 Belmont Road NW (1900) 2406–2410 18th Street NW (1900) The Balfour (1900) – 2000 16th Street NW The Oneida (1901) – 147 R Street NE