Harold Kirker

Harold Kirker (1921 – May 30, 2018) was an American historian (specializing in the History of American Architecture). Born in San Francisco, Kirker was a direct descendant of the mountain man James Kirker (1793–1852).

After starting at the University of California, Berkeley, Kirker enlisted in the US Army during World War II. Kirker served with the 10th Mountain Division during the Italian campaign. During a leave, he sought out George Santayana in Rome and was able to meet with him.

Immediately after World War II, although he had not yet been awarded his Bachelor of Arts degree he attended Harvard and earned a Master of Business Administration degree, but returned to Europe as a civilian employee for the US Army (and engaged in many climbing trips in the Alps in his free time). He then pursued graduate study in History at the University of California, Berkeley.

Kirker died in San Francisco on May 30, 2018.

Selected publications Harold Kirker, "Eldorado Gothic: Gold Rush Architects and Architecture," California Historical Society Quarterly, vol. 38 (1959), pp. 31–46 Harold Kirker, "The Parrott Building, San Francisco, 1852," Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, vol. 18 (1959), pp. 160–161 Harold Kirker, California's Architectural Frontier: Style and Tradition in the Nineteenth Century (San Marino, Calif.: Huntington Library, 1960) Harold Kirker, "The Boston Exchange Coffee House," Old-Time New England, vol. 52 (1961), pp. 1–13 Harold Kirker and Burleigh Taylor Wilkins, "Beard, Becker and the Trotsky Inquiry," American Quarterly, vol. 13 (1961), pp. 516–525 Harold Kirker, "The New Theater, Philadelphia, 1791-1792," Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, vol. 22 (1963), pp. 36–37 Harold Kirker and James Kirker, Bullfinch’s Boston (New York: Oxford University Press, 1964) Harold Kirker, The Architecture of Charles Bulfinch (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1969) Harold Kirker, "The Bulfinch Drawings in the American Antiquarian Society," Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, vol 86 (April 1976), pp. 125–128 Harold Kirker, "The Larkin House Revisted," California History, vol. 65 (1986), pp. 26–33 Harold Kirker, "Santayana in Rome," Bulletin of the Santayana Society, vol. 8 (Fall, 1990), pp. 35–37 Harold Kirker, Old Forms on a New Land: California Architecture in Perspective (Niwot, Colo.: Roberts Rinehart Publishers, 1991)