John Rudolph Niernsee

John Rudolph Niernsee (May 27, 1814 – June 7, 1885) was an American architect. He served as the head architect for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B. & O.). Rudolph also largely contributed to the design and construction of the South Carolina State House located in Columbia, South Carolina. Along with his partner, James Crawford Neilson, Rudolph established the standard for professional design and construction of public works projects within Baltimore and across different states in the United States.

Early life He was born as Johann Rudolph Niernsee in Vienna, capital city of the old Austrian Empire and immigrated to the United States in 1837, at age 22.

Career He apprenticed to Benjamin Henry Latrobe, II, (1806–1878), engineer and manager at the B. & O. and other railroads, (and son of another well-known architect, his father Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 1764–1820). 1855: Saint Paul's Church, 102 North Union Street, Petersburg, Virginia (Niernsee & Neilson), NRHP-listed. c. 1855, Villa Anneslie (mansion), 529 Dunkirk Road, Towson, Maryland (Niernsee, John Rudolph), NRHP-listed. 1856-1865, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Camden Street Station, 301 West Camden Street, Baltimore, Maryland (Niernsee & Neilson) 1868: Aigburth Vale (mansion) in Towson (by Niernsee & Neilson), listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1999. 1870: Churchville Presbyterian Church (Italianate clock tower by Niernsee & Neilson), Churchville, Maryland, listed on the NRHP in 1986.

Not in date order: Church of the Most Holy Trinity, 720 Telfair Street, Augusta, Georgia (Niernsee, John Rudolph), NRHP-listed St. Mary's Catholic Church (1858) located in the Edgefield Historic District, located along both sides of U.S. Route 25 through the town of Edgefield, South Carolina (Niernsee, John R.), NRHP-listed. Emmanuel Church, U.S. Route 301, Port Conway, Virginia. (Niernsee & Neilson), NRHP-listed/ Martin's Brandon Church, Virginia Highways 10 and 1201, Burrowsville. (Niernsee & Neilson), NRHP-listed. Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church and Asbury House, 2–10 East Mount Vernon Place/East Monument Street (at North Charles Street/Washington Place-North), Baltimore, (Niernsee & Neilson), NRHP-listed.

Personal life Niernsee was buried at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Columbia, South Carolina.