Mifflin E. Bell

Mifflin Emlen Bell (October 20, 1847 – May 31, 1904 ), often known as M.E. Bell, was an American architect who served from 1883 to 1886 as Supervising Architect of the US Treasury Department. Bell delegated design responsibilities to staff members, which resulted in a large variety of building styles, including Second Empire, Châteauesque, Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque.

Life and career Bell was born on a farm in East Bradford Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania to Chalhly Bell & Mary Emlen. He married Addie Vanhoff on June 7, 1871, and by 1876 he was living in Springfield, Illinois with his wife and two children, working as Assistant Superintendent of the statehouse. He was member of the Joint Commission to Complete the Washington Monument, and his name is engraved on the north face of the monument's capstone. Bell submitted his resignation from the position by mid-1887 and moved to Chicago. In Chicago, Bell was appointed as superintendent of repairs for the city's federal buildings, and was in charge of federal buildings at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. He died in Chicago of pneumonia in 1904.

Many of his works survive and a number of these are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

Works 1884 — U.S. Custom House and Post Office, Albany, New York 1885 — U.S. Custom House, Court House, and Post Office, Memphis, Tennessee 1885-89 Federal Building, N. Fitzhugh and Church Sts. Rochester, New York. Architects Harvey and Charles Ellis are credited with the design; M.E. Bell was supervising architect during its 1885-9 construction. NRHP-listed. 1886-87 — U.S. Post Office, Lexington Kentucky 1887 — U.S. Post Office and Court House, Quincy, Illinois 1887 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Frankfort, Kentucky 1887 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Greensboro, North Carolina 1888 — U.S. Post Office, Hannibal, Missouri 1888 — U.S. Custom House and Post Office, Toledo, Ohio 1888 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Council Bluffs, Iowa 1888 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Dallas, Texas 1888 — United States Post Office and Court House, Aberdeen, Mississippi 1889 — U.S. Post Office and Court House, Peoria, Illinois 1889 — U.S. Post Office, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1889 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Jefferson City, Missouri 1889 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Tyler, Texas 1889 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Syracuse, New York 1889 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Macon, Georgia 1890 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Augusta, Maine, NRHP-listed 1890 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Keokuk, Iowa, NRHP-listed 1890 — U.S. Post Office and Court House, Auburn, New York 1890 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Fort Scott, Kansas 1888-1891 — U.S. Court House and Post Office (Carson City), Carson City, Nevada, , Richardsonian Romanesque, NRHP-listed. 1892 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Denver, Colorado 1892 — U.S. Post Office, Brooklyn, New York 1893 — U.S. Court House and Post Office, Louisville, Kentucky 1895 — Monroe County Courthouse, Sparta, Wisconsin, NRHP-listed 1896 — DuPage County Courthouse, Wheaton, Illinois 1896 — Marion County Courthouse, Main St. Knoxville, Iowa, NRHP-listed Mercer County Courthouse, SE 3rd St. (IL 17) Aledo, Illinois, NRHP-listed U.S. Post Office, 202 S. 8th St. Nebraska City, Nebraska, NRHP-listed US Customs House and Post Office, 223 Palafox Pl. Pensacola, Florida, NRHP-listed U.S. Post Office – Port Townsend Main, 1322 Washington Port Townsend, Washington, NRHP-listed U.S. Court House and Post Office, Clarksburg, West Virginia

Gallery of designs