Rudolph Weaver

Rudolph Weaver (April 17, 1880 – November 10, 1944) was an American architect, university professor and administrator renowned for various buildings that he designed in Florida, Idaho and Washington, many of which are academic.

Early life, work and education

Weaver was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the son of Henry Weaver and his wife, Sara Jane Barnhart. Before college he worked as a bookbinder, printer and steelworker. He attended Pennsylvania State College for the year 1902-03 and then went to Drexel Institute where he received a diploma in architecture in 1905. He continued his study of architecture at Columbia University from 1906 to 1907, and at the atelier of Henry Hornbostel of the Society of Beaux-Arts Architects in 1907. He later received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Drexel in 1919.

Career history and works

Illinois

From 1909 to 1911, Weaver was an instructor in architecture at the University of Illinois.

Washington

From 1911 to 1923, he was the first chairman of the architecture department at what is now Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, and was the first architect for the institution. He designed seven buildings, including: The Beef Barn, now the Lewis Alumni Centre, 1922 Carpenter Hall, which was not finished until 1927. Community Hall. 1921 McCroskey Hall, 1920 President's House, 1912. Stimson Hall, 1922 Wilson Hall, 1917, first used, but not finished until later.

Idaho

From 1923 to 1925 he held the same positions at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, where he did the campus plan and in 1923 designed the Science Building, now Life Sciences South.

Florida From 1925 until his death in 1944 he was founding dean of University of Florida's College of Architecture. During that time he was also the architect for the Florida Board of Control, which governed the state's three institutions of higher education and the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. As board architect, Weaver succeeded William Augustus Edwards, the first architect to the board, and continued designing buildings in the Collegiate Gothic style begun by Edwards. Among the buildings he designed are:

Gainesville

The following buildings in the University of Florida Campus Historic District: Dauer Hall, 1936 Fletcher Hall, 1938–1939 Infirmary, 1931 Leigh Hall, 1927 Murphree Hall, 1939 Sledd Hall, 1930 Rolfs Hall, designed by Edwards, finished by Weaver Walker Hall, 1927 Other campus buildings on the National Register Norman Hall, east of S.W. 13th Street Old WRUF Radio Station (now University Police Department) Other campus buildings not on the National register: Dairy Sciences Building, now Building 120, 1937 Private buildings off campus include: Chapel of the Incarnation - Episcopal Chapel House, 1522 West University Avenue Dixie Hotel (now John F. Seagle Building), 408 West University Avenue, 1926.

St. Augustine

Florida School for the Deaf and Blind

Tallahassee

FAMU

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (Florida A&M University) Lee Hall 1928

FSU Florida State College for Women (Florida State University): Campus buildings designed by Rudolph Weaver include:

Cawthon Hall, 1946–1948, built after Weaver's death, based on his drawings. It was the last Gothic building at FSU. His designs were followed so closely that even the FSCW stone relief at one entrance was not changed to use the new initials: FSU. Gilchrist Hall, 1926 Landis Hall, 1939 Longmire Alumni Building, 1938

Marriage On August 22, 1922, Rudolph Weaver married Alice Rossing Walden.

Death Rudolph Weaver died in Gainesville in 1944 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery. His wife, Alice, died on July 26, 1960, and was buried next to him.

Honors Rudolph Weaver Hall at the University of Florida was named for him, but is now called Fine Arts Building A and houses the UF Architecture & Fine Arts Library. There is also a Weaver Residence Hall, which some UF sites say was named for him, while others say it was named for his wife, Martha. Since his wife was named Alice and survived him, it appears that the first version is correct.