'Willis Proudfoot (1860-1928) and George Bird (1854-1953) were partners in an architectural practice, Proudfoot and Bird, in Wichita, Kansas from 1885 to 1890. They had come from the east to participate in the building boom in Wichita during the 1880s. Proudfoot was born in Iowa and may have attended M.I.T for one semester. He arrived in Wichita in 1885 and was soon joined by Bird who came from Philadelphia. Their first commission was the Administration Building at Garfield University (now Friends University). During their five years in Wichita, the firm was prolific, designing seventy buildings, of which only nine are extant.
The work of Proudfoot & Bird was characterized by a combination of Richardsonian Romanesque and High Victorian styles such as Queen Anne and Shingle, depending on the building. They designed commercial buildings, civic buildings, schools, churches and residences, including their own in the College Hill neighborhood of Wichita.
Special thanks to Catherine Cramer (47339001) for this updated information below. January 2020
Mr. Bird and his business partner W. T. Proudfoot came to Des Moines IA from Wichita in January 1896. They were quite active in their trade, with the County Hospital for the Insane being their first large project in January 1897. They went on to design several university buildings at Iowa City, business blocks throughout Des Moines, Valley Junction, and Indianola, and several residences. In 1910 the firm became Proudfoot Bird and Rawson and in 1913 Mr. Bird sold his partnership and moved to Ventura CA where he eventually retired. He was married to Estelle Royer in 1925 and was residing in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
In the first information found it appeared that Mr. Bird was working in Philadelphia before coming to Iowa, but can't find anything to confirm.
(various Des Moines newspapers and the several Iowa papers for his obituary)
The work of Proudfoot & Bird was characterized by a combination of Richardsonian Romanesque and High Victorian styles such as Queen Anne and Shingle, depending on the building. They designed commercial buildings, civic buildings, schools, churches and residences, including their own in the College Hill neighborhood of Wichita.
Special thanks to Catherine Cramer (47339001) for this updated information below. January 2020
Mr. Bird and his business partner W. T. Proudfoot came to Des Moines IA from Wichita in January 1896. They were quite active in their trade, with the County Hospital for the Insane being their first large project in January 1897. They went on to design several university buildings at Iowa City, business blocks throughout Des Moines, Valley Junction, and Indianola, and several residences. In 1910 the firm became Proudfoot Bird and Rawson and in 1913 Mr. Bird sold his partnership and moved to Ventura CA where he eventually retired. He was married to Estelle Royer in 1925 and was residing in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
In the first information found it appeared that Mr. Bird was working in Philadelphia before coming to Iowa, but can't find anything to confirm.
(various Des Moines newspapers and the several Iowa papers for his obituary)
'Willis Proudfoot (1860-1928) and George Bird (1854-1953) were partners in an architectural practice, Proudfoot and Bird, in Wichita, Kansas from 1885 to 1890. They had come from the east to participate in the building boom in Wichita during the 1880s. Proudfoot was born in Iowa and may have attended M.I.T for one semester. He arrived in Wichita in 1885 and was soon joined by Bird who came from Philadelphia. Their first commission was the Administration Building at Garfield University (now Friends University). During their five years in Wichita, the firm was prolific, designing seventy buildings, of which only nine are extant.
The work of Proudfoot & Bird was characterized by a combination of Richardsonian Romanesque and High Victorian styles such as Queen Anne and Shingle, depending on the building. They designed commercial buildings, civic buildings, schools, churches and residences, including their own in the College Hill neighborhood of Wichita.
Special thanks to Catherine Cramer (47339001) for this updated information below. January 2020
Mr. Bird and his business partner W. T. Proudfoot came to Des Moines IA from Wichita in January 1896. They were quite active in their trade, with the County Hospital for the Insane being their first large project in January 1897. They went on to design several university buildings at Iowa City, business blocks throughout Des Moines, Valley Junction, and Indianola, and several residences. In 1910 the firm became Proudfoot Bird and Rawson and in 1913 Mr. Bird sold his partnership and moved to Ventura CA where he eventually retired. He was married to Estelle Royer in 1925 and was residing in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
In the first information found it appeared that Mr. Bird was working in Philadelphia before coming to Iowa, but can't find anything to confirm.
(various Des Moines newspapers and the several Iowa papers for his obituary)
The work of Proudfoot & Bird was characterized by a combination of Richardsonian Romanesque and High Victorian styles such as Queen Anne and Shingle, depending on the building. They designed commercial buildings, civic buildings, schools, churches and residences, including their own in the College Hill neighborhood of Wichita.
Special thanks to Catherine Cramer (47339001) for this updated information below. January 2020
Mr. Bird and his business partner W. T. Proudfoot came to Des Moines IA from Wichita in January 1896. They were quite active in their trade, with the County Hospital for the Insane being their first large project in January 1897. They went on to design several university buildings at Iowa City, business blocks throughout Des Moines, Valley Junction, and Indianola, and several residences. In 1910 the firm became Proudfoot Bird and Rawson and in 1913 Mr. Bird sold his partnership and moved to Ventura CA where he eventually retired. He was married to Estelle Royer in 1925 and was residing in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
In the first information found it appeared that Mr. Bird was working in Philadelphia before coming to Iowa, but can't find anything to confirm.
(various Des Moines newspapers and the several Iowa papers for his obituary)
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