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James Champlin Bucklin
James Champlin Bucklin
Born	26 July 1801; Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Died	September 1890; Providence, Rhode Island
Nationality	American
Occupation	Architect

James C. Bucklin (1801-1890) was an American architect working in Providence, Rhode Island.

Life and career

Bucklin was born on 26 July 1801, in a part of Rehoboth that is now part of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to James and Lorania (Pearce) Bucklin. His father died 6 December 1802, and his widow moved to Providence with her son. Bucklin attended the town's public schools. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to early architect-builder John Holden Greene, working there for seven years. In 1822, at the age of 21, he established a partnership with William Tallman (d.1862). The firm of Tallman & Bucklin was a design-build firm, similar to Greene's business.^[1] in 1846, 20-year-old Thomas A. Tefft began working for Tallman & Bucklin. Before long, Tefft was doing most of the firm's design work. This continued until 1851, when Tefft finished his studies at Brown University and established his own office.^[2] Also at this time, Tallman & Bucklin's partnership was dissolved. Bucklin worked alone for many years. By 1880 he had taken his son, James A. Bucklin (1840-1901),^[3] as a partner in J. C. Bucklin & Son. Although son James largely took over the practice, he remained active until his death in September 1890.^[1] The office was succeeded by J. A. Bucklin & Company.^[4]

In 1829 Bucklin married Lucy Dailey of Providence. They had five surviving children, including son James. Lucy Bucklin died in November, 1888.^[1]

Bucklin was a member of the Squantum Association and the Providence Athenaeum, and was considered "a great reader of good books".^[1] He was a member of the Providence common council from the fifth ward for the years 1839-41 and 1842-43.^[5] He was a member of the First Light Infantry.

Legacy

Despite having fallen into relative obscurity, Bucklin was a very prominent designer in Providence from the 1840s to the 1870s. He designed at least half a dozen Westminster Street office buildings, as well as several more in other parts of downtown. From 1839 to 1844 Tallman & Bucklin had charge of the city's first major period of school-building, designing 12 buildings citywide.^[6] Bucklin also was the designer of several other municipal structures.

Works

Earl Pearce Duplex, 42-44 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1827)^[7]
Enoch W. Clarke House, 66 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1828)^[7]
Westminster Arcade
Westminster Arcade, 65 Weybosset St., Providence, RI (1828) - With Russell Warren.^[7]

For buildings built 1830-31, see Russell Warren.

Remodeling of Providence City Building, 4 N. Main St., Providence, RI (1833) - Served as City Hall until 1878.^[8]
Remodeling of Beneficent Congregational Church, 300 Weybosset St., Providence, RI (1836) - Built in 1809.^[7]
Shakespeare Hall, 128 Dorrance St., Providence, RI (1838) - Closed in 1844, renovated into a warehouse in 1854.^[7]
Arnold Street School, 41 Arnold St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.^[6]
Benefit Street School, 21 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.^[6]
Elm Street School, Elm St. at Parsonage, Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.^[6]
Fountain Street School, 157 Fountain St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.^[6]
Knight Street School, 347 Knight St., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.^[6]
Summer Street School, Summer & Pond Sts., Providence, RI (1839–40) - Demolished.^[6]
President's Residence, 72 College St., Brown University, Providence, RI (1840) - Demolished 1908.^[9]
Rhode Island Hall, Brown University, 1840.
Rhode Island Hall, Brown University, Providence, RI (1840)^[7]
East Street School, 28 East St., Providence, RI (1841) - Demolished.^[6]
Prospect Street School, 45 Prospect St., Providence, RI (1841) - Demolished. Site of the Corliss-Brackett House.^[6]
Federal Street School, 97 Federal St., Providence, RI (1842) - Demolished.^[6]
Washington Buildings, Memorial Blvd. & Westminster St., Providence, RI (1843) - Demolished. Now the site of the Hospital Trust Building.^[10]
Providence High School, 205 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1844) - Later owned by the state. Demolished.^[10]
Rhode Island Historical Society (Mencoff Hall), Providence, 1844.
Rhode Island Historical Society, 68 Waterman St., Providence, RI (1844) - Now Brown University's Mencoff Hall.^[7]
Exchange Building, 30 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI (1845)^[7]

For buildings built 1846-51, see Thomas A. Tefft.

Howard Building, Providence, 1856.
Howard Building, 171 Westminster St., Providence, RI (1856) - Demolished.^[10]
Blackstone Block, 27 Weybosset St., Providence, RI (1861) - Demolished 1979.^[11]
Hiram Hill Duplex, 63-65 Charlesfield St., Providence, RI (1864)^[7]
Union Railroad Co. Car Barn, 333 Bucklin St., Providence, RI (1865)^[7]
Hay Buildings, 117-135 Dyer St., Providence, RI (1866)^[7]
Monohasset Mill, 532 Kinsley Ave., Providence, RI (1866)^[7]
Root Building, 180 Westminster St., Providence, RI (1866) - Burned 1890.^[12]
Addition to Rhode Island State House, 150 Benefit St., Providence, RI (1867–68)^[7]
Reynolds Building, 37 Weybosset St., Providence, RI (c.1867) - Demolished.^[1]^[13]
Thomas Davis House, 830 Chalkstone Ave., Providence, RI (1869) - Demolished. The seat of a large estate, now Davis Park.^[10]
Barstow Block, 386 Westminster St., Providence, RI (1871) - Also housed the Providence Music Hall. Demolished 1955.^[1]
Hoppin Homestead Building, 283 Westminster St., Providence, RI (1875) - Demolished 1979.^[10]
Brownell Building, 107 Westminster St., Providence, RI (1878) - Demolished 1925.^[10]
Billings Block, Providence, 1880.
Billings Block, 250 Westminster St., Providence, RI (1880) - Demolished 1896.^[14]
Amos C. Barstow House, 245 Morris Ave., Providence, RI (1886) - Altered.^[15]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island. 1908.
^ Stone, Edwin Martin. The Architect and Monetarian: A Brief Memoir of Thomas Alexander Tefft. 1869.
^ "James Albert Bucklin (1840 - 1901) - Find A Grave Memorial". findagrave.com. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
^ List of Architects and Classified Directory of First Hands in the Building Trade. 1890.
^ Providence City Documents for the Year 1904 (Providence: City of Providence, 1904)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Report to the City Council of Providence, by Their Committee to Superintend the Construction of Schoolhouses. 1846.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Woodward, William McKenzie. Providence: A Citywide Survey of Historic Resources. 1986.
^ Renshaw, Clifford M. Market House NRHP Nomination. 1971.
^ Guild, Reuben Aldridge. History of Brown University. 1867.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Marter, Joan. The Grove Encyclopedia of American Art. 2011.
^ Custom House Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1975.
^ Downtown Providence Historic District NRHP Nomination. 1984.
^ Providence Directory. 1867.
^ American Architect and Building News 24 April 1880: 182.
^ Scientific American May 1887: 100.