Walter DeMordaunt

Walter DeMordaunt (1894 – April 7, 1962), sometimes spelled Walter de Mordaunt, was an American architect who practiced in Pueblo, Colorado from 1920 to 1962.[1][2] He was one of Colorado's most prolific architects. Several of his buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Early life

Demordaunt was born 1894 in Butte, Montana.[3] He studied at the University of Utah.[2] He then apprenticed in architecture in Butte.[1][2]

Career

In 1921, DeMordaunt moved to Pueblo, Colorado, where he was an associate with architect William H. Stickney.[3] In 1926, he took over the architectural firm and became one of Colorado's most prolific architects.[3] DeMordaunt worked in modern and revival styles.[2] He also established his own "local sub-style of the Mediterranean Revival" that was used throughout Pueblo.[3] He focused on the structure of buildings, allowing his staff of four to six people to add the style and decorative elements.[1][2] Their work was primarily in Pueblo, but also in the Colorado cities of Cañon City, Grand Junction, Lamar, Las Animas, Meeker, and Salida.[2]

One of his early projects was the Star-Journal Model Home, executed in English Country style.[2][4] This design was supposed to showcase "modern living".[3] The house is on the National Register of Historic Places.[2][4] In 1929, he was selected to design the Chaffee County Courthouse in Salida, Colorado.[1] His Art Deco style design called for stained glass windows for the records vaults; however, county officials bricked over the windows, citing securing concerns.[1][5] Community vigilantes removed the bricks to expose the windows, only to have the county replace them.[1] The courthouse open without the windows in 1932.[1] It is listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties.[2]

In the Great Depression era, his firm worked on numerous New Deal-related and Public Works Administration projects, such as several adobe buildings for Pueblo Community College and two dining halls, eight dormitories, and thirty other buildings for the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (aka Colorado State Hospital).[1][2][3] Other projects in Colorado included a women's dormitory for the University of Colorado Boulder, the Bessemer School in Pueblo, the Carlile School in Pueblo, the central building of Pleasant View High School in Pueblo, the Lincoln School in La Junta, and schools in Buena Vista, Eads, Hooper, Meeker, Mosca, Ouray, Piñon, Ridgway, San Luis, and Sheridan Lake.[1][2] He also designed additions to the Columbian School in Las Animas in 1936,[6] Park School in Fowler, Avondale School in Avondale, Boone High School in Boone, and a gymnasium for Walsh High School in Walsh.[2]

He also designed the Spanish Colonial style Lamar Post Office of Lamar, Colorado in 1936 as a Public Works Administration project.[7][8] It is now on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).[8] His Keating Junior High School nd the McClelland Orphanage in Pueblo are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1][2][9] He also designed The Nuart Theatre in Blackfoot, Idaho which is also on the NRHP.[10] Another of his NRHP works is the Young Women's Christian Association in Pueblo.[2][3] Built in 1936, this building is in Mediterranean Revival style with thick masonry walls, an arcaded walkway, bracketed eaves, a third-story loggia, a corner tower, and clay roof tiles.[2][11]

DeMourdant was president of the American Institute of Architects from 1955 to 1956.[3]

Personal life

DeMourdant was married to Fredella DeMourdant.[3] They had two children: Walter J. DeMourdant and Pauline Sells.[3] Around 1940, DeMourdant purchased a house at 1827 North Grand Avenue in Pueblo, formerly the home of banker Jonathan Burwell Kilbourn and state senator and U.S. Marshall Samuel J. Burris.[3] He lived here until he died.[3]

DeMourdant died in Pueblo on April 7, 1962, at the age of 67.[1][2] He was buried in Pueblo at the Roselawn Cemetery.[2]

Projects

Following are some of DeMourdant's most notable projects.[2]

Building Location Date Status Notes References
Star-Journal Model Home 2920 High Street, Pueblo, Colorado 1927 NRHP [3][4]
Pleasant View High School Pueblo, Colorado
Bessemer School Pueblo, Colorado
Maxwell Hospital Lamar, Colorado [3]
Colorado State Fair Exposition Building Pueblo, Colorado 1928 Colorado State Register of Historic Properties
First Presbyterian Church Las Animas, Colorado
Whitman Hotel Pueblo, Colorado [3]
Keating Junior High School, east and west wings Pueblo, Colorado 1929 NRHP, Colorado State Register of Historic Properties William W. Stickney designed the central part in 1922 [9][12]
Nuart Theatre 195 N. Broadway, Blackfoot, Idaho 1929 NRHP designed for his brother [10][13]
Railway Savings Building 119 W. Fifth Street, Pueblo, Colorado 1928 Extant
Sheridan Lake School Sheridan Lake, Colorado 1929 Extant
Colorado State Fair Grandstands Pueblo, Colorado 1930
Walsh School Gymnasium Walsh, Colorado 1930
Baxter School Pueblo, Colorado 1930
Carlile School Pueblo, Colorado 1930s
Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo, 40 buildings Pueblo, Colorado including 8 dormitories and 2 dining halls [3]
University of Colorado Boulder women's dormitory Boulder, Colorado [3]
Chaffee County Courthouse 104 Crestone Avenue, Salida, Colorado 1932 Colorado State Register of Historic Properties [5]
Mosca School Mosca, Colorado 1932
Young Women's Christian Association Building 801 North Santa Fe Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado 1935 NRHP [11][14][3]
McClelland Orphanage 415 East Abriendo Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado 1935 NRHP
Buena Vista School Buena Vista, Colorado 1935
Columbian School addition 1026 West Sixth Street, Las Animas, Colorado 1936 NRHP [6]
Lamar Post Office 300 South Fifth Street, Lamar, Colorado 1936 NRHP under the supervision of Louis A. Simon [15][16][7]
Boyd School Alamosa, Colorado 1936
Maxwell Hotel Lamar, Colorado 1936
Lutheran Hospital Alamosa, Colorado 1936
Lincoln School 300 North Third Street, La Junta, Colorado 1937 NRHP with John Gray [17]
Ouray High School Ouray, Colorado 1937
Pueblo Junior College (now Pueblo Community College) 900 West Orman Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado 1937 with John Gray [18][1][3]
Ridgway High School Ridgeway, Colorado 1937
San Luis School San Luis, Colorado 1937
Central School Alamosa, Colorado 1937
Eads School Eads, Colorado 1938
Holy Trinity School Trinidad, Colorado 1944
Rice Junior High School Trinidad, Colorado 1948
Avondale School Avondale, Colorado
Boone High School Boone, Colorado
Park School Fowler, Colorado
Pueblo Drive-In screen tower and concession stand 1224 US 50, Pueblo, Colorado 1949 Extant [19]
Scottish Rite Temple (now Parkview Medical Center West Annex) 1518 North Elizabeth Street, Pueblo, Colorado 1950–1955 Extant [20]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rosso, Mike (March 1, 2010). "The Chaffee County Courthouse: An Art Deco Gem". Colorado Central Magazine. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Walter DeMordaunt" (PDF). Colorado Architects Biographic Sketch. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society. May 19, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Thomas, Adam (August 9, 2005). "Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Architectural Inventory Form: MarjorieJ.Villani House" (PDF). Historitecture.com. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Noel, Thomas J. (2018-07-16). "Star-Journal Model Home". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  5. ^ a b Noel, Thomas J. (2018-07-16). "Chaffee County Courthouse". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  6. ^ a b "Columbian School". History Colorado. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  7. ^ a b "Lamar Post Office". Colorado Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  8. ^ a b "Lamar Post Office". History Colorado. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  9. ^ a b Hillstrom, Zach. "Pueblo's Keating Junior High School is officially a historic site". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  10. ^ a b "The Nuart Theatre". Idaho Heritage Trust, Inc. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  11. ^ a b Noel, Thomas J. (2018-07-16). "Young Women's Christian Association". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  12. ^ "Central/Keating Junior High School in Pueblo Listed in National Register". Front Range Research Associates, Inc. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  13. ^ "Idaho (ID), Bingham County". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  14. ^ "801 N. Santa Fe Avenue". Historic Pueblo. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  15. ^ Noel, Thomas J. (2018-07-16). "Post Office". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  16. ^ "Post Office – Lamar CO". Living New Deal. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  17. ^ Noel, Thomas J. (2018-07-16). "Offices (Lincoln School)". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  18. ^ Noel, Thomas J. (2018-07-16). "Pueblo Community College". SAH ARCHIPEDIA. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  19. ^ "Pueblo Drive-In in Pueblo, CO". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 2025-09-02.
  20. ^ Thomas, Adam (September 19, 2006). "Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Architectural Inventory Form: Scottish Rite Temple (Parkview Medical Center West Annex)" (PDF). Historitecture.com. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_DeMordaunt