Walter Cook (7/23/1846-3/25/1916) New York City, New York (F.A.I.A.)

Born at Buffalo, N. Y., the son of Edward and Catherine (Ireland) Cook, grandson of James C. Ireland, who was an early architect in the city. He entered Yale as a freshman but transferred to Harvard and there received the degree of A.B. in 1869 and A.M. in 1872. He then went to Paris and was one of the earliest Americans to take advantage of the opportunities for architectural training in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where he came under the influence of the gifted Vandremer, whose atelier was a center of inspirational instruction. His preparation was broadened by further study in the Royal Polytechnic School at Munich. Returning to New York in 1877 he became the dominating factor successively of the architectural firms of Babb, Cook & Willard; Willard, Babb, Cook & Welch; and Cook & Welch. During his long career many commissions were executed, the most notable among which, designed wholly or in part by him, were the De Vinne Press Building, the New York Life Insurance Building, the residence of Andrew Carnegie, and branch libraries for the New York Public Library in New York City, the stadium of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, and many residences, The Choir School of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine characterizes his mature style. In all of his designs there is an evident fitting of the means to the conditions, an application of modern methods and their utilization in the most efficient manner. He brought to the career of architecture a great fund of collateral knowledge, administrative ability, and educational ideals. His professional performance was thorough and distinguished. It notably influenced the achievement of his time. These characteristics were recognized by his fellow architects in elevating him to the position of president of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and of the Society of Beaux-Arts Architects; of fellow in the Institute (1891); and finally of president for two terms of the American Institute of Architects (1912-14). His intimate interest in the affairs of the Institute was continued to the time of his death, as a member of the Board of Directors. The city of New York made him a member of the Municipal Art Commission (1905-07), consulting architect of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and of the Court House Board. As an architectural adviser he was a member. of the competition juries for the selection of architects for the New York Public Library and for the University of California. He was also signally honored by election as a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and as Academician and Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, France.

Walter Cook was "a man of rare qualifications, of wide and genial culture, imbued with that kind of personal dignity and charm which well fitted him to represent the architects of this country on all occasions requiring tact and judgment, executive and administrative ability. ... He was always simple and 'get-attable' [sic] with a delightful sense of humor, gentle and kindly though ever ready to fight when a principle was involved" (Hastings, post). He was married in Paris on Nov. 18, 1876, to Marie Elizabeth Hugot of Fresnes, Yonne, France. She died in 1888, and on Feb. 25, 1890, he was married to Louise Sprague Oakey. He died in New York City.