John Haviland (12/15/1792-3/2/1852) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A noted architect of the early 19th century, working mainly in the classic style, he designed a number of interesting buildings in Philadelphia and other cities, some of which are still standing.

Of English birth and education, he received a thorough architectural training the the London office of James Elmes before he left the country to begin his career in America. Arriving in the U.S. in 1816, he settle in Philadelphia and prepared to start an architectural practice. His first important commission was for a Penitentiary at Pittsburgh, the plan of which was based on the radial principle advocated by Jeremy Wrentham, an English architect. Later Haviland won a competition for the Eastern State Penitentiary at Philadelphia, and the successful erection of the structure between 1829 and 1836, won for him a reputation as a specialist in that field. Meantime, during the first decade of his practice, he had designed other types of public buildings in Philadelphia, the most important of which were: First Presbyterian Church, 1820, on South Washington Street, designed in the form of a Greek Temple; St. George's Greek Catholic Church, 1822, on Eighth Street; Franklin Institute, 1826, Seventh Street near Market (extant); Philadelphia Arcade, the cornerstone of which was laid on May 3rd, 1826. Also sometimes attributed to him is the Grecian front of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb on Broad Street, dating from 1824, now a part of the School of Textiles.

Haviland's work in Philadelphia received wide recognition, and he was commissioned to design many other building of note in different cities, including churches, theatres, prisons, commercial buildings and private residences, outstanding examples of which were the Missouri State Prison, Jefferson City, 1838; Rhode Island State Penitentiary, at Providence, 1838; New York Hall of Justice, (known as 'The Tombs"), 1836-1838; Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia; County Court House, York Pennsylvania; County Court House, Newark, New York.