E.C. Hemmings

Construction began on the Mitau Building in 1915. Before construction was completed the building was sold to retail grocery giant Henry Mitau in what was at the time the largest business property sold in Sacramento from 1913-1914.

Designed with Classical and Mediterranean Revival influences, it was diagonally cut with a corner shape that was simple yet dignified, the decoration although classical was not derived from any one academic style. The projecting cornice was rich with ornamentation including large classical drapery above the entrance. E.C. Hemmings was the architect that acquired the terra tiles from Gladding McBean. By 1916, the project was complete.

In October 1984, the building caught on fire and flames accelerated quickly due to aging law books that were on the shelves of numerous law offices that occupied the building.

 

Pictures courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History and the Sacramento Public Library.

After the earthquake and fires devastated San Francisco in 1906, Sacramento’s Fire Chief, Henry A. Guthrie believed the city needed two new fire houses, one serving the northern region and the other serving the southern region. Within a year, the city had purchased lots in both areas. By fall 1911, the contractor, Murcell & Haley had been selected for the two new structures. One of the facilities located at Boulevard Park was assigned to E. C. Hemmings.

 

Thank you Catherine Turrill Lupi for providing details about the facility in the October 2018 issue of Park Beat.

 

 

Also know as the Pioneer Congregational Church, this house of worship was built in 1920’s at a cost of  $170,000. The concrete exterior was done in the neo-Gothic style that was projected to honor the population of European pioneers who settled the Sacramento area.

The structure consists of a main floor and balcony, stained glass windows throughout, and a choir loft with a pipe organ in the chancel. The two story, 15,500 square foot administrative wing was remodeled in 1998 and contains offices, meeting and classrooms, a fellowship hall and a kitchen

This project although designed by Hemmings and Starks, was completed after Hemmings death in 1924.

Photos courtesy of the Sacramento Public Library.

The Herman Davis & Sons building was once located on K Street in downtown Sacramento. Herman Davis was an optometrist who commissioned this building, done by Hemmings and Starks in 1923-24. Mr. Davis occupied this building until 1946 when he moved to another location. The building unfortunately was razed during a period in Sacramento’s history when the city was attempting to revitalize the K Street corridor, something that continues to this day. A restaurant and night club now sit on the site where this structure once sat.

No city of Sacramento’s size in the 1920’s could boast a larger, more attractive, or costly home than the Elks Tower; it was the vision of all visions. At its inception, the Elks committee felt a structure should be one of substantial importance, of monumental scale that would rise far into the air and demonstrate that architecture, in a modern city, need not of necessity be uniformly flat, uninteresting, and featureless, but rather, one that would last the test of time with its design and style. In a building where artistry and utility unite in a harmonious blend, the Elks Tower, ever cognizant of the desires of its committee members, wanted a building that would appeal and be appreciated by those of all ages, for all occasions and for all reasons and was designed in the Italian Renaissance style. Many designs were submitted, and selections were made, but only after careful comparisons with the illustrations of models from the Museums of Florence, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, along with many private collections, was a unanimous decision easily secured. The Elks Tower had given the city a credible structure, one that bespeaks vision, courage, and resource. It has and always will contribute to the beauty and the splendor of Sacramento and translate a magnificent faith and confidence for decades to come. The work of carrying through the task was carried on by renowned Architect Leonard J. Starks under the firm name of Hemmings & Starks.

William A. Rapp was the owner and proprietor of William A. Rapp & Company, manufacturers of fine window shades; he first established his business in 1917.  It is purported that during the first six years he was in operation he had to move three times in order to get sufficient space for his rapidly increasing business. One of those moves brought him into association with Hemmings and Starks who designed for him an office and warehouse production building in downtown Sacramento in 1924. Proximity to the railroad was most likely the reason the site was selected for Mr. Rapp’s new building.  The products of the William A. Rapp Company were sent as far east as Montana and also shipped to Honolulu and far north in Oregon and Washington. The building which since first being built has been thoroughly remodeled and added onto since its original construction.

E.C. Hemmings and William A. Jones of Vallejo began preparing plans for the First Baptist Church of Vallejo sometime in 1920. In the July-December 1920 Issue of Western Architect and Engineer it was stated that the plans for the edifice would cost $60,000. Design started in 1920 and construction finished sometime in 1924 – 25.

Jones, a member of the congregation, is considered Vallejo’s most prolific architect.  He is responsible for several Vallejo city landmarks which is why he is mostly associated as the Architect of the church while Hemmings is generally listed as the builder.

This may not be totally accurate. Their professional relationship seems to have begun a decade earlier as the duo teamed up to design and build the Solano County courthouse in Fairfield, California. For that project Hemmings seems to be most identified as the Architect in association with Jones. Hemmings was an architect like Jones in his own right and not a contractor or “builder” as sometimes listed for this structure.  What is more likely is that Jones and Hemmings designed and constructed this project together just as they had a decade earlier with the Solano Courthouse.

W.P. Fuller Company sold paint and glass for windows and doors.  The firm is the predecessor to Fuller O’Brien Paint. This structure was Fuller’s Glass Warehouse. With its ideal location on R Street close to the railroad tracks Fuller Co. shipped their products around the country.  In 1972, the warehouse was remodeled to accommodate a restaurant.  The former brick warehouse and office is now currently the Fox & Goose Pub.

 

Black & White Photos courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History

 

As the population of Sacramento grew so did its need for more public schools. The Board of Education in Sacramento presented to the city’s voters a $2 million bond issue in 1919, for the construction of several new elementary schools. The voters approved the bond issue in the same year.

To carry out the design and oversee the construction of these buildings the Board requested bids from architectural firms.  Initially a San Francisco firm, Shea and Lofquist, was selected, but subsequently withdrew due to delays in selling the bonds. Thirteen proposals were then considered and, following the advice of the Civic Architecture League, the School Board accepted three bids from local architectural firms requesting that they form an “Architectural and Engineering Commission.” The architects selected were EC Hemmings, Jans Peterson and George Hudnutt. The three firms agreed to the Boards proposal, incorporating as Hemmings, Peterson and Hudnutt.

After some conflicts over the site of the originally named Highland Park School, design began in earnest April of 1921. During this time James Dean joined the Commission and acted as its chief deputy, with responsibility for the design of the future school buildings and overall management of the projects.

Mid-way through the construction of the now named Sierra School in March, 1922, the School Board entered into an agreement transferring the architectural contract from the Architectural and Engineering Commission to the new firm of Dean and Dean.

The Architectural and Engineering Commission asked for a release from their contract with the Board of Education stating that they were not able to complete the commission profitably based on the previously agreed fee of 4-1/2 percent of the construction cost.

The Deans alone were then responsible for the design and construction of the additional classroom wing in 1923 and the addition of the auditorium in 1929. The auditorium was later designated an historic landmark.

The school is now known as the Sierra 2 Center and is a community center serving the Curtis Park neighborhood of Sacramento.

The Sacramento Chamber of Commerce Building was a  $80,000 three story structure built in 1921. The building was designed by E.C. Hemmings. The terracotta features above the entrance were done by Gladden McBean and Company of Lincoln, California. The building was razed sometime in the 1970’s.

Images via Sacramento Public Library, Center for Sacramento History, SacMod ,and the Courtesy of Gretchen Steinberg.

The need for more, larger, and better school facilities was a citywide problem during the second decade of the twentieth century, as Sacramento’s population grew rapidly.

The Board of Education in Sacramento presented to the city’s voters a $2 million bond issue in 1919, for the construction of several new elementary schools. The voters approved the bonds on October 18 of that year.

The Board then appointed an Architectural and Engineering Commission, early in 1920, to plan, design, and oversee the construction of the new elementary schools. The Commission consisted of the architects Edward Hemmings and Jens Petersen, and the structural engineer George Hudnutt. It appears that the three men collaborated only on this school commission, as they are listed under the firm name of Hemmings, Petersen, Hudnutt – Architectural and Engineering Commission in Sacramento city directories only in 1921. The Architectural and Engineering Commission was charged by the Board not only with design and construction oversight for the new buildings, typical responsibilities for an architectural commission, but also for assessing the district’s needs and proposing to the Board the optimum number, locations, and sizes of the new schools to be built with the bond funds. Their fee was to be 4-1/2 percent of the construction costs.

After a three-month study, the Commission presented its proposal for the locations and sizes of several new elementary schools on April 20, 1920. The proposal included construction of a new school in the Elmhurst neighborhood. The two-story west wing was the original school building associated with the Commission which at first was named Elmhurst Elementary and later changed to Coloma Elementary School.  The school consisted of four classrooms on each floor and was completed in August of 1921. During this time James Dean joined the Commission and acted as its chief deputy, with responsibility for the design of the future school buildings and overall management of the projects. Hemmings, Petersen, and Hudnutt asked for a release from their contract with the Board of Education in March of 1922, stating that they were not able to complete the commission profitably based on the previously agreed fee of 4-1/2 percent of the construction cost. The schools commission was then turned over to the newly formed architectural firm of Dean and Dean.

The firm of Dean and Dean is mostly associated with this facility mainly through having designed and completed the additions to the school in 1923 and 1929. Dean and Dean went on to complete the other schools the commission had presented in the study but at least one other (Highland Park Elem. / Sierra Elem. School) was also designed by the original Commission of Hemmings, Petersen,  and Hudnutt.

The school is now known as the Coloma Center which acts as a community center serving the Elmhurst neighborhood of Sacramento.

Jess Lubin worked as an accountant at his family’s store Weinstock-Lubin Company, and was best known for having patented the carbon copy receipt. It appears sometime in the early 1920’s Jess commissioned Architect E.C. Hemmings to design a residence for him. The home was designed in the Dutch Colonial style.

The house still exist today and although an addition was added in the 1950’s the home still retains its original character and beauty .

Designed by E.C. Hemmings in 1915 which  upon its completion the Sacramento Bee ran the following article:

On Saturday, March 20, 1915

FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH, which has been completed at Twenty-seventh and N Streets, and which is now being used by the congregation. The little church is unique in design and one of the most attractive little churches in the city.

The church is constructed of cedar shakes, with brown stained woodwork. The windows are of amber glass in simple leaded patterns of the casement type. Architect E. C. Hemmings drew the plans for the building. The structure cost $8,000.

[One striking] feature of the structure is the entrance, which is on a Pergola porch, formed by big bark covered cedar logs. Both the auditorium and social rooms have open trussed roofs with rolling partitions, so that both rooms may be used as one in the event of a big crowd. A big fireplace of mission tile makes the social room the coziest part of the church.

A most delightful feature of the building was later discovered to be the effects of the tall windowed alcove behind the pulpit. There the hanging drapery curtains diffused the natural light from the east windows so that it streamed down to accentuate the form and color of flowers and greenery from field and garden customarily placed there for morning services.

The church was later demolished to make way for another Unitarian church which was also later destroyed. The site is now occupied by homes.

The Sacramento Y.M.C.A. building was a five story steel frame structure that upon completion in 1914 was pronounced as one of the best planned Young Men’s Christian Association buildings on the west coast. E.C. Hemmings was the Architect of this building and he employed a soft cream pressed brick and terra cotta façade on the exterior. The interior included a gymnasium and offices that were painted by Master Painter Horace Tyrrel of Oakland.

In the 1917 July-Dec. edition of Architect & Engineer of California and the Pacific Coast the structure is featured prominently in the article, “Recent Works of E.C. Hemmings”.

This structure would later be converted to a hotel before finally be razed in 1969.

Historic image courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History.

Among the many historic drawings we found in our archives were these drawings form the Merrium apartments. The 41 unit apartment building was located at 1017 14th street on South East alley corner between J and K Streets in downtown Sacramento. Its owner being C.H. Dunn. The apartments were razed to make way for the Sacramento Convention Center.

Historic image courtesy of the Sacramento Public Library.

Note: Clarence Cuff along with his partner at the time Maury Diggs, are the architects of this building. I assume the known friendship and association between Cuff and Hemmings may be why our firm is in possession of the original drawings for this structure. All three having worked in the office of California State Architect George Sellon who was Hemmings partner at the time.

https://nachtlewis.com/hemmings-hidden-files/

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company Building was designed in 1912  by E.C. Hemmings  as an administrative hub for the company for the cost of $100,000. It was made of pressed brick, was framed with steel, and showcases a terracotta exterior. The first two floors were dedicated to general company offices and the third and fourth floors as the headquarters for the manager and other administrative officials. The original building plan called for a second floor showroom for PG & E products. However, with the city and county’s pre-war growth, the company felt a need to increase its office space.

The structure is featured prominently in the  July-Dec. 1917 edition of  Architect & Engineer of California and the Pacific Coast article “Recent Work of Mr. E.C. Hemmings”. The structure is also mentioned in an advertisement for the Van Emon Elevator Company, as Hemmings specified their elevator in this building.

The building is still in use today and is now occupied by the California State Association of Counties.

Some photos used on this page are courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History.

The Lorenz house is a modest single family dwelling that was contracted in 1912 by George B. Lorenz. It was built in 1913 by Murcell and Haley Co. and designed by E.C Hemmings. George B. Lorenz was a banker at the Peoples Bank of Sacramento and his son Robert Lorenz later became Vice President of the bank. George B. Lorenz bought the property in 1869 from C.H Gillman but lived at another residence until 1822 G Street was completed in 1913.

This brown shingled two-story house with boxed windows, a low-pitched roof, lattice detail work on exterior walls and porch, basic symmetrical design, beautiful landscaping, and subtle Japanese influence classify this structure as a Craftsman style house.

The house is practically unchanged as demonstrated by the black and white photographs taken in 1930, and the color photographs taken in 2013. The current owners have decorated the house with period Craftsman furniture, fixtures, stained glass windows, and art. The lush landscaping of this property is also an important Craftsman element.

The Lorenz House is one of the earliest Craftsman houses in Sacramento and still retains its character defining features and historic integrity. E.C Hemmings was also a prominent Sacramento architect who designed mostly commercial buildings in Northern California.

Text and images contained in this blog were used from the thesis done by Annie McCausland in Spring 2015.

E.C. Hemmings and William A. Jones of Vallejo prepared plans for the Solano County Courthouse in 1911 after having won a competition for the rights to design the project. The new courthouse was estimated to cost $350,000.

In the  Nov.1909 -Jan. 1910 edition of  Architect & Engineer of California and the Pacific Coast it lists Hemmings and Jones as the designers, although Hemmings  is usually the only one given architectural credit. What is more likely is that Hemmings and Jones designed and constructed this project together. The courthouse represents the first known pairing of the duo as they would go on to design and construct the First Baptist Church of Vallejo a decade later.

The courthouse is featured prominently in the  July- Dec. 1917 edition of  Architect & Engineer of California and the Pacific Coast Recent Work of Mr. E.C. Hemmings.

This courthouse is an outstanding example of Beaux Arts architecture and is part of the Central Solano County Heritage Commission’s inventory of “Lasting Heritage” buildings. It is currently under renovation.