E.C. Hemmings

In August of 1909, Hemmings was commissioned to design and build the Mohr & Yoerk building at 1031 K street, a prime location situated across from the Cathedral and his later work the PG & E  Headquarters Building (1912).

He described the project as “an apartment building and retail market …4 stories and mezzanine $120,000..5% job.”

When finally completed in the fall of 1910 Hemmings had designed a fine example of Prairie School Architecture. The once present lower overhang, still existing window proportions, and design all exhibit Prairie School influence. It is in stark contrast to to his Classic Revival design of the PG & E building only a few feet away.

Ironically Hemmings former partner George Sellon was hired in 1933 for the buildings remodel and changed the Northern wing and much of the first story facade in the Moderne style.

Through his association as architect for the Sacramento Hotel with George Sellon in 1909, two hotel officials who worked for United Realty Company, Messrs Peltier and Anderson approached Mr. Hemmings in the summer of 1910 to design and build a 5-story moving picture theater and hotel for $75,000. Hemmings was entitled to five percent for his work. Today the building serves as a motel on the upper floors and a restaurant on the first floor.

Historical images appear courtesy of Center for Sacramento History and the Sacramento Public Library.

Designed by E.C. Hemmings around 1909, The Sunday News Building was a local publisher located in downtown Sacramento at this location until 1937 when they moved. This facility produced brochures, catalogs, mailers and newspapers. The Sunday News continued operating at its new location, 1213 H Street, for several more years until closing in 1963.

This building represents one of Hemming’s first commissioned works on his own after the dissolution of his partnership with George Sellon Sellon & Hemmings, 1906-1909. Today the site is occupied a by a new building that houses a bail bondsman.

The California State Bank Building first opened in 1890 at the northwest corner of Fourth and J Street. It was once known as the Business Temple of Sacramento according to the Sacramento Daily Union. The structure was known for it’s bright exterior that was finished in Ione red stone, furnished by the Ione Stone Company that made it appear pink.

At the time of  it’s opening it housed the Internal Revenue Service which occupied the basement, the California National Bank which used the main floor, while the Sutter Club held the top three floors. Mr. E.C.  Hemming’s although not responsible for the original building did design the entrance and club rooms of the Sutter Club in 1910.

Hemmings work on the bank building is featured prominently in  1917 July-Dec.  edition of Architect & Engineer of California and the Pacific Coast article, titled “Recent Works by E.C. Hemmings”.

Historical Images appear courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History and the Sacramento Public Library.

George Sellon, former state architect, used his firm Sellon & Hemmings to design at least two craftsman bungalow cottages on what is now the campus of the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Construction of “Cottage #2” and “Cottage #3” occurred in 1908-1909. Each of the structures was designed to facilitate on-campus staff housing, and each were maintained until the late twentieth century, when members of the campus faculty began using the cottages as storage units.

In the early 1920s, Cal Poly workmen removed the cottages from their original location on the north side of campus and placed them on the southwest side of the campus, where they had since remained until their demolition several years ago. The structures having been evaluated were deemed of no historical significance for several reasons.

Although the buildings were constructed in a popular architectural style of the period, they are but modest workers bungalows and not distinctive examples of craftsman bungalow residences of the era. Despite their venerable age, the cottages have been moved from their original sites and no longer retain their spatial and functional connection with the area of the early campus devoted to agricultural, maintenance and operations facilities. None of these three buildings appear to be associated with the lives of individuals that made significant contributions to the school’s early history.

A third cottage, “Cottage #1” was constructed in 1910. This cottage was built during the term of William D. Coates Jr., the new state architect. The projects were attributed to Coates even though the drawings indicated it was Sellon & Hemmings that designed the cottage and Coates built it during his tenure. Although credited to Coates, its fate would be like the others and was deemed of no historical significance and razed as well.

Note:

Both Sellon & Hemmings later designed craftsman bungalows that remain in Downtown Sacramento’s Alkali Flats neighborhood.

Shortly after dissolving their partnership in 1909, Sellon designed his greatest surviving residence, the Cranston-Geary House. Hemmings designed the less known Lorenz House in 1912, which is located just right down the street from the Cranston-Geary. A letter was dated back to March 24, 1909 before their partnership was dissolved on August 1, 1909, where Hemmings wrote to friend and one time designer in the State Architects office, Leonard Willeke, stating the “residence for Mr. Cranston” was “in the office.”

Text and images contained in this blog were used from the report done by JRP Historical Consulting, LLC