Louis A. Simon

Louis A. Simon (1867–1958) was an American architect. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland. [1]

Louis A. Simon
Acting Supervising Architect of the United States
In office 1933–1939
Preceded by	James A. Wetmore
Succeeded by	No successor
Personal details
Born	1867 (1867) Baltimore, Maryland
Died	1958 (1959) (aged 91)

United States Post Office in Lancaster, NY

This former US post office at the northwest corner of James and N. Main Streets in Mullins, South Carolina, was built in 1938 under Simon's direction. As of 2015, it is used by the neighboring Baptist church.

Simon was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Following a tour of Europe, he opened an architectural office in Baltimore, Maryland in 1894.[2]

Simon served as Supervising Architect in the Office of the Supervising Architect, U.S. Department of the Treasury from 1933 until 1939, when the office was moved to the Public Works Administration / Works Progress Administration. He had been associated with the office from 1896; Edward A. Crane, Superintendent of Architects in the office between 1905 and 1933, originally recruited Simon to the office.

From 1915 to 1933, during the tenure of Acting Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore, a lawyer and a political appointee, Simon was responsible for the direction of much of the design work. Most of Simon's buildings, notably post office buildings, were designed in the Colonial Revival style. Occasionally, buildings were designed in a restrained or more stylized classically derived style.[3] Simon was unwavering in his defense of what he considered a "conservative-progressive" approach to design in which he saw "art, beauty, symmetry, harmony and rhythm".[4]

References

1. "Louis A. Simon, Architect [1867-1958]". www.livingplaces.com. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
2. "Biographical Dictionary of Cincinnati Architects, 1788-1940, Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati". Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
3. Larry E. Gobrecht (December 1986). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Springville Post Office". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-06-14. See also: "Accompanying three photos". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
4. American Architect and Architecture (August, 1937), vol. 151, p. 51.

Preceded by James A. Wetmore	Office of the Supervising Architect 1933–1939	Succeeded by Position abolished