Architect

Influence.

Like his contemporaries Richard Upjohn and Alexander Jackson Davis, James Renwick Jr. was a champion of the Gothic revival style in architecture. He sought to make American architecture reflect the styles of the Middle Ages, with massive, turreted, castle- and cathedral-like structures. His success at pleasing rich clients made him a wealthy man at a young age, the owner of an extensive art collection and two steam yachts.

Making a Reputation.

James Renwick was born on 3 November 1818 in Bloomingdale, New York, the second son of James and Margaret Brevoort Renwick. His father was a prominent Columbia College science professor who had a love for architecture. James Renwick Jr. inherited his father's taste and was given every opportunity to develop his genius. At age fourteen Renwick entered Columbia College, where he studied engineering. After his graduation in 1836, he became an assistant engineer on...