Presenting Arthur Brown, Jr.: The Visible/Invisible Architect

Welcome to the first blog celebrating the life and ideas of Arthur Brown, Jr. San Francisco architect. Why visible/invisible, you might ask? It is for the simple fact that he himself has been a vague yet invisible presence in peoples mind, though, paradoxically, quite visible when it came to living and working among his various buildings without their realizing it. Of course, if you're working in the San Francisco City Hall, or any of the other major Beaux Arts buildings around SF Civic Center, with the exception of the Civic Auditorium, the Asian Art Museum, and one or two other buildings, you are most likely aware that you are working in an Arthur Brown, Jr. designed building and can confidently answer with a resounding, "Yes!" to the question, "Have you ever heard of the San Francisco architect, Arthur Brown, Jr.?"

But pose this question to the average citizen and most often the answer comes back as either, "Yes, he designed the Ferry Building!" or "I think I have...I'm not sure...gee, the name sounds somewhat familiar, but I can't place it..." Referring to the first answer, the person has unwittingly confused two architects, having the same name, working in the same city, being known for their Beaux Arts style and both having built iconic buildings. No wonder people are confused!

To clear up the mystery: The designer of the San Francisco Ferry Building was Arthur Page Brown (1859-1896). No relation to Arthur Brown, Jr. According to various reports, Page Brown always used his middle name to distinguish himself from Arthur Brown, Sr. --ABJr.'s father-- who was himself quite well known due to the fact that he was Chief Superintendent Engineer of Buildings and Bridges for the Central Pacific, then Southern Pacific Railroad, from it's inception until 1917, the year of his death. Both father and son did not have middle names.

Unfortunately, having such a common name meant that there were, and are, multiple Arthur Browns in one city. Aside from Page Brown, during his lifetime there was also San Francisco Supervisor Arthur Merrill Brown, as well as assorted other Arthur Browns, well known and not, that even then, made it a challenge to distinguish one from the other in the popular imagination.

Couple this fact with a brilliant, but naturally self-effacing and quiet architect who was loath to trumpet his accomplishments and you've got the situation we find ourselves in today: awash in a vast ocean of misinformation.

In 2006 the first monograph of Arthur Brown, Jr., titled, "Arthur Brown, Jr.: Progressive Classicist" was published by W.W. Norton. Written by Dr. Jeffrey T. Tilman, Professor of Architectural History at the University of Cincinnati, it details the architects' life and work from his childhood to his death at the age of 83 years in 1957. It is a wonderful book, rich in fascinating information about an extraordinary figure whose all too common name is long overdue to be resurrected and returned to the prominence it once enjoyed.

Book Details:
Title: "Arthur Brown, Jr.: Progressive Classicist"
Author: Jeffrey T. Tilman
Publisher: W.W. Norton and Company
Year: 2006
ISBN: 0-353-73178-2