Arthur L. Pillsbury
Born: November 29, 1869
Died: October 26, 1925
Brief Biography:
Born and educated in Bloomington, while his father served as the principal at Illinois State University. Into his high school years in the year1880, the family relocated to Springfield due to his father's new job as the principal at Springfield University High School. There Pillsbury finished his high school career and began further pursuing higher education at the University of Illinois in Champaign in the years of 1888-1891. After 1891, he transferred to Harvard's Lawrence Scientific School, where in 1893, he earned a degree in engineering. Shortly thereafter, he enrolled and returned to the University of Illinois as part of the architecture program. The university was the second American institution of higher learning to offer a curriculum in architecture and then became finally the first university to offer a four year architectural degree in 1890. After a period of travel and research investigating the buildings of major U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago, Pillsbury returned to Bloomington in 1895 as the first architect with a university degree. In 1897, he became one of the first licensed architects in the state of Illinois, a procedure which was established under the University of Illinois architecture program.
He was married to Daisy Seane Hill, a society woman, in 1898, and had one daughter, Frances. During his career as a licensed architect he designed and renovated approximately 435 homes, 104 schools, 73 businesses, 32 churches, 17 banks, 16 garages and partook in other architectural projects. Other than designing some of Bloomington's most recognized commercial buildings and residences, Pillsbury was much involved within the community. He was associated with organizations such as the Freemasons, American Institute of Architecture, the Bloomington Country Club, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. For a large portion of his life he served and devoted his time as the McLean County World War I Construction Chairman. Sadly, his life ended in a tragic car accident coming home from a University of Illinois football game at the age of 55.
Bloomington Buildings:
Braley-Field Building
Ensenberger Building
Fervert Building
Lyman Graham Building
McGregor Building
People's Bank Building
Schroeder Building
Died: October 26, 1925
Brief Biography:
Born and educated in Bloomington, while his father served as the principal at Illinois State University. Into his high school years in the year1880, the family relocated to Springfield due to his father's new job as the principal at Springfield University High School. There Pillsbury finished his high school career and began further pursuing higher education at the University of Illinois in Champaign in the years of 1888-1891. After 1891, he transferred to Harvard's Lawrence Scientific School, where in 1893, he earned a degree in engineering. Shortly thereafter, he enrolled and returned to the University of Illinois as part of the architecture program. The university was the second American institution of higher learning to offer a curriculum in architecture and then became finally the first university to offer a four year architectural degree in 1890. After a period of travel and research investigating the buildings of major U.S. cities such as New York and Chicago, Pillsbury returned to Bloomington in 1895 as the first architect with a university degree. In 1897, he became one of the first licensed architects in the state of Illinois, a procedure which was established under the University of Illinois architecture program.
He was married to Daisy Seane Hill, a society woman, in 1898, and had one daughter, Frances. During his career as a licensed architect he designed and renovated approximately 435 homes, 104 schools, 73 businesses, 32 churches, 17 banks, 16 garages and partook in other architectural projects. Other than designing some of Bloomington's most recognized commercial buildings and residences, Pillsbury was much involved within the community. He was associated with organizations such as the Freemasons, American Institute of Architecture, the Bloomington Country Club, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association. For a large portion of his life he served and devoted his time as the McLean County World War I Construction Chairman. Sadly, his life ended in a tragic car accident coming home from a University of Illinois football game at the age of 55.
Bloomington Buildings:
Braley-Field Building
Ensenberger Building
Fervert Building
Lyman Graham Building
McGregor Building
People's Bank Building
Schroeder Building