American architect
Pico House , Los Angeles, CA. 1869-70.Merced Theatre , Los Angeles, CA. 1870.Samuel C. Foy House , Los Angeles, CA. 1872.Los Angeles High School , Los Angeles, CA. 1872-73. Demolished.R. C. Cathedral of St. Vibiana , Los Angeles, CA. 1875-76. Altered.William H. Perry House , Los Angeles, CA. 1876.University Building , University of Southern California , Los Angeles, CA. 1880.Hazard's Pavilion , Los Angeles, CA. 1887. Demolished.Palomares Hotel, Pomona, CA . 1887. Burned. Ezra Frank Kysor (1835–1907) was an American architect from Los Angeles, California . He is believed to be the first professional architect to practice in Southern California .
Biography Early life Ezra Kysor was born on August 6, 1835, in Cattaraugus, New York .[1] Around the age of thirty, he traveled west to Virginia City, Nevada .[1]
Career Upon his arrival in Virginia City c.1865, Kysor established himself as a carpenter.[2] He may also have maintained an architectural office.[1] By 1868, however, he had settled in Los Angeles, California , as an architect.[1]
He practiced alone until March 1875, when he established Kysor & Mathews with Walter J. Mathews (1850-1947).[3] This firm was dissolved in April 1876.[4] He was again alone until 1879, when John F. Hennessy (1853-1924) became a member of Kysor & Hennessy .[5] Hennessy, who was born in Ireland and came to the United States in 1875 or 1876, left Los Angeles for Australia in late 1880.[6]
Upon Hennessy's departure, Kysor made his chief draftsman, Octavius Morgan (1850-1922), a member of Kysor & Morgan . In 1886, John A. Walls (1858-1922) was added, the firm becoming Kysor, Morgan & Walls .[7] It was around this time the Kysor began to withdraw from practice, to focus on real estate speculation. He retired from the firm completely in 1890, which became Morgan & Walls .
Personal life He was married to Clara Perry. They had a son, Charles H. Kysor (1883-1954), who was also an architect.[8]
Architectural works Private practice, 1868-1875 Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 535 W. Roses Rd., San Gabriel, CA (1869–71)[9] Pico House , 494 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1869–70)Merced Theatre , 420 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1870)[10] William Workman House (Remodeling), 15415 E. Don Julian Rd., Industry, CA (1870)Congregation B'nai B'rith , 218 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1872–73) - Demolished.[11] Samuel C. Foy House , 1337 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1872)[12] Los Angeles High School , N. Broadway & Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1872–73) - Demolished.[13] Ducommun Building, 304 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1874) - Demolished.[14] [15] Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles second building, west side of Main St. south of Plaza, Los Angeles, CA (1874)[16] - Demolished.Harris Newmark House , 233 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1874) - Demolished.[17] Anaheim Hotel, 182 W. Center St., Anaheim, CA (1875) - Demolished.[18] Cardona Block, 118 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1875) - Demolished.[19] R. C. Cathedral of St. Vibiana (Completion), 214 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1875–76)[20] Herman W. Hellman House , 125 W. 4th St., Los Angeles, CA (1875) - Demolished.[21] McDonald Block, 129-131 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1876) - Demolished.[22] William H. Perry House , 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles, CA (1876)[23] Private practice, 1876-1878 Joseph Mullally House, 850 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1876) - Demolished.[22] [24] Hellman & Mascarel Block, 230-240 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1878) - Demolished.[25] Horticultural Pavilion, Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1879) - Burned.[26] University Building , University of Southern California , Los Angeles, CA (1880)[27] Garnier Block, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1882–83)[28] Hotel Nadeau , 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA (1882–83) - Demolished 1932.[29] [30] Grand Opera House , 110 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1883–84) - Demolished.[31] First Baptist Church , 556 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1883–84) - Demolished.[28] Placentia School, Placentia & Chapman Aves., Anaheim, CA (1884) - Demolished.[32] Los Angeles Infirmary , 1111 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (1884) - Demolished.[33] Trinity M. E. Church, 522 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (1884) - Demolished.[34] Law Building, 125 Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (1886) - Demolished.[35] Los Angeles National Bank Building , 100-104 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA (1886–87) - Demolished.[28] Abstract Title & Insurance Co. Building, 203 New High St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.[36] Granite Bank Building, 230 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA (1887) - Demolished.[36] Hazard's Pavilion , 427 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished 1905.[37] Los Angeles Orphans' Home, 817 Yale St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.[36] Palomares Hotel, 350 N. Garey Ave., Pomona, CA (1887) - Burned 1911.[36] Michael Sanders House, 1345 Carroll Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1887)[36] Turn Halle, 321 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA (1887) - Demolished.[38] Gates Building, 215 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA (1888) - Demolished.[39] Frank Sabichi House , 2437 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA (1888) - Demolished.[39] Annex Building, State Normal School , S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1889) - Demolished.[40] Gymnasium, State Normal School, S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (1890) - Demolished.[41] See also References ^ a b c d "Ezra Frank Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/ . Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web. ^ Collins, Charles. Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-65 . San Francisco: Agnew & Deffebach, 1865. ^ Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1875.^ Los Angeles Herald 2 April 1876.^ Howard, Rod. "Hennessy, John Francis (Jack) (1853–1924)". http://adb.anu.edu.au/ . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 1983. Web. ^ Los Angeles Herald 22 Sept. 1880.^ Los Angeles Herald 27 Oct. 1886.^ "Charles H. Kysor (Architect)". http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/ . Pacific Coast Architecture Database. n.d. Web. ^ Farnsworth, R. W. C. A Southern California Paradise . 1883. ^ Poole, Jean Bruce. El Pueblo: The Historic Heart of Los Angeles . 2002. ^ Dinkilspiel, Frances. Towers of Gold: How One Jewish Immigrant Named Isaias Hellman Created California . 2008. ^ "Foy House". https://www.laconservancy.org . n.d. ^ "Morgan, Octavius". Out West April 1909: 385. ^ Los Angeles Herald 16 June 1874.^ Los Angeles Herald 9 June 1874.^ "The Farmers' and Merchants' Bank". Los Angeles Herald. June 14, 1874. p. 3. ^ Los Angeles Herald 9 May 1874^ Los Angeles Herald 22 June 1875.^ Los Angeles Herald 10 July 1875.^ "The New Roman Catholic Cathedral". Los Angeles Herald 12 March 1876. ^ Los Angeles Herald 25 June 1875.^ a b Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1876.^ Los Angeles Herald 1 March 1876.^ Los Angeles Herald 11 May 1876.^ Los Angeles Herald 18 May 1878.^ Los Angeles Herald 4 May 1879.^ "University of Southern California - Non-Modern Buildings". https://www.laconservancy.org . n.d. Web. ^ a b c "Plaza House, 507-511 North Main Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA". https://www.loc.gov/ . n.d. Web. ^ Los Angeles Herald 14 June 1882.^ Los Angeles Herald 22 July 1882.^ Los Angeles Herald 31 Aug. 1883.^ Los Angeles Herald 22 Feb. 1884.^ Los Angeles Herald 23 July 1884.^ "The New Trinity Church". Los Angeles Herald 21 May 1884. ^ Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1887.^ a b c d e Los Angeles Herald 20 Nov. 1887.^ Los Angeles Herald 3 Dec. 1886.^ Los Angeles Herald 8 April 1887.^ a b Inland Architect and News Record Dec. 1888: xvi.^ Los Angeles Herald 1 Jan. 1890.^ "A Muscle Factory". Los Angeles Herald 30 Aug. 1890.