4/27/2009:
From the late 1880's to around 1925, architecture took a turn for the opulent. The Beaux Arts style was in full swing throughout America.
Beaux Arts, which simply means Fine Art in French, had its roots in the ‘Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Many American architects studied at the Parisian school, and brought what they had learned back to America. Beaux Arts architecture is known for its formal design, elaborate details and symmetry. It's a combination of classical Greek and Roman architecture, with a bit of Renaissance thrown in. The architectural style was most often used for museums, libraries and courthouses.
Charles Buechner and Henry Orth were one of the most successful architectural teams in their day. Their firm specialized in movie theatres and courthouses throughout the upper Midwest. Norway- born Henry Orth made his way to America in 1866, and eventually settled in St. Paul, Minnesota. Charles Buechner, who was born on this day in 1859, hailed from Darmstadt, Germany. Buechner was educated in Switzerland, France and Germany. After making his way to America and meeting Henry Orth in St. Paul, the Beaux Arts Dream Team was born.
From one corner of North Dakota to the other, you'll find 12 courthouses designed by Buechner and Orth:
The Pierce County courthouse in Rubgy is one creation by the Dream Team. Its massive copper front doors open wide, giving way to marble flooring inlaid with cube mosaic. Stained glass ceilings decorate the 20-foot rotunda. Inside the large silver dome atop the roof, intricate paintings depict local prairie scenes: buffalo grazing, settlers homesteading in covered wagons, and farmers plowing with "new fangled" traction engines.
The Grand Forks County courthouse is another Buechner and Orth design. A statue of Themis, Goddess of Justice, has been perched upon the massive courthouse dome for over 90 years. Themis has been a symbol of truth and justice for centuries, revered by ancient Egyptians and Greeks alike. Arm proudly raised high, her hand gripped around a set of scales, Themis and her courthouse are an architectural "must-see" for locals and visitors to the Forks area.
From Wahpeton to Crosby, Grafton to Mandan, North Dakotan's can find a bit of Beaux Arts architecture in their own home towns-thanks to Charles Buechner and Henry Orth.
Dakota Datebook written by Jill Whitcomb
Sources:
Preservation North Dakota website- http://www.prairieplaces.org/prairieplaces/view.cfm?ID=1
Buechner and Orth Papers-Northwest Architectural Archives- Andersen Library-University of Minnesota-http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/xml/naa058.xml
City of Rugby website-http://www.cityofrugby.com/courthouse.aspx
About.com: Architecture-1885-1925: Beaux Arts-http://architecture.about.com/od/periodstyles/ig/Historic-Styles/Beaux-Arts-OcU.htm
Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library- University of Washington School of Law website-http://lib.law.washington.edu/ref/themis.html