A century after the death of Horatio Nelson White, this exhibition comprehensively represents his architecture. These buildings, many of them extant, should be appreciated for several reasons. Many are landmarks of central and northern New York State, enhancing the identity of these regions. Many are inherently valuable as fine works of art.

All of them, viewed as a collection, represent a brief period which has been recognized by historians as decisive to the course of America’s development.

A span of a quarter of a century separates the earliest and last of White’s buildings. He began his architectural practice before the Civil War when Americans shared a stable culture, virtually homogeneous. Then rapid progress in technology revolutionized American life, as hand craft was supplanted by machine production. Americans were inven­tive, especially in devising interchangeable machine parts, critical to mass production. Centralization of industry and commerce encouraged urbanization. Technological innova­tion appeared to many as the triumph of science. Most Americans sensed that they were experiencing a second revolution, this one economic as well as political.

Underlying the varied work of Horatio Nelson White is the relentless quest of a newly modern American, pursuing change as an ideal. From decade to decade, new styles appear in this work, as they did in architectural lournals and popular books.

Although White undoubtedly designed many houses, the loss of his papers has obscured the identity of most of them. Accordingly, he is remembered mostly for his more monumental work. These were decades when institutions—governmental, religious, educational — were changing along with the nation. Great new churches, unlike any ever seen in the countryside, were required by dense urban neighbor­hoods. The city’s large public school buildings began to make a one-room rural model obsolete. Centralization was phenomenon of the times, appearing in all phases of endeavor, whether social, economic or political.

Architecture became a profession. For an architect, a period of transformation presents opportunity, not only to build prolifically, but to experiment and invent in response to new problems.

Active practitioner though he was, White also served as professor at Syracuse University’s new School of Archi­tecture. His academic contribution was largely gratuitous as was his design work for the first Syracuse University building, the Hall of Languages.

Despite loss of the White papers, preventing a complete inventory of his work, the sampling presented in this exhibition suggests the extent of his prolific practice. Beyond noting the quantity of building, which evidences his professional role in the region, we should appreciate the quality of his design. To cite but a few examples — the Hall of Languages at SU, the Gridley Building, built as the Onondaga County Savings Bank Bldg., and the Oswego County Courthouse —demonstrate the idiosyncratic invention and independent taste of White as an artist. Perhaps it is significant that these three major works are built of local limestone, truly a generic regional material.

Horatio Nelson White was a leader among architects, not only because of his example, but because of his teaching and service to the professional organization of architects. His works are his testament to us and to future generations. He has enriched an entire region and the lives of its people.

Paul Malo
Professor, School of Architecture
Syracuse University

Guest curator for this exhibit is Elinore Taylor Horning, who has been doing research on Horatio Nelson White for almost 20 years. Much of her work has been in piecing together the references to White’s buildings, to create a full record of his professional career.

Mrs. Horning has been a free lance writer for magazines and newspapers, with particular emphasis on local industries and historic buildings.

She ‘has been a member of the Onondaga Historical Association for more than 25 years and a member of the board of directors of the OHA since 1970. She is also a member of the Cobblestone Society, the Canal Society of New York State, the Oswego Historical Society and the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors.

Her book “The Man Who Changed The Face of Syracuse — Horatio Nelson White” is a detailed account of the architect’s career and contains a list of the buildings he designed. It was published in connection with this exhibit and is on sale at the OHA gift shop.

A grant from the Central New York Chapter,
American Institute of Architects assisted
In producing this visitors guide.