Calvert Vaux

Calvert Vaux was an English-American architect and landscape designer who lived from December 20, 1824, to November 19, 1895. He worked with his partner Frederick Law Olmsted to design famous parks such as Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City, as well as the Delaware Park–Front Park System in Buffalo, New York.

Vaux designed many parks across the northeastern United States, especially in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Buffalo. He helped people understand how important public parks are, especially during a time when cities were growing very fast. Because of the growth of cities and factories, Vaux wanted to make sure that buildings and parks fit nicely with nature.

Besides designing parks, Vaux was also a well-known architect until the 1870s. He worked with Andrew Jackson Downing, who was important in designing gardens, landscapes, and homes. After Downing passed away in 1852, Vaux continued his work with other designers. Even though sometimes other designers like Olmsted were more famous, many people still knew about Vaux's skills.

Early life

Calvert Vaux was born in London to a physician. He was baptized at St Benet Gracechurch on February 9, 1825. He learned architecture by working with Lewis Nockalls Cottingham, a leader in the Gothic Revival style that loved Tudor design. During this time, he also made friends with George Godwin and George Truefitt.

First partnership

In 1850, Calvert Vaux showed some beautiful paintings he made while traveling to the United States. These paintings caught the eye of Andrew Jackson Downing, a famous landscape designer from Newburgh, New York. Downing had tried to work with another architect, Alexander Jackson Davis, but it didn’t work out, so he went to London to find someone new. He wanted an architect who cared about how buildings fit into nature just as much as he did. Vaux agreed to work with him and moved to the United States.

Vaux and Downing worked together for two years and became partners. They designed many important places, including the grounds of the White House and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. Vaux’s work on the Smithsonian led him to write an article in 1852 for a magazine called The Horticulturalist, where he said the government should help support the arts. Not long after, Downing sadly passed away in an accident on a steamboat.

Vaux & Withers

After another person passed away, Vaux took charge of the firm. He brought in a new partner named Frederick Clarke Withers, who was already working there. Together, they worked on many homes in a place called Newburgh and also built important buildings like the Hudson River State Hospital and the Jefferson Market Courthouse.

U.S. citizenship, affiliations, and publishing

In 1856, Calvert Vaux became a U.S. citizen and joined New York City's artistic community, called “the guild.” He became a member of the National Academy of Design and the Century Club.

In 1857, he helped start the American Institute of Architects. That same year, he wrote a book called Villas and Cottages. This book helped set rules for “Victorian Gothic” style buildings. In his book, he thanked people like Ruskin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and his old partner Downing, who helped shape his ideas and designs.

Collaboration with Olmsted

In 1857, Vaux asked Frederick Law Olmsted, who had not designed a landscape before, to help with the Greensward Plan. This plan became Central Park in New York City. They got the job because of a great presentation that showed how the park would look before and after it was built. They worked hard to keep their design just as they planned, even though they had to deal with many problems.

In 1865, Vaux and Olmsted started a company called Olmsted, Vaux and Co. They designed Prospect Park and Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, and Morningside Park in Manhattan. They also planned a suburb in Chicago in 1868 and a big park in Buffalo, New York with three main parts. Vaux made many beautiful structures for these parks, but most of them are no longer there. He also designed a big park in Saint John, New Brunswick called Rockwood Park, which is one of the largest in Canada.

Vaux also worked on the grounds of hospitals in Buffalo and Poughkeepsie. In 1872, he joined forces with two other architects and finished work on a famous artist’s home called Olana. He designed well-known buildings in New York City, such as the Samuel J. Tilden House and parts of the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He also designed a hospital in Towson, Maryland.

Vaux worked with others on projects for children’s groups in New York, including two buildings that are still important today. The last project he did with Olmsted was Downing Park in Newburgh. After Vaux passed away, his son finished the park and added a conservatory. Olmsted’s son finished the rest of the park because his father was too ill to return.

Death

On November 19, 1895, Vaux accidentally drowned in Gravesend Bay in Brooklyn while visiting his son Downing. He is buried in Kingston, New York's Montrepose Cemetery. Later, in 1998, the city of New York dedicated Calvert Vaux Park in Gravesend to honor him.

Personal life

In 1854, Calvert Vaux married Mary Swan McEntee, who was the sister of Jervis McEntee, a painter known for his work in the Hudson River School. Together, they had two sons named Calvert and Downing, and two daughters named Helen and Julia.

Selected architectural works

Downing & Vaux (1850–1852)

Calvert Vaux worked with a partner during this time and created many homes and buildings. Some of these include the Joel T. Headley House in New Windsor, NY, the W. E. Warren House in Newburgh, NY, and the Daniel Parish House in Newport, RI.

Sole partner

When working alone, Vaux designed several notable homes, such as the William E. Warren House in Newburgh, NY, and the Nathaniel Parker Willis House in Cornwall on Hudson, NY.

Vaux & Withers (1854–1856)

With a new partner, Vaux designed many buildings including the Halsey R. Stevens House in Newburgh, NY, the Bank of New York in New York City, and the John A. C. Gray House, also in New York City.

Central Park structures (1857–1870)

Vaux helped design several beautiful structures in Central Park, New York City. These include the Bow Bridge, completed in 1858, and Belvedere Castle, built between 1867 and 1871.

Country houses (1856–1863)

During this period, Vaux designed many country homes. Examples include the Eugene Dutilh House in Garrison, NY, and the Peter Chardon Brooks III House in Medford, MA.

Vaux, Withers & Co. (1863–1871)

Working with Frederick Law Olmsted, Vaux contributed to the landscape design of places like Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and the Hudson River State Hospital in Poughkeepsie, NY. He also worked on the design of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Later career (1869–1889)

In his later years, Vaux continued to design many buildings and parks. He worked on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and helped design parks like Mulberry Bend Park, also in New York City.