Cass Gilbert collection

Cass Gilbert was born in Zanesville, Ohio in 1859 and moved with his family to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1867. He briefly attended a St. Paul preparatory school (which later became Macalester College). In September of 1876, Gilbert quit school and became a draftsman’s apprentice with St. Paul architect Abraham Radcliffe. One of Gilbert’s closest friends, Clarence Johnston was already working in Radcliffe’s modest practice. In the fall of 1878 both Gilbert and Johnston traveled to Boston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where they studied architecture under William Robert Ware. Johnston soon ran short of funds and returned to St. Paul to continue his apprenticeship, but Gilbert continued his studies at M.I.T. until late 1879. On January 3, 1880 Gilbert sailed for Europe and his own version of the Grand Tour.

After returning from Europe in the fall of 1880, Gilbert joined the New York firm of McKim, Mead and White. Gilbert worked for the firm as Stanford White’s assistant. In 1882 Gilbert left New York and returned to St. Paul where he opened an office with James Knox Taylor. Although their early years in St. Paul were a struggle, the partners eventually landed important commissions such as the Endicott Building in downtown St. Paul (1888) and the Portland Terrace Apartments (1888).

The Gilbert and Taylor partnership lasted until 1893, when Taylor moved to Philadelphia. After Taylor's departure, Gilbert completed the commission for the Minnesota State Capitol (1895-1905) and several Northern Pacific depots. In 1900, Gilbert abandoned his Minnesota office and moved to New York City where his career was rapidly expanding. He executed plans for the University of Minnesota (1909-1910), New York City’s Woolworth Building (1911-1913), the Federal Reserve Bank building in Minneapolis (1923-1925), the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and many other notable buildings.