RUGH, Herbert Bell (1879-1924), a prominent American architect who emigrated to Canada in 1904 and sustained a successful and profitable practise in Winnipeg, Manitoba until 1914. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on 16 May 1879, he served an apprenticeship there with the local firm of Josselyn & Taylor, Architects in Cedar Rapids. When war was declared with Spain in the spring of 1898, he enlisted and served 4 months of U.S. military service in Cuba. After his discharge in late 1898, Rugh enrolled at the Armour Institute of Technology in Chicago, and also attended evening courses in architecture at the Art Institute of Chicago. After his graduation in 1901, Rugh moved to Racine, Wisconsin where he was invited to form a partnership with A. Arthur Guilbert (1870-1922), in the firm called Guilbert & Rugh. For unknown reasons, Rugh decided to leave the United States in July 1904, and he moved to Canada, taking up residence in Winnipeg and opening his own office there shortly after (Winnipeg Tribune, 17 Sept. 1904, 8).
During the course of the next decade, his practise in Winnipeg flourished, and he completed more than fifty commissions for institutional, commercial and residential buildings in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. His most important works there are sumptuous private houses for wealthy residents of Winnipeg, and he was the first to introduce a contemporary Prairie School aesthetic to the residential architecture of southern Manitoba. Much of the inspiration for his work appears to come from the innovative designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, from Purcell & Elmslie, and from other Chicago architects. Many of his designs for private houses were published in both Canadian journals, and in American architectural journals such as the Western Architect [Minneapolis].
In 1908, he formed a partnership in Winnipeg with Andrew J. Riddell, but the firm of Rugh & Riddell was short-lived (C.A.B., xxi, Jan. 1908, 16; Const., i, Feb. 1908, 33). In 1911 he was said to have “…consolidated his business “ in Winnipeg with Ross & MacFarlane of Montreal, and he was appointed manager of their western office, acting as local site supervisor for their commissions in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Prince Rupert (C.R., xxv, 2 Aug. 1911, 57). At the outbreak of WWI, Rugh appears to have closed his Winnipeg office and he enlisted early in 1915, serving for four years with the Canadian Army and receiving a promotion to the rank of Captain. After discharge in 1919, Rugh moved back to the United States and opened a new office in his home town of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this time in partnership with Charles B. Zalesky, as Rugh & Zalesky, Architects,
The promising American career of Rugh was cut short when, at the age of 45 years, he was killed in an automobile accident near Hazel Green, Wisconsin on 11 July 1924 (obituary Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 12 July 1924, 1 and 11; obituary Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 12 July 1924, 1; with biography and military burial 30 July 1924, 6; obit Winnipeg Free Press, 14 July 1924, 6; biog. and list of works in Winnipeg Telegram, 18 Sept. 1906, 55; biog. Who’s Who & Why in Canada, 1913, 712; biog. H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 531). A photographic portrait of Rugh can be found in the Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 12 July 1924, page 1.
GUILBERT & RUGH (of Racine, Wisconsin)
RACINE, WISC., USA. major addition to Lincoln Public School, 1902 (Racine Daily Journal, 9 Aug. 1902, 3)
RACINE, WISC., USA, Young Women's Christian Assoc. Building, 1902 (Racine Dailly Journal, 14 Aug. 1902, 1, descrip.)
RACINE, WISC., USA, large residence for John Palmeter, College Avenue at 16th Street, 1904 (Wisconsin Historical Society, Heritage Inventory File No. 10826, 1980)
Herbert B. RUGH (works in Winnipeg)
SMITH STREET, near Broadway, residence for W. Carswell, 1905 (Winnipeg Tribune, 5 April 1905, 2, t.c.)
BONIVEENS CO-OP APARTMENTS, Spence Street at Broadway, 1905 (C.R., xvi, 5 April 1905, 6; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 29 Nov. 1905, 11, illus. & descrip.)
WARDLAW AVENUE, at Pembina Street, apartment block for John R. Davies, 1905 (C.R., xvi, 2 Aug. 1905, 4, t.c.)
STAFFORD STREET, near Harvard Avenue, residence for R. Griffin Persse, 1905 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 30 Oct. 1905, 28)
AMHERST STREET, residence for Clarence D. Shepard, 1905 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 30 Oct. 1905, 28; Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 58, illus.; Const., iii, March 1910, 50, 52-3, illus. & descrip.)
CANADIAN IRON WOOL CO. Maple Street, factory, 1906 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 26 Feb. 1906, 5 illus.)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for Hugh J. Guthrie, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 9 May 1906, 5, t.c.)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for George W. Erb, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 30 May 1906, 6, t.c.; Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 58, illus.)
SHERBROOK STREET, residence for Dr. Denny, 1906 (Winnipeg Tribune, 26 May 1906, 11)
CRESENTWOOD, residence for L.O. Kirby, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 13 June 1906, 7, t.c.)
FRONTENAC APARTMENTS, Gertie Street, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 27 June 1906, 4, t.c.; Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 54, illus.)
HARVARD AVENUE, residence for John Suckling, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 18 July 1906, 4, t.c.; Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 62, illus.)
KEELEY CURE INSTITUTE, Jessie Avenue at Hugo Street, 1906 (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 14 July 1906, 6, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xvii, 18 July 1906, 4; Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 46, descrip.)
PORTAGE AVENUE, at Edmonton Street, row of 4 stores for C.H. Enderton & Co., 1906 (Winnipeg Tribune, 8 Nov. 1906, 1)
MELROSE APARTMENTS, Rose Avenue, 1906 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 54; Winnipeg b.p. 3205, 31 Oct. 1906)
PULFORD BLOCK, Donald Street, 1906 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 19 March 1906, 3, illus. & descrip.; 6 Dec. 1906, 38, illus. & descrip.)
KINGSWAY, residence for Edward H. Heath, 1906 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnpeg], 6 Dec. 1906, 3, t.c.; C.R., xix, 13 May 1908, 20-1, illus. & descrip.; Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 54, illus.; Const., iii, March 1910, 47, 50-1, illus. & descrip.)
FAIRCHILD IMPLEMENT CO., Princess Street, south of William Avenue, 1906-07 (Winnipeg Tribune, 19 Nov. 1906, 8, descrip.; C.R., xvii, 28 Nov. 1906, 2; City of Winnipeg, 1985-The Year Past, 49-50, illus.; Leonard K. Eaton, Gateway Cities & Other Essays, 1989, 99-100, illus.)
HAGUE-ARMINGTON CO., Portage Avenue East, major addition of 3 floors on top of existing warehouse, with new addition of 7 storeys adjacent to existing building, 1907 (C.R., xvii, 13 Feb. 1907, 5, t.c.; Winnipeg Tribune, 15 Feb. 1907, 1, descrip.)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for William J. Bettingen, 1907 (C.R., xviii, 13 March 1907, 6; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 21 Nov. 1907, 24, descrip.; Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 60, illus.)
HARVARD AVENUE, residence for Prof. Matthew A. Parker, 1907 (C.R., xviii, 13 March 1907, 6, t.c.; Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 8 April 1907, 7, descrip.; Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 46, illus.)
FORT ROUGE, near Wellington Crescent, residence for L. McNeill, 1907 (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 8 April 1907, 7, descrip.)
YALE AVENUE, residence for John P. Jansen, 1908 (Western Architect [Minneapolis], xi, May 1908, 50, illus.)
OSBORNE STREET, apartment block for Dr. Devine, 1908 (C.R., xix, 1 April 1908, 22)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for John Y. Reid, 1908 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 25 April 1908, 6, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xix, 29 April 1908, 19; Const., iii, March 1910, 46-50, illus. & descrip.)
STRATHCONA STREET, residence for S.D. McLennan, 1908 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 11 April 1908, 12; C.R., xix, 29 April 1908, 19)
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Ellice Avenue at Colony Street, designed 1905; built 1907-08 (Winnipeg Tribune, 25 Nov. 1905, 10, descrip.; 1 Feb. 1907, 1, descrip.; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 22 Sept. 1906, 5, illus. & descrip.; 2 May 1908, 24, illus. & descrip.; 9 May 1908, 19, illus. and descrip.)
ROSLYN ROAD, major addition and alterations to residence for Walter P. Moss, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 13 Jan 1909, 20, t.c.)
GRANITE CURLING CLUB, Ellice Avenue at Hargrave Street, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 10 March 1909, 24, t.c.; with corrrection and listing of the actual name of the architect Herbert Matthews, in the Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 8 March 1909, 8)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for Hugh P. Osler, 1909; demol. 1981 (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 17 April 1909, 2; C.R., xxiii, 7 April 1909, 21; Const., iii, July 1910, 56, 58-60, illus. & descrip.; City of Winnipeg, 1981-The Year Past, 69-70, illus.)
YALE AVENUE, residence for George Stephen, 1909 (Const., iii, March 1910, 50, 52-3, illus. & descrip.)
DAVIS APARTMENTS, Wardlaw Street at Pembina Street, 1909 (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 6 Nov. 1909, 6)
HARVARD AVENUE, residence for George F. Robertson, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 12 May 1909, 37; Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 6 Nov. 1909, 6)
HARGRAVE STREET, commercial block for Winnipeg Land & Mortgage Co. 'adjacent to the Enderton Block', 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 16 March 1910, 27)
RUSKIN ROW, residence for Albert H. Aldinger, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 16 March 1910, 26; Const., iv, Nov. 1911, 82, 88-9, 94, illus. & descrip.)
IDA AVENUE, near Maryland Street, residence for Joseph H. Tremblay, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 16 March 1910, 26)
RUSKIN ROW, at Park Road, in Crescentwood, residence for Allan C. Ewart, 1910 (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 8 June 1910, 5; C.R., xxiv, 15 June 1910, 28, t.c.)
(with Ross & MacDonald) KING GEORGE ISOLATION HOSPITAL, Riverview, at the foot of Morley Avenue, contagious diseases hospital, 1911-13 (C.R., xxv, 19 April 1911, 56; 22 Nov. 1911, 39-40, illus. & descrip.; Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 10 April 1911, 1, descrip. of winning design by Rugh submitted in competition; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 28 Oct. 1911, 13, illus. & descrip.; 18 Oct. 1913, 5, illus. & descrip.; Winnipeg Tribune, 7 Feb. 1914, 5, descrip.; City of Winnipeg, 1984-The Year Past, 49-50, illus.)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for Peter Lyall, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 19 July 1911, 61)
GROSVENOR AVENUE, residence for Samuel Tait, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 9 Aug. 1911, 62)
MOVING PICTURE THEATRE, River Avenue at Osborne Street, for an unnamed client, 1912 (Winnipeg Tribune, 27 Feb. 1912, 1, descrip.)
SPENCE STREET, residence for Chessman G. Spencer, 1912 (R.A.I.C. Journal, v, Sept. 1928, 332, illus.)
STRADBROOKE PLACE, residence for W.A. Anderson, 1912 (R.A.I.C. Journal, v, Sept. 1928, 332, illus.)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for Frederick B. Francis, Wellington Crescent at Grosvenor Avenue, 1912 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 29 March 1913, 11, illus.)
WELLINGTON CRESCENT, residence for Jerry Robinson, 1913 (Canadian Builder & Carpenter [Toronto], iii, Dec. 1913, 36, illus.)
(with Ross & MacDonald) OXFORD STREET, and ST. JOHN'S AVENUE, houses for unidentified clients, c. 1913 (Const., vii, July 1914, 257-8, 260-1, 265, illus. & descrip.)
Herbert B. Rugh (works elsewhere)
CALGARY, ALTA., Teese & Persse Ltd., 8th Avenue West, warehouse, 1905 (C.R., xvi, 15 March 1905, 6)
KENORA, ONT., a large three storey hotel for G. Pagen, 1906 (Winnipeg Tribune, 19 May 1906, 9; 26 May 1906, 11)
MORRIS, MAN., residence for James Lewis, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 16 March 1910, 25)
LITTLE MANITOU LAKE, SASK., sanatorium at Lakeview Beach, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 29 March 1911, 53, t.c.; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 22 April 1911, 19, illus. & descrip.)
RUGH & ZALESKY (of Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, McKinley High School, 1920 (list of works in H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 531)
TIPTON, IOWA, Red Grove Presbyterian Church, 1920-21 (United States, National Register of Historic Places, historical citation dated 3 Feb. 2010)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, Roosevelt Junior High School, 1921 (list of works in H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 531)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, Benjamin Franklin High School, 20th Street at B Avenue East, 1922-23 (Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 16 Sept. 1922, 11, t.c.; 14 Oct. 1922, 8, detailed descrip.; list of works in H. Withey, Biographical Dictionary of American Architects, 1956, 531)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, The King Block, First Avenue at First Street, a 2 storey commercial block for William King and King's Crown Plaster Ltd., 1922-23 (Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 13 Dec. 1922, 16, descrip.)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, Ohsman Building, 3rd Avenue, east of 5th Street, new retail store with apartments, 1922-23 (Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 13 Dec. 1922, 16)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, The Evening Gazette Block, 1924 (Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 6 Jan. 1925, 8, list of works by Rugh and others)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, 23rd Avenue at J Street West, 1924 (Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 6 Jan. 1925, 8, list of works by Rugh and others)
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, The Killian Tower, a 12 storey commercial block for A.J. Killian and Edward Killian, Third Avenue at 2nd Street, 1924-25 (Evening Gazette [Cedar Rapids], 3 Sept. 1924, 2, descrip.)
COMPETITIONS
WINNIPEG, MAN., Winnipeg Grain Exchange Building, Lombard Avenue at Rorie Street, 1906. Herbert Rugh was one of thirteen architects from Canada and the United States who submitted a design for the new Grain Exchange (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 30 May 1906, 8). The winner was Darling & Pearson of Toronto.