MAGOON, Herbert Alton (1863-1941), a remarkably prolific architect active in Sydney, N.S. and later in Edmonton, Alta. in the following offices:
H.A. Magoon, 1897-1900, Oelwein, Iowa, USA
H.A. Magoon, Chief Architect, Dominion Steel Co., 1900-02, Sydney, Nova Scotia
Falconer & Magoon (1902- to February 1904), Sydney, Nova Scotia (with E.D. Falconer)
H.A. Magoon (March 1904-06), Edmonton, Alta.
Magoon, Hopkins & James (1907), with Edward C. Hopkins and Percy L. James, Edmonton, Alta.
H.A. Magoon (1907-1911), Edmonton, Alta.
Magoon & MacDonald (1912-1921), with George H. MacDonald, Edmonton, Alta.
MacDonald & Magoon (1922-1941), Edmonton, Alta., with George H. MacDonald, Edmonton, Alta.
Born in Warwick, Quebec on 4 July 1863, he was educated at the Roman Catholic Brothers College in Athabasca, Que., and took courses at a business college in Sherbrooke. He moved to Chicago, Ill. and was said to have obtained a degree in architecture from the University of Chicago, studying under Professor James B. Dibelka, who later became the State Architect of Illinois. He “practiced in Chicago for several years”, from c. 1888 to 1896, but it is unclear if he was working on his own, or as a draftsman for another architect. In 1897 he moved from Chicago to Oelwein, Iowa (near Waterloo, Iowa) and practised there from 1897 to 1900.
In late 1900 he moved to Sydney, N.S. where he accepted the appointment of Chief Architect to the Dominion Iron & Steel Co. (1901-02) and designed their head office building, as well as stores, offices and a hospital for the company. In late 1902 he opened an office in Sydney in partnership with E.D. Falconer (see list of works under Falconer & Magoon). There, he was credited with laying out the new town extensions of Ashby and Whitney Pier, both in Sydney, which were built for the Dominion Iron & Steel Co.
Drawn by the rapid growth and development of cities in Western Canada, Magoon moved to Edmonton, Alta. in March 1904 and was immediately successful in obtaining important ecclesiastical, commercial and institutional commissions there. During the next two years, he completed more than 20 major projects, and in 1907 he invited Edward C. Hopkins and Percy L. James to form a partnership (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 7 May 1907, 3). One of their first efforts was to prepare an entry in the competition for the new Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. From the 23 entries submitted, the design from Magoon & James received 2nd Prize (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 27 Feb. 1907, 6, descrip.). Their collaboration appears to have been moderately successful, but within months their office was dissolved, and Magoon was again working under his own name. In 1912 he formed a new partnership with George H. MacDonald, and that association was to endure for the next thirty years. By 1912, their office was noted as “having commissions for work representing a value of $700,000” (C.R., xxvi, 27 March 1912, 63), making it one of the busiest architectural firms in Alberta before WWI.
In an unusual move, the firm of Magoon & MacDonald was renamed MacDonald & Magoon in 1922, an acknowledgement of the increasingly active role of G.H. MacDonald, and of the secondary role played by Magoon who was, at this time, nearly 60 years of age (see separate list of works under MacDonald & Magoon). From 1933 to 1941 Magoon was said to have “…not been active in the firm, although he was able to spend one or two hours each day at his office” (obituary article in the Edmonton Journal, 1 April 1941, 9). Magoon died in Edmonton on 1 April 1941 (obit. Edmonton Bulletin, 1 April 1941, 9; Edmonton Journal, 1 April 1941, 9; R.A.I.C. Journal, xviii, May 1941, 90; biography with port. Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 27 Nov. 1906, 1; Archibald O MacRae, History of the Province of Alberta, 1912, Vol. ii, 893-94; Royal Inst. Of British Architects, London, Application for Membership dated 7 June 1912; inf. Dennis Person, Edmonton). The Provincial Archives of Alberta holds a collection of architectural drawings and records for the firm of Magoon & MacDonald from 1904 to 1924 (PAA, Acc. 78.11).
H.A. MAGOON (works in Iowa)
MUSCATINE, IOWA, public school, 1898 (Muscatine Journal, 15 July 1963, 4, historical article)
H.A. MAGOON (works in Edmonton unless noted)
SYDNEY, N.S., head office building for the Dominion Iron & Steel Co., 1901 (C.A.B., xiv, Jan. 1901, 8)
COLBY, N.S., Dominion Iron & Steel Co., new office building and 28 houses for workers, 1901 (C.A.B., xiv, Jan. 1901, 8)
CITY OF EDMONTON OFFICE BUILDING [also called EDMONTON CITY HALL], 1904 (Edmonton Bulletin, 19 July 1904, 8)
106th STREET, residence for John I. Mills, 1905 (Edmonton b.p. 4, 3 April 1905)
GRACE METHODIST CHURCH, Kinistino Avenue at Sutherland Street, 1905 (Edmonton b.p. 19, 8 May 1905; dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 78.11)
ALL SAINT'S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 3rd Street near Jasper Avenue, major addition, 1905 (Edmonton b.p. 72, 21 June 1905; dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 78.11)
ALBERTA COLLEGE, 1st Street near College Avenue, 1905 (Edmonton b.p. 70, 23 June 1905; Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 11 Nov. 1905, 24, descrip.)
A. A. MacDONALD & CO., 3rd Street near Jasper Avenue, warehouse, 1905; with major addition, 1906 (Edmonton b.p. 148, 12 Sept. 1905; 766, 18 July 1906; Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 5 June 1906, 1, descrip.; 11 Aug. 1906, 1, descrip.)
ST. JAMES HOTEL, 1st Street at Isabella Street, for Harrington & Mahoney, 1905 (Edmonton b.p. 212, 24 Oct. 1905)
ST. JOHN'S FIRST GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, Kinistino Avenue at Picard Avenue, c. 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 6 Feb. 1906, 8; dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 78.11)
SPRUCE GROVE, ALTA., Lutheran Church, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 4 April 1906, 4, t.c; dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 78.11)
VEGREVILLE, ALTA., hotel for McAllister & Son, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 25 April 1906, 2)
6th STREET, residence for Peter Butchart, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 25 April 1906, 4)
KING EDWARD HOTEL, 1st Street at Athabasca Street, 1906; addition, 1909 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 21 May 1906, 1; Evening Journal [Edmonton], 24 June 1909, 1; 25 June 1909, 6, descrip.)
CRISTALL BLOCK, Jasper Avenue West near 1st Street, for Abraham Cristall, 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 21 May 1906, 1, descrip.; C.R., xvii, 25 April 1906, 4; Edmonton b.p. 626, 28 May 1906)
McKAY STREET, at Eighth Street, residence for O. H. Bush, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 25 April 1906, 4; Edmonton Bulletin, 8 May 1906, 10, descrip.)
NAMAYO STREET, residence for Dr. Murdoch MacAuley, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 25 April 1906, 4)
MAY STREET, residence for Arthur W. Ormsby, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 25 April 1906, 4)
PRINCE ALBERT, SASK., hotel for Hipple & McBeth, Central Avenue, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 17 June 1906, 6)
KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Main Street at 2nd Avenue North, Strathcona, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 1 Aug. 1906, 4, t.c.)
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, Howard Street at May Street, 1906-07; addition, 1919 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 16 June 1906, 1 & 3, illus. & descrip.; 14 Sept. 1907, 7, descrip.; C.R., xvii, 5 Sept. 1906, 4, t.c.; Edmonton b.p. No. 368, 17 Oct. 1906; and b.p. No. 09, 1919)
EDMONTON OPERA HOUSE, Jasper Avenue near 3rd Street, 1906 (C.R., xvii, 26 Sept. 1906, 4)
SOMMERVILLE HARDWARE CO., 1st Street, store and warehouse, 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 11 Sept. 1906, 3, t.c.; Edmonton b.p. 353, 15 Oct. 1906)
G0RMAN-CLANCY-GRINDLY CO., 4th Street, warehouse, 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 8 Nov. 1906, 1)
6th STREET, near Jasper Avenue, residence for Jonathan Henderson, 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 8 Nov. 1906, 1)
12th STREET, pair of houses for Mrs. Chenwick and Miss Osborne, 1906 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 8 Nov. 1906, 1)
MAGOON, HOPKINS & JAMES (works in Edmonton unless noted)
PAKAN, ALTA., public hospital, 1907 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 8 March 1907, 6, t.c.)
GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL, Jasper Avenue, major addition, 1907 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 9 May 1907, 4, descrip.)
VICTORIA HOTEL, Jasper Avenue, addition, 1907 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 14 May 1907, 9)
STRATHCONA MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL, Anderson Avenue, 1907 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 18 May 1907, 2, descrip.)
GRAND VIEW HOTEL, for H. Sigler, 1907 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 27 May 1907, 6, t.c.)
McKAY STREET, terrace of houses for William East, 1907 (Edmonton b.p. 452, 27 May 1907)
ARCHIBALD BLOCK, Jasper Avenue East, 1907 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 12 June 1907, 12, descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 508, 11 June 1907)
TELEPHONE EXCHANGE, McDougall Avenue, for the Lorimer Telephone System, 1907 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 14 Nov. 1907, 11, descrip.)
PICARD BLOCK, Jasper Avenue at 20th Street, for Ald. J.H. Picard, 1907 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 14 Nov. 1907, 11)
H.A. MAGOON (works in Edmonton unless noted)
McMULLEN BLOCK, 1st Street, for Senator James McMullen, 1907 (Const., i, Nov. 1907, 70)
MILLAR, SPENCE & CANNELL, 8th Street, store and office block, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 24 Feb. 1909, 21)
NANKIN BLOCK, 1st Street at Peace Avenue, 1909 (C.R., xxiii, 24 Feb. 1909, 21)
EILER BLOCK, McDougall Avenue near College Avenue, a three storey commercial block for J. Eiler "...in the rear of Potter & MacDougall Seed Co. Store", 1909 (Saturday News [Edmonton], 3 July 1909, 7, descrip.)
McDOUGALL METHODIST CHURCH, 101 Street at 100 Avenue, 1909-10 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 16 Feb. 1907, 1, descrip. of preliminary plan for the church; Edmonton Capital, 14 Jan. 1911, 1 & 5, illus. & descrip.; Edmonton, Historical Walking Tours of Downtown Edmonton, 1988, 8, illus.)
MOLSON'S BANK, Jasper Avenue East, 1910 (Edmonton Capital, 6 Jan. 1910, 1, descrip.; C.R., xxiv, 23 March 1910, 25; Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 4 April 1910, 1, illus.)
ST. STEPHEN'S METHODIST COLLEGE, 112th Street, on the campus of the University of Alberta, 1910 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 19 Feb. 1910, 1, descrip.; Saturday News [Edmonton], 28 Feb. 1910, 1, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxiv, 30 March 1910, 25)
8th STREET, residence for Richard H. Knight, 1910 (dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 78.11)
SAVOY HOTEL, Jasper Avenue, on the site of the former Grand Central Hotel, 1911 (Edmonton Capital, 23 Jan. 1911, 1, descrip.)
TEGLER BLOCK, 1st Street at Elizabeth Street, 1911-12; major addition, 1921 by Magoon & MacDonald (Edmonton Capital, 7 Feb. 1911, 1, descrip.; 18 March 1911, 1, descrip.; C.R., xxv, 15 Feb. 1911, 35, t.c.; Edmonton Journal, 3 Sept. 1912, 4, illus.; 31 March 1921, 6, descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 52, 1921)
102nd STREET, commercial block for J. McCulla, 1911 (Edmonton Capital, 24 March 1911, 8)
JOHN A. LOCKERBIE CO., 102 Street, warehouse, 1911 (Edmonton Capital, 21 April 1911, 7, t.c.; C.R., xxv, 26 April 1911, 55, t.c.)
CAMROSE, ALTA., major addition to public school, 1911 (Wetaskiwin Times, 18 May 1911, 2)
HART BUILDING, Jasper Avenue East, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 21 June 1911, 63, t.c.)
JACKSON BROTHERS, Jasper Avenue East, store, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 28 June 1911, 62)
EDMONTON IRON WORKS, Kinistino Avenue, major addition to the foundry building, with large new warehouse adjacent, 1911 (C.R., xxv,12 July 1911, 61; Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 15 July 1911, 1, descrip.)
CAMROSE, ALTA., Norwegian Lutheran College, 1911 (PAA, Acc. 78.11, Specifications)
MAGOON & MacDONALD (works in Edmonton unless noted)
PICARD BLOCK, Jasper Avenue near 103 Street, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 31 Jan. 1912, 64)
MUTTART BLOCK, Namayo Street near Clara Street, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 31 Jan. 1912, 64)
LACOMBE, ALTA., skating rink, 1912 (specifications in PAA, Acc. 78.11)
GREAT DOMINION LAND CO., McDougall Avenue, adjoining McDougall Court, office block, 1912 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 4 July 1912, 5, descrip.)
NORTHERN INVESTMENT BUILDING, Jasper Avenue East, 1912 (Edmonton Journal, 6 Sept. 1912, 9, illus.)
THE PREMIER HOTEL, Clara Street, between First Street and Howard Avenue, for William H. Bell and Joseph Howson, 1912-13 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 19 Dec. 1912, 10, descrip.; specifications in PAA, Acc. 78.11)
ARMSTRONG BLOCK, 104 Street near 101 Avenue, 1912 (Edmonton b.p., 1912)
104 STREET, residence for John R. Umbach, c. 1912 (PAA, Acc. 78.11)
WABAMUN, ALTA., hotel for Mr. Smith, 1912 (specifications in PAA, Acc. 78.11)
CORONATION, ALTA., Fire Hall, 1912 (dwgs. in PAA, Acc. 78.11)
McKENNEY BUILDING, 104 Street near 101 Avenue, 1912 (Edmonton, Historical Walking Tours of Downtown Edmonton, 1988, 29, illus.)
NINTH STREET, at Hardisty Street, a three storey apartment block for C.J. Roberg, 1912-13 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 30 Dec. 1912, 5, descrip.)
BRADBURN THOMPSON BLOCK, Jasper Avenue, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 23 April 1913, 67; Edmonton b.p. 685, 1913)
VICTORIA AVENUE, mansion for Harry V. Shaw, 1913; demol. 1978 (C.R., xxvii, 4 June 1913, 76)
NAMAYO AVENUE, store for George S. Armstrong, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 23 July 1913, 73)
FERRIS BLOCK, Jasper Avenue, between 5th Street and 6th Street, for E.L. Ferris & Co., 1913 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 9 Aug. 1913, 1, illus. & descrip.)
MASONIC TEMPLE, Jasper Avenue at 6th Street, 1913 (Edmonton Journal, 29 July 1913, 1, descrip.; C.R., xxvii, 13 Aug. 1913, 67)
JASPER AVENUE, stores and offices for Capt. Allen Palmer, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 29 Oct. 1913, 68)
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, residence for Prof. Rupert C. Lodge, 1913 (Edmonton b.p. 288, 1913 )
JAMES RAMSEY CO., 105A Avenue at Namayo Avenue, warehouse, 1913 (Edmonton b.p. 506, 1913)
WINDSOR HOTEL, Whyte Avenue, 1913 (Edmonton b.p. 1718, 1913)
CATTISTOCK BLOCK, Jasper Avenue near 105 Street, 1913 (Edmonton b.p. 2236, 1913)
METALS LTD., 104 Street at 102 Avenue, a three storey warehouse, 1914 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 18 July 1914, 1, descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 949, 1914)
McDOUGALL CHAMBERS, 97th Street, 1914 (Edmonton b.p. 493, 1914)
McDOUGALL AVENUE, a private club and office building for Bell, Auld & Houston, "...opposite the Court House", 1914 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 5 March 1914, 7, descrip.)
SHAW BUILDING, 105 Street, north of Athabasca Avenue, a four storey warehouse for H.V. Shaw, of the Edmonton Cigar Co., 1914 (C.R., xxviii, 25 March 1914, 76; Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 16 May 1914, 16)
GLENORA NEIGHBOURHOOD, a large residence for James Ramsey, 135th Street near St. George's Crescent, on Lots 1 & 2, "..on the river bank" overlooking the North Saskatchewan River, 1914 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 16 May 1914, 16)
NORTHERN CLUB, 2nd Avenue at Victoria Avenue, 1914 (C.R., xxviii, 17 June 1914, 74, t.c.)
QUEEN'S HOTEL, Jasper Avenue near 97th Street, 1920 (Edmonton b.p. 139, 1920)
HUDSON'S BAY LAND RESERVE, a tract of 8 new detached houses, Portage Avenue, between 107th Street and 108th Street, 1920-21; with additional houses facing Queen Mary Park, between Norwood Boulevard and 109th Avenue, 1922 (Edmonton Journal, 12 Aug. 1920, 6; The Beaver [Winnipeg], October 1920, 23, illus. & descrip.; November 1922, 79, illus. & descrip.; Globe & Mail [Toronto], 17 May 2019, H 11, illus. & descrip.)
YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, 102A Avenue, 1921 (Const., xiii, June 1920, 191-4, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxxv, 23 Feb. 1921, 60)
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION, 103 Street near 100 Avenue, 1921 (Edmonton Bulletin, 28 April 1920, 5, illus. & descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 395, 1921)
THOMPSON & DYNES, Jasper Avenue, department store, 1921 (Edmonton Journal, 30 Sept. 1921, 21, illus. & descrip.; Edmonton b.p. 213, 1921; Const., xviii, March 1925, 99-100, illus. & descrip.)
BAROOTES BROTHERS, Jasper Avenue near 101 Street, retail store, 1921 (Edmonton b.p. 283, 1921)
WOLFE'S AUTO SERVICE, 100 Street near 101 Avenue, 1921 (Edmonton b.p. 328, 1921)
BELLIS, ALTA., a church, 1921 (dwgs. at PAA, Acc. 78.11)
CAMROSE, ALTA., hotel for John Judge, 1921 (C.R., xxxv, 6 April 1921, 58, t.c.)
COMPETITIONS
EDMONTON, ALTA., Royal Alexandra Hospital, November 1906. The office of Magoon, Hopkins & James were one of 23 architects who submitted designs for this project (Victoria Daily Times, 14 May 1921, 9, list of works by P.L. James). The winner was Johnson & Lines of Edmonton.
EDMONTON, ALTA., Strathcona Hospital, 1907. The firm of Magoon, Hopkins & James won this competition, but their winning design was not built, and the project was delayed for 6 years until the commission was later handed to Wilson & Herrald of Edmonton, working with Meyer Sturm of Chicago (Victoria Daily Times, 14 May 1921, 9, list of works by P.L. James)
COQUITLAM, B.C., Provincial Asylum for the Insane, 1908. After the departure of P.L. James from the Edmonton partnership, he arrived in Victoria, B.C. in 1908, P.L. James assisted in the office of J.C.M. Keith with preparing drawings for the winning design for this project (Victoria Daily Times, 14 May 1921, 9, list of works by P.L. James)