DOWLER, Leo (1876-1921), a prominent architect in Calgary, Alberta who was active there in the following offices:
Leo Dowler, Calgary, 1905-06
Dowler & Michie, Calgary, 1907-10 (with Robert Michie)
Lang & Dowler, Calgary, 1910 (with George M. Lang)
Leo Dowler, Calgary, 1911-12
Dowler & Stevenson, Calgary, 1912-16 (with James M. Stevenson)
He was a native of Kingston, Ontario who became an important architect in Alberta during the first two decades of the 20th C. Born in Kingston on 13 September 1876, he was educated in public schools there and at age 16 he began an apprenticeship in the office of William Newlands, a leading architect in Kingston, and trained under him for seven years from 1892 to 1899. It is unclear why Dowler then decided to move over 2,000 miles west to Calgary, Alberta to continue his career as an architect. He arrived there in late 1899, and spent four years working in the building trades. In 1904 he launched his career as an architect, working under his own name, or in a succession of partnerships with Robert Michie, with George M. Lang, and later with James M. Stevenson.
Many of his early works, like the 6 storey Westminster Apartment Block, Calgary (1912) made use of steel skeleton construction, with brick walls and reinforced concrete floors rather than a heavy timber framework. He incorporated a variety of Edwardian details such as arched windows, best seen in the Samis Block (1909), and the Willson Building, Calgary (1909), and he introduced classical detailing to the exterior treatment of his commercial and industrial buildings. In 1912 he received the federal appointment of Resident Architect for the D.P.W., overseeing government projects in Calgary such as the Customs & Examining Warehouse Block (1912), and the Federal Building in Bassano, Alberta (1914).
Dowler died in Calgary under mysterious circumstances in 1921 at the age of 45 years. Several newspapers in that city have recorded that he was seen, in a period of apparent distress, waving to strangers and passersby in broad daylight on 23 June 1921 on the Centre Street Bridge before he jumped into the Bow River. He was described in a subsequent article as an “ Unknown Man Commits Suicide” (Calgary Herald, 24 June 1921, 13), and he was reported as missing from his office just days later (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 27 June 1921, 3). However, it would not be until 6 weeks later that his body was found at the headgates of the irrigation canal in East Calgary along the banks of the Bow River (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 12 Aug. 1921, 3). This was an ignominious end to a promising career, and the reason for his decision to take his own life remains unclear.
He left a wife and 9 children, and his remains were later buried at Union Cemetery in Calgary (biog. in Archibald O. MacRae, History of the Province of Alberta, 1912, Vol. 2, 929-30; biog. Who's Who in Western Canada, 1911, 163; biog. Calgary Alberta – Merchants & Manufacturer's Record, 1911, 200). A photographic portrait of Dowler, and brief biography, appear in Who's Who & Why in Canada, 1912, 208 (inf. Douglas E. Cass, Glenbow Museum, Calgary). A detailed list of works by Dowler, and with his associated partners up to 1912, was published in the Calgary Herald, 22 Aug. 1912, Publicity Section Four, p. 10.
L. DOWLER (works in Calgary)
13th AVENUE WEST, residence for Hugh Stringer, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 12 April 1905, 2, t.c.)
8th AVENUE EAST, between Centre Street and 1st Street, a large 3 storey commercial block occupied by A.W. Ward, by Copas & Emerson, and by Skinner & Miquelon, to be built "....next to the Barber Block", 1905-06 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 30 Nov. 1905, 3, descrip.; and 13 Jan. 1906, 9, descrip.; C.R., xvi, 20 Dec. 1905, 2)
CRESCENT HEIGHTS, residence for Archibald J. McArthur, M.P.P. ".....to be built on Mount Pleasant", 1906 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 31 Jan. 1906, 5, t.c.; and 23 Feb. 1906, 8; Calgary City Directory, 1906, 174, illus. in advert.)
ROYAL AVENUE, at 8th Street, residence for Bertram A. Stringer, 1906 (Morning Albertan (Calgary), 8 March 1906, 8, t.c.)
7th AVENUE EAST, at the Elbow River, major additions and alterations to residence for James Smart, Fire Captain, "....located next to the Fire Hall, and beside the Alberta Club", 1906 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 27 June 1906, 11, t.c.)
4th STREET WEST, at 13th Avenue, a terrace of houses for Mathew McNaughton, 1906 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 3 Aug. 1906, 7, t.c.)
DOWLER & MICHIE (works in Calgary unless noted)
DISMOORE BLOCK, 8th Avenue East, 1907 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 22 Feb 1908, Special Calgary Section Two, p. 11, list of works by Dowler & Michie)
4th AVENUE, at 1st Street West, residence for Emanuel Rochon, 1907 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 5 March 1907, 11, t.c.)
CHRISTIE BROTHERS BLOCK, 6th Avenue East, for Nathaniel J. Christie and Mack J. Christie, to include The Ontario Laundry Co., 1907 (Const., i, Oct. 1907, 64; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69)
7th AVENUE EAST, residence for George A. Crook, 1907 (Const., i, Oct. 1907, 66)
unnamed street, machine shop for Mathew McNaughton, 1907 (Const., i, Oct. 1907, 61)
MACLEOD, ALTA., Oddfellow's Lodge, with block of stores, 1907 (Const., i, Nov. 1907, 70)
19th AVENUE WEST, residence for Rueben S. Whaley, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 2 Sept. 1908, 24)
14th AVENUE WEST, residence for Charles P. McQueen, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 2 Sept. 1908, 24)
7th STREET WEST, residence for John H. Stanley, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 2 Sept. 1908, 26)
ROBINSON & LINTON BLOCK, 8th Avenue East, commercial block for James C. Linton & G.C. Robinson, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 16 Sept. 1908, 26; and 21 Oct. 1908, 25; Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
CRESCENT HEIGHTS PUBLIC SCHOOL, Main Street, 1908 (Calgary Board of Education, Minute Book, 16 Oct. 1908; and 10 Nov. 1909, payment to Dowler & Michie for plans; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
BLOW BLOCK, 8th Avenue West, warehouse for Dr. Thomas.H. Blow, 1908 (C.R., xxii, 28 July 1908, 24; Const., iii, Dec. 1909, 113, illus.; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
13th AVENUE WEST, residence for Edward H. Crandall, 1909 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
6th AVENUE WEST, terrace of houses for Thomas A. Hatfield, 1909 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
BAILEY BROTHERS BLOCK, 8th Avenue East, 1909 (Const., iii, Dec. 1909, 116, illus; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
SAMIS BLOCK, 8th Avenue East, a five storey commercial block for Adoniram J. Samis, 1909 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 29 Oct. 1909, 8, descrip.; Const., iii, Dec. 1909, 113, illus.; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
McKAY & DIPPIE BLOCK, 8th Avenue West, 1909 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
McNAUGHTON BLOCK, 8th Avenue West, for Hon. F.A. McNaughton, 1909 (Const., iii, Dec. 1909, 116, illus; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
MACKIE BLOCK, 8th Avenue West, for Alderman James S. Mackie, 1909 (Const., iii, Dec. 1909, 116, illus; Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
22nd AVENUE WEST, residence for Ernest L. Richardson, 1910 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
ROHL BLOCK, 3rd Street East at 7th Avenue East, for Conrad Rohl, 1910 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 28 Feb. 1910, 69, list of works)
L. DOWLER (works in Calgary unless noted)
HILLHURST ATHLETIC GROUNDS, new grandstand, fencing and other works, 1911 (Calgary Daily Herald, 11 March 1911, 2, t.c.)
ROHL HOTEL, for Conrad Rohl, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 17 May 1911, 61)
BISHOP PINKHAM COLLEGE, 8th Avenue near 13th Street N.W., 1911 (C.R., xxv, 12 April 1911, 53, t.c.; Calgary Herald, 1 June 1911, 13; Calgary Alberta: Merchants and Manufacturers Record, 1911, 200, illus.)
BURN BLOCK, 9th Avenue East, for L.R. Burn, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 14 June 1911, 61, t.c.; Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
WESTMINSTER APARTMENTS, 1st Street East at 10th Avenue South, 1911; demol. 1980 (C.R., xxvi, 10 April 1912, 57, illus. & descrip.; Glenbow Museum, Calgary, United Mine Workers- Coleman Local, drawings)
DISMORR BLOCK, 8th Avenue East, for J.S. Dismorr of London, Engl., 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 17 May 1911, 61; and 11 Oct. 1911, 59; and 29 Nov. 1911, 64)
HILLHURST ANGLICAN CHURCH (likely the same as St. Barnabas Anglican Church), major additions and alterations, 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 25 Oct. 1911, 59) - see citation for this church below under 1912)
FRASER & SEABLOOM BLOCK, 9th Avenue East, 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 29 Nov. 1911, 62; xxvi, 6 March 1912, 69; Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
38th STREET WEST, pair of houses for Alfred S. McKay, in the Parkdale area, 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 6 Dec. 1911, 56)
PARKDALE, residence for Alfred Riley, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
8th AVENUE WEST, residence for Ezra H. Riley, M.P.P., 1912 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
MOUNT ROYAL, residence for Alex MacKenzie, Prospect Avenue, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
CALQUHOUN BLOCK, 17th Avenue West, 1912-13 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
SHARPLES APARTMENTS, 1st Street East, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
CRESSHAM BLOCK, 9th Street East, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
CHAPIN BLOCK, 8th Avenue West, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 15 Aug. 1912, 18, advert. and list of works)
CRESCENT HEIGHTS, residence for Thomas Clouston, The Boulevard, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 28 Feb. 1912, 64; and 6 March 1912, 67, t.c.: and 27 March 1912, 68)
SCARBORO STREET, residence for H. Ross Wallace, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 13 March 1912, 69)
ST. BARNABAS ANGLICAN CHURCH, 12th Street West at 6th Avenue, 1912; church burned 1957, but tower left standing and incorporated into new church structure; still standing in 2023 (C.R., xxvi, 6 March 1912, 65; Form of Service & Laying of the Cornerstone of St. Barnabas Church Calgary, 1912, 10)
ADAMS & PEERS BLOCK, 8th Avenue, commercial block, c. 1913 (H. Boam, Twentieth Century Impressions of Canada, 1914, 732, illus.)
DOWLER & STEVENSON (works in Calgary unless noted)
(with David Ewart, Chief Architect, DPW) CUSTOMS EXAMINING WAREHOUSE, 11th Avenue East, 1912-16 (Calgary Herald, 27 Sept. 1915, 3, t.c.; Parks Canada, Ottawa, CIHB Manuscript Report 391, 283-305, illus. & descrip.)
BASSANO, ALTA., Dominion Public Building, 3rd Street at 3rd Avenue, 1914-15; still standing in 2022 (Bassano Mail, 13 April 1916, 8; Canada, Sessional Papers, Vol. li, Report No. 19, 1916, 94-5, descrip.)