McELFATRICK, John Bailey (1828-1906), a leading architect and designer of theatre buildings in the United States, and who was credited with the plans of over one hundred playhouses in New York City, Washington, Indianapolis, Memphis, Baltimore. St. Louis, Detroit, Atlanta, Boston, Nashville and elsewhere. In Canada, he and his son William H. McElfatrick designed theatre buildings in Ottawa and Montreal, and he appears to have assisted with the plans for a theatre in Quebec City.
Born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1828, John B. McElfatrick studied architecture and engineering under his father, and commenced practice under his own name in 1851. He later established offices in Cleveland, in Chicago, and in St. Louis. There, he was joined by his two sons John M. McElfatrick (1853-1891), and by William H. McElfatrick (1854-1922). From the mid-1880’s until 1906, their firm was remarkably productive, introducing innovative ideas in theatre planning such as improved sight lines, multiple exits, fire sprinkler systems, and continuous rows of seating (without aisles) on the main floor of each theatre. When John B. died in New York City on 5 June 1906, his remaining son William H. continued the business for another 15 years until the death of the latter on 29 September 1922 (obituary for John B. McElfatrick in New York Times, 7 June 1906, 7; obit. American Architect & Building News [New York], lxxxix, 16 June 1906, 198; biog. and list of works in MacMillan Encyclopedia of Architects, 1982, iii, 135)
J.B. McELFATRICK & SON (works in Canada)
MONTREAL, QUE., Queen's Hall Theatre, Ste. Catherine Street West at University Street, major alterations and renovations to existing theatre, 1891 (Montreal Daily Star, 22 July 1891, 2, detailed descrip.)
OTTAWA, ONT., Russell Theatre, Queen Street at Elgin Street, 1896-97; burned 7 April 1901 and rebuilt by John Wood, architect of Detroit (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 22 Oct. 1896, 3, illus. & descrip.; 30 Dec. 1896, descrip.; 7 June 1897, 1, Letter to the Editor regarding design of the canopy for the theatre, with descrip.; Evening Journal [Ottawa], 2 Oct. 1897, 3, illus. & descrip.; C.R., vii, 29 Oct. 1896, 1-2; 28 Jan 1897, 3; C.A.B., x, Feb. 1897, 35, descrip.)
MONTREAL, QUE., Academy of Music, St. James Street at Victoria Street, interior re-fitting and decoration of the performance hall, in collaboration with Alexander C. Hutchison of Montreal, 1896 (Gazette [Montreal], 21 May 1896, 3, descrip.)
OTTAWA, ONT., major addition to the Russell House Hotel, at the east end, in line with Canal Street, 1897 (Evening Journal [Ottawa], 26 June 1897, 8; 24 July 1897, 7, descrip.)
MONTREAL, QUE., Her Majesty’s Theatre [later called The Empire Theatre], Guy Street, near Ste. Catherine Street West, 1898 (Gazette [Montreal], 25 April 1898, 2, descrip.; and 5 Nov. 1898, 6, descrip.; Montreal Daily Star, 29 July 1898, 10, illus. and extensive architectural descrip.; C.R., ix, 27 April 1898, 4; C.A.B., xi, Aug. 1898, 138, descrip.)
MONTREAL, QUE., Theatre Francais, Ste. Catherine Street East at St. Dominique Street, for D. Ford, 1900 (Le Prix Courant [Montreal], xxviii, 11 May 1900, 483; Montreal Daily Star, 3 Nov. 1900, 11)
QUEBEC CITY, QUE., plans prepared for an unnamed theatre in that city, 1900 (C.R., xi, 25 April 1900, 3)