DAVIDSON, Frank Eugene (1867-1931), a leading industrial architect in Chicago, Illinois who was recorded as the designer of large complex of auto parts buildings for Auto Specialties Co. in east Windsor, Ont. in 1919. He began his career after 1900 when he formed a partnership with the engineer William R. Patterson (1854-1916), as Patterson & Davidson, Industrial Engineers & Architects. Together, they specialized in the design of manufacturing plans and industrial buildings in the Chicago area. When Patterson died in 1916, their office continued under the name of Davidson, a trained architect, and he collaborated with J.C. Pennington, a local supervising architect in Windsor, on the design of a complex of three plants for Auto Specialties Co. on Albert Road in Ford City, Ont. His best known work in the Chicago area is the sprawling Olson Rug Co. manufacturing complex (1928-29). Davidson died in Chicago on 14 April 1931 (obituary Chicago Tribune, 15 April 1931, 1; obituary and port. 16 April 1931, 21) .
(works in Ontario)
WINDSOR, ONT., Auto Specialties Mfr. Co., factory, foundry and plant, Albert Road at McDougall Street, with J.C. Pennington as local associate architect; 1919-20, demol. (Border Cities Star [Windsor], 19 March 1919, 3; 20 March 1919, 5; 1 Nov. 1919, 5; inf. Andrew Foot, Windsor)
PATTERSON & DAVIDSON (works in Chicago)
JAMES CUNNINGHAM & SON & CO., Michigan Avenue, factory and salesroom for auto manufacturer, 1910 (Chicago Tribune, 12 June 1910, Section Ten, p. 11, illus. & descrip.)
ADDRESSOGRAPH CO., West Van Buren Street at Peoria Street, addition of a new fifth floor, and adjacent addition to factory, 1910-11 (Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 1910, Section Ten, p. 22, illus. & descrip.)
JAMES C. CURTIS CO. BLOCK, West Van Buren Street, a six storey factory, 1911 (Daily Inter-Ocean [Chicago], 1 Jan. 1911, Section Two, p. 6, illus.)
HECHT BUILDING, Throop Street, a seven storey factory, 1911 (Chicago Tribune, 7 May 1911, Section Ten, p. 24, illus. & descrip.)
F.E. DAVIDSON (works in Illinois and Michigan)
BUCHANAN, MICH., Campbell Transmission Co., large auto parts assembly plant, 1917 (News-Palladium [Benton Harbour], 17 March 1917, 8, descrip.)
CHICAGO, ILL., The Progress Building, [later called The Deagan Building], West Berteau Avenue at North Ravenswood Avenue, in Ravenswood, 1919 (inf. Lake View Historical Association, Ravenswood)
CHICAGO, ILL., Olson Rug Co., Diversey Street at Crawford Street, a large factory complex, 1928-29 (Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 1928, Section Three, p. 1, illus. & descrip.)
ST. JOSEPH'S, MICH., Auto Specialties Mfr. Co., major addition of large factory complex and assembly plant, 1929-30 (News-Palladium [Benton Harbour], 12 July 1929, 1 & 6, descrip.; 1 Jan. 1930, 18, detailed descrip. and illus.; inf. Andrew Foot, Windsor)