Architects

The Maplewood of today looks much as it did in the late 1930’s. Maplewood developed significantly during the suburban housing boom of the 1920s-1930s. Many of the town’s homes, as well as most of its municipal buildings, schools and parks, date to this time period. Maplewood’s architecture and landscaping created by the builders and architects below along with several boutique architects reflect the cohesive neighborhoods and sense of place created during these periods of development.

Kenneth Whitney Dalzell this nearly forgotten architect designed a vast array of houses in Maplewood, working from about 1915 and 1940 for individual clients and developers. Dalzell created well designed moderately priced homes, often in Colonial, Tudor and Italian Revival styles. He also was the architect for the Maplewood Country Club and residences in Orange, Millburn, Short Hills, Summit, Essex Fells and Mantoloking.

Gustav Stickley (1858-1942) was the leading American proponent of the Arts & Crafts Movement, which arose in England in the latter part of the 19th century. The work of Gustav Stickley, architect, furniture designer and manufacturer, publisher and social critic in the early 20th century, clearly strove to encompass and influence the “Lifestyle” concept into many aspects of life and living. There are two houses in Maplewood designed by Stickley.

John Russell Pope (1874-1954) was an American architect and designed  Ward Homestead, now known as Winchester Gardens in Maplewood, NJ. Pope designed many private houses including ones for the Vanderbilt family. He did many public buildings as well including The Jefferson Memorial and the National Gallery of Art.

James Betelle (1879-1954) designed the 1929 Columbia High School, a national model, seven of the district’s distinctive elementary schools including Jefferson Elementary, Marshall Elementary, Tuscan Elementary and Maplewood Junior High, as well as Maplewood’s finest public structure, the 1931 Municipal Building (Town Hall).

Harold Tatton (1879-1965) specialized in the Colonial and Tudor Revival styles which grace much of our community. Born in England, he traveled to America as a young man. In 2002, Tatton’s daughter-in-law Barbara B. Tatton donated to the Durand-Hedden House a voluminous collection of architectural drawings, glass slides and blueprints. Tatton’s files contain a stunning array of drawings and designs for Tudor and Colonial Revival houses, some of which were built in Maplewood, Short Hills, South Orange, Summit and Montclair from the 1920s through the 1950s.

Clifford C. Wendehack (1884-1948) lived in Upper Montclair, NJ, and practiced in New York City. Wendehack became known as a master designer of country club buildings and impressive houses, including one on Hickory Drive in Maplewood, built for Mrs. George Otis in 1927, and several in Montclair that have been named to the National and State Registers of Historic Places.