Charles Howard Lloyd


Charles Howard Lloyd was an American architect based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Active in the early 20th century, he became one of the city’s most prominent designers, producing civic, educational, residential, and commercial buildings during the City Beautiful movement. His works include the Zembo Shrine, Simon Cameron School, Telegraph Building (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), and private residences such as the David E. Tracy Mansion.

Early life and career

Lloyd was born in Lisburn, Pennsylvania, in October 1873. By the 1890s he was practicing architecture in Harrisburg. His early commissions included the Simon Cameron School, a Renaissance Revival building that was later expanded in 1904. He went on to design several other schools, including the Edison School, A.H. Boas School, William S. Steele School, and Shimmell School.
In 1908, Lloyd designed the Commercial Trust Building, a Beaux-Arts style bank building. The following year he collaborated on the Harrisburg Telegraph Building, an early steel-frame office building that served as the Harrisburg Telegraph newspaper's headquarters. In 1910, he rebuilt the facade of Harrisburg’s Technical High School in a Collegiate Gothic style.
By the 1920s, Lloyd had established himself as Harrisburg’s leading architect. He was commissioned for William Penn High School, and in 1928 won the design competition for the Zembo Shrine, a Moorish Revival fraternal auditorium completed in 1930.

Notable works

Zembo Shrine Building
Dedicated on May 19, 1930, the Zembo Shrine Building cost a reported $1 million. Executed in a Moorish Revival style with Art Deco elements, it has been described as one of Harrisburg’s most distinctive landmarks. The complex covers approximately 62,600 square feet on 7.3 acres and originally seated up to 2,475 people depending on configuration. Its interiors include an ornate “Tile Room” with extensive colored tilework. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.
David E. Tracy Mansion
Completed 1917, the Tracy Mansion is a large riverfront residence designed in the Tudor Revival style for industrialist David E. Tracy. The three-story house contained about 30 rooms and occupies a 1.5-acre parcel extending from Front Street to Second Street. Features included hardwood floors, decorative wall murals, and an iron-cage elevator. The building underwent multiple reuses, serving as a private residence, the Harrisburg Osteopathic Hospital, a mental health facility, a restaurant, and later office space.

Death

Lloyd died in Harrisburg on September 21, 1937, at the age of 63. He was buried in East Harrisburg Cemetery.

Legacy

Lloyd’s body of work made him a prominent architect Harrisburg in the early 20th century, comparable to regional contemporaries such as John A. Dempwolf of York and C. Emlen Urban of Lancaster. His buildings remain examples of architectural styles popular in the era, including Tudor Revival, Beaux-Arts, Collegiate Gothic, and Moorish Revival.

Selected works

Public / Educational buildings

Civic / Commercial buildings

Residential buildings

  • David E. Tracy Mansion – Tudor Revival style residence, later hospital, restaurant, and now commercial office
  • Moffitt Mansion – Queen Anne–style residence, now commercial office
  • 1100 block of Green Street – residential town homes