Hutchins & French


Hutchins & French was an American architectural firm based in Boston. It was established in 1910 as the partnership of architects Franklin H. Hutchins and Arthur E. French. The firm specialized in the design of bank and school buildings.

Firm history

Hutchins & French was formed in Boston in 1910 by architects Franklin H. Hutchins and Arthur E. French, who had met while employed in the office of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. They quickly developed a specialty in the design of bank and school buildings. In 1914, increasing work in northern New England allowed them to open a branch office in Manchester, New Hampshire, which operated until the mid-to-late 1920s. After the deaths of French in 1929 and Hutchins in 1934, the firm was managed by partners Francis Whitten, who joined the office in 1920, and Evander French, French's son, who had joined in 1927. Evander French died in 1960, and Gordon C. Mallar, who had also joined the firm in 1927, became a partner. Whitten and Mallar retired in the 1970s, and the firm was continued by the surviving partner, Sam G. Gountanis. Gountanis died in 1989.

Legacy

Cleveland architect Philip Lindsley Small worked for the firm in 1914. His work includes Karamu House and the Huntington Museum of Art.
At least five buildings designed by Hutchins & French have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, and others contribute to listed historic districts.

Founders

Franklin H. Hutchins

Franklin Henry Hutchins was born in Boston. He worked in the offices of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge and Parker, Thomas & Rice. Prior to establishing Hutchins & French he had also designed the Kennebunk Free Library in his mother's hometown of Kennebunk, Maine, which was completed in 1907. He was senior partner of the firm of Hutchins & French until his death.
Hutchins never married. He died at home in Boston at the age of 63.

Arthur E. French

Arthur Eugene French was born in Wayland, Massachusetts, and was raised in Weston. He was trained as an in architect in the office of Cabot, Everett & Mead, and also worked for Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge for three years.
French and his wife, Charlotte, had four children, two sons and two daughters. He died at home in Winchester at the age of 53.

Architectural works