Wilbur R. Ingalls Jr.


Wilbur R. Ingalls Jr., was an American architect from the state of Maine. Ingalls focused mainly on schools, but also designed other types of public buildings such as churches and banks.

Early life

Wilbur R. Ingalls Jr. was the son of Laura Lewis Ingalls and Wilbur R. Ingalls Sr. He was born in Portland, Maine, and attended Portland Public Schools, graduating from Deering High School in 1942. Ingalls was a member of the United States Army and served in Europe during World War II. During his time in the Army, Ingalls attended the Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe as an aviation cadet. After the war, he returned to Portland, and attended the Portland Junior College. In 1952 Ingalls graduated from the School of Architecture at Syracuse University.

Career

Shortly after graduating from Syracuse, Ingalls began his career as an architect at the firm of Alonzo J. Harriman, in Auburn, Maine. In 1956, he worked for Engineering Services of Portland, and in 1957 he opened his own private architecture firm, which he continued until retiring in 1995.
In a 1989 letter to The Portland Press Herald, Ingalls wrote: "It is a matter of architectural philosophy to use a few quality exterior materials in a simple way and let the interiors unfold as a series of surprises."
Ingalls designed more than sixty schools throughout Maine. He also designed several churches and banks. According to Ingalls' wife, his favorite designs were the Howard C. Reiche Community School and the Portland Arts & Technology High School.

Works

Schools
NameLocationYear built
Blewett Science Center at Westbrook CollegePortland, Maine
Bonny Eagle Middle SchoolBuxton, Maine
Canal SchoolWestbrook, Maine
Catherine McAuley High SchoolPortland, Maine1969
Field House at Hyde SchoolBath, Maine
Howard C. Reiche Community SchoolPortland, Maine
MacDougall-Ginn Hall at Westbrook CollegePortland, Maine
The first Noble High School North Berwick, Maine1969
Portland Arts and Technology High SchoolPortland, Maine
Memorial Junior High School South Portland, Maine1967
The fourth Wells High SchoolWells, Maine1977

Churches
NameLocationYear built
Father Hayes Center at St. Joseph's Catholic ChurchPortland, Maine1970
Grace Episcopal ChurchBath, Maine
Holy Martyrs ChurchFalmouth, Maine
St. Andrew's Roman Catholic ChurchAugusta, Maine
Renovation and alterations to Portland, Maine
Westbrook-Warren Congregational ChurchWestbrook, Maine1977

Municipal buildings
NameLocationYear built
Freeport Public Safety BuildingFreeport, Maine1993
Freeport Public Works BuildingFreeport, Maine1993
Memorial Branch of the South Portland Public LibrarySouth Portland, Maine1976

Commercial buildings
NameLocationYear built
Commercial Street branch of KeyBankPortland, Maine