Daniel Hudson Burnham

Item

Item sets
Mall Histories
Title
Daniel Hudson Burnham
Creator
Daniel Hudson Burnham
Description
Architect Daniel Burnham was the Chairman of the Senate Park Commission, which created a comprehensive redesign of the National Mall and DC parks system in the early 1900s. At that time, he was also working for the Pennsylvania Railroad to design a new station. Burnham helped convince the Railroad to relocate their station from the Mall to a nearby site; the building he designed on that site is Union Station. In 1910, President Taft appointed Burnham Chairman of the US Commission on Fine Arts, which advised the Federal Government on the location and design of monuments like the Lincoln Memorial.
Source
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. View original photograph.
Coverage
1890-1919
birthday
09/04/1846
Birthplace
Henderson, New York
Death Date
06/01/1912
Occupation
Architect
Biographical Text
Daniel Burnham trained as an architect and in 1873 established his own firm with a partner, John W. Root. Their firm designed homes and public buildings, and became known for its high rise buildings, including one of the first American skyscrapers.
Beginning in 1890, Burnham and Root became deeply involved in the planning and development for World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, which was to be held in 1893. Burnham was made the chief of construction and orchestrated much of the construction and design of the Exposition, especially after Root died in 1891. He brought in a number of prominent architects and designers, and the Exposition was a tremendous success. After he was appointed Chairman of the Senate Park Commission, Burnham selected Charles McKim and Augustus Saint-Gaudens to join the commission; both men had worked with Burnham on the Columbian Exposition.Following his work on the Senate Park Commission, Burnham worked on city design, becoming a major proponent of the "City Beautiful Movement." President Taft appointed him the chairman of the US Commission of Fine Arts in 1910, a group whose purpose was to advise the federal government on arts issues. Burnham died in 1912 in Germany during his seventh tour of Europe.