Maj. Francis D. Lee (1826 – 1885)
Mez Joseph
Recently I posed the question to our studio: "Who in the architectural community (past or present) do you admire for their work?" This week I'm sharing Associate Principal & Preservation Market Leader @ LIOLLIO, Jay White's response:
Maj. Francis D. Lee (1826 – 1885)
A graduate of the College of Charleston, he practiced architecture here until the War Between the States, in which he served in the CSA. After the war, he relocated his practice to St. Louis, Missouri.
At least five of his buildings are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, my favorite being the Farmers’ and Exchange Bank (c.1854), at 141 East Bay Street – a Moorish Revival gem that, if proposed today, some might reject for being “not harmonious” with Charleston’s historic character. See his work: loc.gov/pictures/item/sc0009/