George Applegarth

Not to be confused with George S. H. Appleget.

George Adrian Applegarth (1875 – 1972) was an American architect.^[1] Applegarth’s career included designing the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, the Clift Hotel (now The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel), and projects for the town of Clyde, California. He co-founded the architectural firm, MacDonald & Applegarth.

George Adrian Applegarth
Born	(1875-10-04)October 4, 1875 Oakland, California, U.S.
Died	January 19, 1972(1972-01-19) (aged 96) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Burial place	Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, California, U.S.
Education	University of California, Berkeley, École des Beaux-Arts
Occupation	Architect
Spouse	Gwendolyn Powers
Children	3

Early life and education

Applegarth was born on October 4, 1875, in Oakland, California, to parents Henrietta Anne (née Sanders) and John Applegarth.^[2] His mother was born in Walcot, Somerset, England, and his father was born in Canada.^[2] George H. Sanders, of the architectural firm Wright & Sanders was his maternal uncle;^[3][4] and John Arnold Sanders, a noted English painter and sculptor, was his maternal grandfather.^[2]

He graduated from Oakland High School; and began his career as a draughtsman for Wright & Sanders in San Francisco, while he studied drawing at the University of California, Berkeley under Bernard Maybeck.^[5][6] Applegarth continued his training at École des Beaux-Arts in Paris (degree in April 1906),^[5][6] where he met his future work partner Kenneth A. MacDonald Jr.^[5]

Career

He returned to the United States after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires. In 1907, Applegarth obtained his architecture license in California.^[3] From 1907 until 1912, he was part of the architecture firm MacDonald & Applegarth, a collaboration with his former classmate.^[5]

Around 1917, he helped in the construction of Clyde, California, once a company town built for the employees of the Pacific Coast Shipbuilding Company.^[6] Bernard Maybeck led the project, and it was funded in part by the United States government loan.^[6]

He was a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and for a period of time served as president of the San Francisco chapter.^[5]

Personal life and death

Applegarth was married to Gwendolyn Powers (1889–1981),^[2] together they had three children.^[7]

He died on January 19, 1972, while in a hospital in San Francisco.^[7][8]

List of notable buildings

Architecture works by George Adrian Applegarth

Year	Name	Firm	Location	Notes
1907	Eyre Building, 161 Kearny Street		San Francisco, California	[4]
1907	Metropolis Trust and Savings Bank, 623–631 Market Street		San Francisco, California	[4]
1907	St. Andrew Hotel, 438 Post Street		San Francisco, California	[4]
1908	Forrest Building, 1053–1055 Market Street		San Francisco, California	[4]
1908	Phoenix Building, 220–228 Grant Avenue		San Francisco, California	[4]
1908	3 Presidio Terrace	MacDonald & Applegart	Presidio, San Francisco, California	[9]
1908	4 Presidio Terrace, MacDonald House	MacDonald & Applegart	Presidio, San Francisco, California	[9]
1908	5 Presidio Terrace, Dr. Hartland Law House	MacDonald & Applegart	Presidio, San Francisco, California	[9]
1909	Eastern Outfitting Company Building, 1017–1021 Market Street	Applegarth	Union Square, San Francisco, California	[10]
1913	Clift Hotel (The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel), 495 Geary Street	MacDonald & Applegart	Tenderloin, San Francisco, California	[11]
c. 1912–1913	Spreckels Mansion, 2080 Washington Street	MacDonald & Applegarth	Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California	Built for businessman Adolph B. Spreckels.[12]
1912	King George Hotel, 334 Mason Street	MacDonald & Applegarth	Union Square, San Francisco, California	[13]
1916	2775 Vallejo Street	Applegarth	Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California	[14][15]
1916	2785 Vallejo Street	Applegarth	Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California	[4]
1919	Oceanic Building	Applegarth	San Francisco, California	was demolished in 1979, and replaced by 101 California Street[4]
1953	Downtown Center Garage (now Mason O'Farrell Garage), 325 Mason Street	Applegarth	Union Square, San Francisco, California	[16]