Loading
  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Richard Sharp Smith

Richard Sharp Smith (July 7, 1853 – February 8, 1924) was an English-born American architect, noted for his association with George W. Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate and Asheville, North Carolina. Smith worked for some of America's important architectural firms of the late 19th century—Richard Morris Hunt, Bradford Lee Gilbert, and Reid & Reid—before establishing his practice in Asheville. His most significant body of work is in Asheville and Western North Carolina, including dozens of buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or are contributing structures to National Register Historic Districts.

While working for Richard Morris Hunt, Smith was the supervising architect for Biltmore. After Smith established his solo practice, Vanderbilt continued working with Smith to create additional buildings for the estate and the surrounding area. Smith designed more than 24 buildings for Biltmore Village for Vanderbilt between 1900 and 1920. During these projects, Smith developed a vernacular style that combined elements of Craftsman, Colonial Revival, English cottage, Shingle, and Tudor Revival architectural styles. This style was reflected in Smith's other house and church designs throughout Asheville in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In contrast, Smith used reinforced concrete construction for a significant number of commercial and public buildings in downtown Asheville and courthouses for Henderson, Jackson, Madison, and Swain Counties. Many of his projects were created in collaboration with his business partner, engineer Albert Heath Carrier. This allowed Smith to focus on clients and creative design, while Carrier managed the mechanical and structural engineering aspects of their projects. Their partnership was extremely prolific; between 1905 and Smith's death in 1924, Smith & Carrier designed more than 700 buildings.

Between 1900 and 1920, Smith designed almost every significant building in downtown Asheville, including hotels, medical buildings, office buildings, schools, and theaters. Clay Griffith with the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office says, "The influence of Richard Sharp Smith’s architecture in Asheville and western North Carolina during the first quarter of the twentieth century cannot be overstated."

Early life

Richard Sharp Smith was born in Yorkshire, England, the son of Saleta (née Watterson) and Jones Smith. He is thought to have studied architecture at the Kensington School of Art in London. He received additional architectural training in the office of George Smith, his cousin. He worked with various firms in Manchester before immigrating to the United States in 1882.

Career

In 1882, Smith became an architect with Reid Brothers, an architectural and engineering firm in Evansville, Indiana. As Reid & Reid, this firm would go on to be one of the most important architectural firms in San Francisco; however, Smith only worked with them for a year. In 1883, he moved to New York City to work with the noted architect Bradford Lee Gilbert. Under Gilbert, Smith supervised the design and construction of railroad stations. However, Gilbert was also working on mansions for New York City's millionaires and a hotel, so Smith was exposed to a range of projects.

Biltmore

Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina
Walled Garden Gate
Mill Pond Bridge, Biltmore Estate

In 1886, Smith joined the firm of Richard Morris Hunt, at his New York City office. In 1889, Hunt assigned Smith to be the supervising architect for George W. Vanderbilt's Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. Biltmore was planned to be more than the largest home in America; it was also to be a working estate with expansive grounds designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

Smith oversaw the receipt of all materials and Biltmore's construction, along with supervising the principal contractor D. C. Weeks, and the work of carpenters, masons, metalworkers, painters, plasterers, stone carvers, stonecutters, wood carvers, and related craftsmen. He ordered limestone from the Hallowell Stone Company of Bedford, Indiana, and cement from the J. B. Speed Company of Louisville, Kentucky. Smith calculated his weekly orders based on the number of workmen and their skillset, the type of work being done, and the weather.

Smith was more than just a supervising architect; he designed many secondary buildings, cottages, and other structures for the estate while on site. One is the former Mule Stable which is now used as the Deerpark restaurant. He also designed Eastcote, a residence for Chauncey Beadle who was sent by Olmsted to supervise the estate's nursery operations. Eastcote is a two-story traditional-styled house with a pebble-dash finish. Smith also designed River Cliff Cottage in 1892 as a place for Vanderbilt's friends to stay during the construction of the main house. However, the since demolished brick and rough-cast cottage was best known as the temporary residence of Olmsted and his wife. Smith also renovated the Benjamin Julius Alexander Brick Farmhouse, an existing antebellum structure on the property, to serve as Vanderbilt's residence during the construction of Biltmore.

According to Olmsted, the estate's Walled Garden complex was a collaborative design of Olmsted, Hunt, and Smith. On October 30, 1891, Smith wrote Hunt:

This day I send you by express blueprints of Vegetable Garden Walls for your approval. I have also enclosed a copy for Mr. Olmsted should you think it necessary he should see what we are about to do. I don’t think he has been consulted on the changes and additions, viz. setting back of Gardener’s Cottage twelve feet from the entrance and the retreat and tool house northwest corner of garden. These changes seem to meet with Mr. Vanderbilt’s approval.

The last line also indicates that, after a year, Smith worked directly with their client, rather than through Hunt.

Smith also designed the Gardener's Cottage and the gates for the garden. His other grounds-related projects include designing five iconic brick bridges for the estate in the early 1890s; these were constructed of bricks produced by the estate's brickworks and feature a Tudor-arch profile. One spans the stream that feeds the bass pond and includes pedestrian overlooks in its side walls. On April 8, 1892, Smith wrote Hunt, "The bridge plans are nearly completed, and will be sent you early next week. I think a brick arch will answer, the pressure per foot is 6 tons. This should be safe for brick. As to the appearance, stone would be a pleasing change." The cost to excavate and build this brick bridge was $9,570 (equivalent to $311,698 in 2022).

Although Vanderbilt and Smith appear to have discussed designs directly, Smith still sent his work to New York for Hunt's approval and to get the firm's official stamp. In addition, Smith sent Hunt weekly reports and they had a go-between who would come to Asheville periodically, while Hunt worked on other projects. When Hunt died in July 1895, his son Richard Howland Hunt, who had worked on some of the secondary buildings for the estate, took over management of the firm. At this point, Smith hired extra workers, pushing the project toward an end. In the spring of 1896, Smith wrote a letter to an associate indicating his plans to depart Biltmore for a proposed trip to Europe, after which he would return to Asheville and set up his architectural practice. Smith wrote, “So far as Estate work is concerned, I am unable to say as Mr. Hunt wishes me to stay until everything is completed at Biltmore House”.

Smith was on-site at Biltmore from the start of construction in the summer of 1890 through essentially the house's completion in the fall of 1896 However, through his new practice, he would remain Vanderbilt's architect of choice for decades. Biltmore Estate and its related buildings are a National Historic Landmark.

R. S. Smith Architect

Sunnicrest, Asheville North Carolina
Charles S. Jordan House, Asheville, North Carolina
Ottis Green House, Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville Club, Asheville, North Carolina
Langren Hotel, Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville Auditorium (left), Asheville, North Carolina

In the fall of 1896, Smith established his practice in the Paragon Building in Asheville. He advertised as "R. S. Smith, Architect, Paragon Building. Eight years with the late Mr. R. M. Hunt. Six years resident architect for G. W. Vanderbilt, Esq." During his first five years in practice, 1896 to 1901, Smith received sixty commissions.

Vanderbilt continued to be a client, hiring Smith to design a manorial village outside the entrance to Biltmore. The resulting Biltmore Village included residential cottages, shops, a post office, and a hospital. With Biltmore Village, Smith developed an attractive look for the neighborhood surrounding the entrance to the estate, while also fulfilling his client's ambition to model ideal village life. Smith designed more than 24 buildings for Biltmore Village between 1900 and 1920. This includes all structures in the village except All Soul's Church, the Biltmore Estate Office, and the depot which were designed by Hunt previously; although Smith was the supervising architect for the church.

Vanderbilt also commissioned the Young Man's Institute (YMI) the first building Smith designed in Asheville proper. The YMI was a recreational center for Asheville's African Americans, many of whom worked for Vanderbilt, and also included space for shops and a doctor on the first floor. Smith used the same architectural styling for the YMI as the structures in Biltmore Village.

In another project for Vanderbilt, Smith designed five large rental cottages, actually mansions, across the Swannanoa River on Vernon Hill overlooking Biltmore. Sunnicrest is the only surviving cottage and was restored by its owner, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, in 2016.

Smith's other early commissions were for houses and cottages in the Montford and Chestnut Hill neighborhoods of Asheville. Many of these homes have similar characteristics to those he designed for Biltmore Village. Biltmore Estate's Curator of Interpretation said, “Two beautiful examples of Richard Sharp Smith’s residential style—the Annie West House at 189 Chestnut Street in Chestnut Hill and the Charles Jordan House at 296 Montford Avenue—include pebbledash stucco, archways, and rooflines, much like his buildings in Biltmore Village.” The Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County describes Smith's "true legacy to Asheville as his signature 'Biltmore-style' with its blend of English Arts and Craft styling combined with Elizabethan Tudor and Old World influences."

Smith was very protective of his designs and "imitation of his work was a source of great irritation to him." In 1897, he sued builder James M. Westall for using his designs without permission, especially exterior features. Westall had previously built houses for Smith and went out on his own, undercutting costs by eliminating the architect.

Smith & Carrier

Around 1905, Smith began working with Albert Heath Carrier (1878–1961), a Michigan-born engineer and inventor who moved to Asheville in 1884. Carrier looked after the mechanical and structural engineering aspects of their projects, freeing Smith to be creative and to pursue more clients. Smith's motto was, "We can do anything and we will." In 1910, the duo incorporated as Smith & Carrier.

Between 1900 and 1920, Smith designed almost every significant building in downtown Asheville. His additions included hotels, medical buildings, office buildings, schools, and theaters. Some key buildings that no longer survive include the Asheville Club (remodeled into the Miles Building in 1925), the City Auditorium (encapsulated by the Asheville Civic Center, now called Harrah's Cherokee Center), the Langren Hotel, the Majestic Theater, the Pack Theater, the Plaza Theater, the Oates Building, the Paragon Building, St Genevieve's of the Pines Dormitory, Vance Public School, and the YMCA. He also designed courthouses for Henderson, Jackson, Madison, and Swain Counties. Smith was a practical choice for these institutional structures; he was the first architect in the region to utlize fire-proof reinforced concrete construction.

Smith donated his services to design a monument for former North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance as the centerpiece to Asheville's Pack Square. The 66 feet (20 m) tall Vance Monument was part of the Downtown Asheville Historic District but was demolished in 2021.

With more than thirty structures designed by Smtith, the Montford Area Historic District in Asheville has the greatest concentration of Smith's buildings outside of Biltmore Village. However, many fine examples of Smith's work can be found in Asheville's Albemarle Park, Chestnut Hill Historic District, and Grove Park. When Smith died in 1924, Smith & Carrier had designed more than 700 buildings. After Smith's death, Carrier completed some open commissions but not much more.

Professional affiliations

In 1901, Smith became president of the Southeastern Architectural League. He was one of the five founding members of the North Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects (NC-AIA) in 1913. He was president of the NC-AIA in 1917 and vice president in 1921. In 1915, Smith became the 36th architect in North Carolina to receive a license under the new Practice Act of 1915.

Personal

After moving to Asheville, Smith never returned to England. However, he "remained an English gentleman in his demeanor and appearance—tailored tweed suits, English walking caps, and cane."

Smith's second wife was Isabella Cameron, a native of Scotland. He met Cameron when she was a member of the household staff at Biltmore. They had four children—Emily, Sylvia, Hampden, and Richard Jr. Initially, the family lived in a rental house near downtown Asheville and on Blake Street in the Montford neighborhood.

In 1902, Smith purchased 27 acres (11 ha) at the head of Chunns Cove, east of downtown Asheville, for $1,000 (equivalent to $33,823 in 2022). There, Smith built his family's rustic home, Stoneybrook, using local stone; it was completed by 1903. The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote, “The quiet forms and rustic character of the house—the home of his family—most likely exist as an expression of Smith’s personality and his family life." For several years, carriage access to Stoneybrook was limited to eight months a year due to weather and the family rented a house in Asheville for the other months. As more people moved into Chunns Cove, the road and access were improved. However, Smith loved the outdoors and was known to walk the 3 miles (4.8 km) over Beaucatcher Mountain from his house to Asheville, rather than using the family carriage or car. Stoneybrook is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Smith served on the vestry of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Asheville—he designed the church's Gothic Revival style building in 1914. He was also a member of the British American Club and the Asheville Masonic Temple; he designed a building for the latter in 1913.

Smith died in 1924 at the age of 72 after several months of illness. He is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Asheville. After his death, his family continued to live in Stoneybrook despite financial challenges. Mrs. Smith sold the house to Walter Westwood in 1926, but purchased it back at auction in 1928 after Westwood defaulted on his loan. However, she sold off acreage over time, eventually selling the house again in 1932. She lived in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Asheville until she died in 1966.

Selected projects

The following is a selected list of Smith's buildings that survive. Most are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), are a Local Landmark (LL), or are part of a National Register Historic District (NRHD), a Main Street National Historic District (MSHD), or a National Historic Landmark District (NHL).

Project Date Location City Other contributors Designation References
Biltmore House 1888–1895 Biltmore Avenue Asheville Richard Morris Hunt NHL
Biltmore Village Commercial Buildings 1889–1910 Brook Street and Biltmore Plaza Asheville NRHP
Biltmore Village Cottages 1889–1900 18 Angle Street and

75 Hendersonville Road

Asheville NRHP
Eastcote 1890 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Gardener's Cottage 1892 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Young Men's Institute Building 1892 39 South Market Street Asheville NRHP, NRHD
All Souls Episcopal Church 1895–1896 9 Swan Street Asheville Richard Morris Hunt NRHP
Sunnicrest c. 1895 394 Victoria Road Asheville
Woodcote Stable 1895 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Clark Carrier House (Rockbrook House) 1895 3460 Greenville Highway Brevard NRHD
Dr. H. S. Lambert House 1896 166 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Woodcote Barn c. 1896 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Dr. Jules Ernest David Cottage 1897 111 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Dr. Jules Ernest David Cottage Lot 1 c. 1898 138 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Medical Building 1898 16 College Street Asheville NRHD
Woodcote Servants Quarters 1898 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Chanteloupnow Deerpark c. 1899 1001 Estate Drive Flat Rock NRHD
Eastcote carriage house 1899 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Mule Stable Cottage 1899 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Annie West House 1900 189 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Biltmore Shoe Store c. 1900 8 Lodge Street Asheville NRHP
Charles Jordan House c. 1900 296 Montford Avenue Asheville NRHD
Citizen's Bank Building c. 1900 Everette Street Bryson City Albert Carrier
Dorland Memorial Presbyterian Church 1900 Bridge Street Hot Springs NRHP
Dr. Charles S. Jordan House c. 1900 296 Montford Avenue Asheville NRHD
Dr. Jules Ernest David Cottage Lot 3 1900 130 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Dr. Jules Ernest David Cottage Lot 5 1900 160 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Frederick Rutledge House 1900 209 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
George Tayloe Winston House 1900 2 Howland Road Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
House c. 1900 27 Soco Street Asheville NRHD
Line Houses Number 1–8 1900 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
E. Bruns Cottage 1901 19 Bearden Avenue Asheville
Biltmore Dairy 1902 Biltmore Estate Asheville Richard Howland Hunt NHL
Biltmore Forest School 1902 11250 Pisgah Highway Pisgah Forest
Biltmore Village Cottage District 1900–1924 Swan Street, All Souls Crescent,

and Boston Way

Asheville NRHD
Biltmore Village Post Office 1900 Brook Street Asheville NRHD
Henry Clarke Carrier House c. 1900 Highway 276, Dunns Rock Township Transylvania County NRHD
Lambert Building c. 1900 65–71 Biltmore Avenue Asheville NRHD
Miss Maria T. Brown House c. 1900 177 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
Mrs. Lon Mitchell House c. 1900 214 Montford Avenue Asheville NRHD
Mrs. Minnie Alexander Cottage 1900 218 Patton Avenue Asheville NRHP
Norton House 1900 1001 Estate Drive Flat Rock NRHD
Ottis Green House c. 1900 288 Montford Avenue Asheville NRHD
Sawyer House c. 1900 214 Montford Avenue Asheville NRHD
Maria T. Brown House before 1901 177 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
H. E. Bruns House 1901 25 Bearden Avenue Asheville
Charles W. Brown Cottage 1902 205 Montford Avenue Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Dairy Barn 1902 Biltmore Estate Asheville Richard Howland Hunt NHL
Dairy Foreman's Cottage 1902 Biltmore Estate Asheville NHL
Embrook 1902–1903 93 Embrook Lake Drive Flat Rock b
First Presbyterian Church school c. 1902 Church Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Foster Sondley House 1902, 1905 Haw Creek Road Asheville
Horse Barn and Stable 1902 Biltmore Estate Asheville Richard Howland Hunt NHL
Reems Creek Presbyterian Church 1902 812 Reems Creek Road Weaverville
William E. Breese Jr. House 1902 315 East Main Street Brevard NRHP, NRHD
Henry House c. 1903 148 West Probart Street Brevard LL
J. W. Moore Cottage 1903 25 North Liberty Street Asheville NRHD
James H. White House 1903 5 Hill Street Marshall NRHP
John A. Campbell House 1903 255 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
Stoneybrook 1903 655 Chunns Cove Road Asheville NRHP
Teneriffe 1903 2531 Little River Road Flat Rock NRHD
Belvedere 1905 73 Merrimon Avenue Asheville NRHD
Henderson County Courthouse 1905 1st and Main Street Hendersonville NRHP, NRHD
Grace Episcopal Church 1905–1907 871 Merrimon Avenue Asheville
Basilica of St. Lawrence 1905–1909 97 Haywood Street Asheville Rafael Guastavino NRHP, NRHD
L. B. Rogers House c. 1905 85 North Liberty Street Asheville NRHP, NRHD
O. E. Hamilton Apartment Building 1905 130–132 Biltmore Avenue Asheville NRHP, NRHD
O. E. Hamilton Apartment Building 1905 134–136 1/2 Biltmore Avenue Asheville NRHP
Thomas C. Smith Jr. House c. 1905 156 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
Mark Brown House c. 1906 144 East Chestnut Street Asheville NRHD
F. C. Bourne House before 1907 114 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
McKenzie House before 1907 101 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
Clarence Barker Memorial Hospital 1907 2–6 Reed Street Asheville NRHP
Edwin. L. Gaston House 1907 Cumberland Avenue Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Fraternity Building 1907 36–38–42 South Broad Street Brevard NRHD
Madison County Courthouse 1907 1 Main Street Marshall Albert Carrier NRHP
Bert C. Mason Cottage 1908 264 Montford Avenue Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Bryson City Bank 1908 16 Everett Street Bryson City
Edwin L. Ray House 1908 83 Hillside Street Asheville
Kanuga Conference Center Cottages 1908–1910 Kanuga Conference Drive Hendersonville Albert Carrier NRHP
Killarney c. 1908 322 Killarney Street Hendersonville NRHD
Pleasant Hill 1908 1168 Pleasant Hill Drive Flat Rock NRHD
Swain County Courthouse 1908 101 Mitchell Street Bryson City Albert Carrier;

Frank Pierce Milburn

NRHP
W. M. and Mary Harrison House 1908 1 Latrobe Street Asheville NRHD
Zealandia 1908–1920 1 Vance Gap Road Asheville Albert Carrier NRHP
Beaumont 1909 121 Andrew Johnstone Drive Flat Rock NRHD
E. W. Grove Office 1909 324 Charlotte Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
James M. Chiles House 1909 70 Gertrude Place Asheville NRHD
Legal Building 1909 10 South Pack Square Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Thomas Lawrence House 1909 25 Lawrence Place Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Ardmion House (later The Sky Club) 1910 Ardmion Park, Beaumont Street Asheville Albert Carrier
Argyle 1910 3110 Greenville Highway Flat Rock NRHD
Hopkins Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church 1910 21 College Place Asheville Albert Carrier
Misses Hawthorne Cottage 1910 208 Pearson Drive Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
People's National Bank c. 1910 225 North Main Street Hendersonville Albert Carrier NRHD
Technical Building c. 1910 College Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Alva Glen Cottage 1913 104 Orchard Road Asheville NRHD
Black Mountain Firehouse 1913 223 West State Street Black Mountain NRHD
J. R. Oates House 1913 90 Gertrude Place Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Jack Camp House c. 1913 10 Holmwood Street Asheville NRHD
Mrs. A. F. Hall 1913 20 Watauga Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Smith-McDowell House 1913 283 Victoria Road Asheville NRHP
William Johnson Jr. House 1913 2 Edwin Place Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Breezemont c. 1914 150 Cherokee Road Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Eagles Home 1914 77 Broadway Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Elks Home 1914 55 Haywood Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Fraternal Order of Eagles Building 1914 73 Broadway Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Jackson County Courthouse II 1914 W. Main Street Sylva Albert Carrier NRHP, NRHD
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 1914 337 Charlotte Street Asheville Albert Heath NRHP, NRHD
Asheville Masonic Temple 1915 80 Broadway Asheville Albert Carrier NRHP, NRHD
Brevard Presbyterian Church Manse 1916 116 W. Probart Street Brevard Albert Carrier LL
J. R. Bush House 1916 6 Edwin Place Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Locke Craig House 1916 25 Glendale Road Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
B. H. Crosby House before 1917 36 Watauga Avenue Asheville NRHD
Gertrude Brown House before 1917 218 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
J. E. Call House (Jewell Apartments) before 1917 175 Cumberland Avenue Asheville NRHD
Dr. J. L. Adams House before 1917 40 Watauga Avenue Asheville NRHD
J. P. Hansen House before 1917 40 Cumberland Circle Asheville NRHD
Haywood Building 1917 38–58 Haywood Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Jenkins Hotel 1917 55 Haywood Street Asheville NRHD
William Jennings Bryan House 1917 107 Evelyn Place Asheville Albert Carrier NRHP, NRHD
Dr. O. F. Eckel Cottage 1919 48 Coleman Avenue Asheville
Lt. Lawrence Laughran Memorial c. 1919 Riverside Cemetery Asheville NRHD
Methodist Episcopal Church 1919 801 South Trade Street Matthews Albert Carrier
Burnham S. Colburn Residence 1920 7 Stuyvesant Road Biltmore Forest Albert Carrier
E. W. Grove Apartment Building 1920–1929 Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Lewis Funeral Home 1921 189 College Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Anderson Auditorium 1922 318 Georgia Terrace Montreat Albert Carrier
Chestnut Hill Cottage 1922 16 The Circle Asheville NRHD
Chipmunk Cottage 1922 18 The Circle Asheville NRHD
Forest Ranger's Cottage 1922 Biltmore Estate, Racket Club Road Biltmore Forest Albert Carrier NHL
In-the-Oaks recreation wing 1922–1923 510 Vance Avenue Black Mountain Albert Carrier NRHP
Overland-Knight Building c. 1922 205 College Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Samuel and Addie Stringfield House c. 1922 28 Walnut Street Waynesville Albert Carrier NRHD
Twin Oaks Cottage 1922 7 Banbury Cross Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
Warden's Cottage 1922 Biltmore Estate Asheville Albert Carrier NHL
Foreman's Cottage 1923 Biltmore Estate Asheville Albert Carrier NHL
Loughran Building 1923 Haywood Street Asheville Albert Carrier NRHD
St. Mary's Episcopal Church Rectory 1923 337 1/2 Charlotte Street Asheville Albert Heath NRHD
McConnell Hall 1924 Mars Hill College Marshall Albert Carrier NRHD
Sylvan Theater 1927 Mill and Main Street Sylva Albert Carrier NRHD
Busbee Road Gate House c. 1928 Biltmore Estate Asheville Albert Carrier NHL
DeVane House c. 1940s 229 South Caldwell Street Brevard

Notes

  1. ^ Smith was the supervising architect for this project.
  2. ^ This project involved adding wings and remodeling an existing structure.
  3. ^ This includes fourteen residences designed by Smith.
  4. ^ Building is now the Biltmore Estate Winery.
  5. ^ This project involved designing additions to an existing structure.
  6. ^ This building is now St. Matthew’s Anglican Church.
  7. ^ This project involved the renovation of an existing structure.
  8. ^ This house was built on the Dr. Jules Ernest David Cottage Lot 4.
  9. ^ This house was built on the Dr. Jules Ernest David Cottage Lot 2.
  10. ^ This project involved renovating the main structure and designing an ice house.
  11. ^ Currently, the Swannanoa Valley Historical Museum.
  12. ^ Building is now the Biltmore Estate's Deerpark restaurant.
  13. ^ This house became the Moody-Connolly Funeral Home.

References

  1. ^ "Richard Sharp Smith (1852–1924)". North Carolina Architects & Builders. NC State University Libraries. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "Architect is Dead After Long Illness". Asheville Citizen-Times. February 9, 1924. p. 3. Retrieved February 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Griffith, Clay (2009). "Biography: Richard Sharp Smith". North Carolina Architects & Builders. NC State Universities Libraries. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  4. ^ Griffith, Clay (January 22, 2009). "Richard Sharp Smith House: National Register of Historic Places Application" (PDF). North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  5. ^ "Noted Architect Dies in Asheville: R. S. Smith Designed Many Beautiful Buildings and Monuments". The News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina). February 9, 1924. p. 5. Retrieved March 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Best, John Hardin, and Kate Gunn, eds. An Architect and His Times: Richard Sharp Smith, A Retrospective. Asheville: The Historic Resources Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County, 1995.
  7. ^ Ross, Judy (July 8, 2018). "Richard Sharp Smith: A Western North Carolina Legacy". Biltmore. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "Biltmore Estate (Additional Documentation and Boundary Reduction) - National Historic Landmark Nomination" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 10, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  9. ^ "R. S. Smith, Architect". Asheville Citizen-Times. 1896-08-05. p. 4. Retrieved 2023-12-28 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Slusser, Dale Wayne. "Richard Sharp Smith & The "Biltmore-style"". Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  11. ^ Marshall, Alli (September 24, 2008). "Working on a Building". Mountain Xpress. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "Southern Railway Passenger Depot (Biltmore Depot) -- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archiv.
  13. ^ Bishir, Catherine W; Southern, Michael T; Martin, Jennifer F (1999). A Guide to the Historic Architecture of Western North Carolina. Chapel Hill, NC: UNC Press.
  14. ^ "Restored Sunnicrest Dedicated". Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
  15. ^ Purdum, Helen; Scott, Kathryn (June 2008). "Proximity Park Historic District: National Register of Historic Places" (PDF). North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  16. ^ Bishir, Catherine W. (2012). "Smith and Carrier". North Carolina Architects & Builders. North Carolina State University Libraries. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  17. ^ Calder, Thomas (January 16, 2018). "Asheville Archives: The Langren Hotel Brings the Latest Amenities to the City, 1912". Mountain Xpress. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  18. ^ "The Miles Building | Asheville, NC's Official Travel Site". Explore Asheville. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  19. ^ Fleming, Karl (February 17, 1957). "WNC Architects Join in Noting 100 Years of Progress". Asheville Citizen-Times. pp. D1. Retrieved February 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Black, David R. (1978.). "Downtown Asheville Historic District" . National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, p. 7.2. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  21. ^ "Zebulon Vance Monument, Asheville". Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  22. ^ "The Unique Architecture of Albemarle Park". Albemarle Park. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
  23. ^ "Church Purchases on Thursday P.M. Site for Building". Asheville Citizen-Times. September 4, 1914. p. 9. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  24. ^ "Biltmore Estate -- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  25. ^ Swaim, Douglas (1981). Cabins and Castles: The History and Architecture of Buncombe County, North Carolina. Asheville, North Carolina, USA: Preservation Society of Asheville-Buncombe County.
  26. ^ "Young Men's Institute Building-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  27. ^ "All Souls Episcopal Church and Parish House -- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  28. ^ Page, Charlotte (2012-02-09). "The Rockbrook House and Richard Sharp Smith". Rockbrook Summer Camp. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  29. ^ Thompson, Deborah J. (June 21, 1993). "Historic and Architectural Resources of Transylvania County, North Carolina, including the incorporated towns of Brevard and Rosman, ca. 1820–1941, National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  30. ^ "Chestnut Hill Historic District - National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form" (PDF). North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. 1978. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  31. ^ Slusser, Dale Wayne. "Richard Sharp Smith & Dr. Jules Ernest David: The J. E. David Cottages on East Chestnut Street". The Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  32. ^ "Downtown Asheville Historic District: National Register of Historic Places Inventory" (PDF). North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  33. ^ Survey and Planning Unit (September 1973). "Flat Rock Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  34. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (December 1899). "Cottage for Mule Stable Biltmore Estate Elevations (Architectural Drawings)". North Carolina State University Libraries. R S Smith Architect. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  35. ^ "National Register of Historical Places - North Carolina (NC), Buncombe County". www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  36. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (c. 1900). Citizen' Bank Building-Bryson City-NC - Full Size Capital- Elevation (Architectural Drawing). Asheville Art Museum: Smith & Carrier.
  37. ^ "National Register of Historical Places - North Carolina (NC), Madison County". www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  38. ^ Smith, McKelden (March 10, 1977). Montford Area Historic District National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form (PDF). North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  39. ^ Smith, McKelden (March 10, 1977). Montford Area Historic District National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form (PDF). North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  40. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (February 1, 1901). "A Cottage- Bearden Ave.- for Mr. E. Bruns--East Side (Architectural Drawings)". North Carolina State University Libraries. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  41. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (June 1, 1902). "Cottage- Montford Ave.- for Chas. W. Brown- Esq.-Front (Architectural Drawing)". North Carolina State University Libraries. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  42. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp. "Dairy Farm Foreman's Cottage--Front & Side 1st & 2nd Floor Plan, Biltmore Estate (Architectural Drawing)". North Carolina State University Libraries. R. S. Smith Architect. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  43. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (1906). "First Presbyterian Church--Alterations & Additions - Asheville, N.C. (Architectural Drawings)". North Carolina State University Libraries. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  44. ^ "History". Reems Creek-Beech Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  45. ^ "About". St. Matthew's Anglican Church. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  46. ^ Clay Griffith (April 2009). "East Main Street Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. p. 7.5-7.6. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  47. ^ Thompson, Marcy (2016-03-27). "Renowned Architect Built Several Brevard Homes". The Transylvania Times. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  48. ^ "Local Landmarks". Transylvania County Planning and Community Development. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  49. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (October 1903). "Cottage - Liberty St. - For J.W. Moore--West- North- South (Architectural Drawing)". North Carolina State University Libraries. R. S. Smith Architect. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  50. ^ "John A. Campbell house". Wester North Carolina Heritage. University of North Carolina at Asheville Special Collections & University Archives. June 14, 2006. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  51. ^ Realty, Cindy Carter, Bungalow. "1903 Colonial Revival in Asheville, North Carolina". OldHouses.com. Retrieved 2022-02-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  52. ^ "Belvedere-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  53. ^ "Building at 130-132 Biltmore Avenue" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  54. ^ "Building at 134–136 1/2 Biltmore Avenue". (n.d.) National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  55. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (January 1907). "Residence- Cumberland Ave.- for E.L. Gaston--First Floor Plan (Edwin L. Gaston Cumberland Avenue Residence (Asheville, N.C.)) -". North Carolina State University Libraries. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  56. ^ "Fraternity Building | Transylvania County". www.transylvaniacounty.org. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  57. ^ "Main Street National Historic District". Transylvania County Planning and Community Development. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  58. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (March 1908). "Cottage for Bert C. Mason- Montford Ave.--Elevation & Foundation Plan (Architectural Drawing)". North Carolina State University Libraries. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  59. ^ "History of the Bryson City Bank Building, Now the Everett Boutique Hotel & Bistro - Bryson City NC". The Everett Hotel. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
  60. ^ "322 Killarney Street: Killarney House". Hendersonville Historic Preservation Commission. Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved 2022-02-21 – via Internet Archive.
  61. ^ "National Register of Historical Places - North Carolina (NC), Swain County". www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  62. ^ "Grove Park Historic District: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form" (PDF). North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  63. ^ "Pack Square-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  64. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (April 1910). "Ardmion - Alterations and Additions for Mrs. O. C. Hamilton--North, Asheville, N.C. (Architectural Designs)". North Carolina State University Library. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  65. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (June 1910). "AME Zion Church-- College Street Front, Asheville, N.C. (Architectural Drawing)". North Carolina State University Libraries. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  66. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (December 1909). "A Cottage - Pearson Drive for the Misses Hawthorne-(Architectural Drawing". North Carolina State University Libraries. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  67. ^ Sybil Argintar Bowers and Martha Fullington (1987–1988). "Main Street Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  68. ^ "The Black Mountain Firehouse – Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center". 17 December 2013. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  69. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (August 1913). "A Residence-Watauga St. for Mrs. A.F. Hall- Front Elevation". North Carolina State University Libraries. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  70. ^ "Smith-McDowell House -- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-21 – via Internet Archive.
  71. ^ "Asheville Hotel Building-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  72. ^ "St. Mary's Church-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  73. ^ "Masonic Temple-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". National Park Service. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-20 – via Internet Archive.
  74. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (July 1, 1919). "Cottage Dr. O. F. Eckel - Coleman Avenue (Architectural Drawing)". Smith & Carrier. Retrieved February 23, 2022 – via North Carolina State University Libraries.
  75. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (May 1, 1919). "M.E. Church- Andrews NC - Roof (Architectural Drawing)". Buncombe County Special Collections. Buncombe County Public Libraries.
  76. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (December 1920). "Residence for B.S. Colburn - Basement Plan (Architectural Plans)". Buncombe County Special Collections. Buncombe County Public Libraries.
  77. ^ "Apartment E - Manor Park- for E. W. Grove". North Carolina State University Libraries. 1920. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  78. ^ "Apartment E Front - Manor Park- for E. W. Grove" North Carolina State University Libraries. 1920. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  79. ^ "Anderson Auditorium". North Carolina Architects & Builders. Retrieved 2022-02-23 – via North Carolina State University Libraries.
  80. ^ "In-the-oaks-- Asheville, North Carolina: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  81. ^ Griffith, Clay (August 2010). "Spread Out Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory" (PDF). North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  82. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (Sep 1922). "Warden's Cottage- North Fork-Front and Side. Sept. 1922 (Architectural Drawing)". Buncombe County Special Collections. Buncombe County Libraries.
  83. ^ Smith, Richard Sharp (1921). "Foreman's Cottage--First Floor, Biltmore Estate (Architectural Drawing)". North Carolina State University Libraries. Smith & Carrier. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
  84. ^ "Walking Trails". Mars Hill University. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  85. ^ Heather Fearnbach (April 2014). "Downtown Sylva Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved 2015-01-01.