John A. Dempwolf

John Augustus Dempwolf (1848 – December 24, 1926) was a York, Pennsylvania-based architect. He was born in Germany as the eldest of 12 brothers and sisters. Dempwolf immigrated to the United States at 19, and settled at York. He studied architecture at the Cooper Union in New York. He then worked in Boston, where he supervised construction of the Holy Cross Cathedral. He worked as an architect at Philadelphia with architect Steven Button and helped him design buildings for the Centennial Exposition. He started his own practice in 1876 at York, and was joined by his brother Reinhardt and later his son Frederick. The practice designed over 600 buildings through 1920.[1][2][3]

John A. Dempwolf
Born	1848
Died	December 24, 1926 York, Pennsylvania
Nationality	Germany
Occupation	Architect
Buildings	York Central Market
Projects	Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital

He was made a member of the American Institute of Architects in 1901, and became a Fellow of the Institute in 1910. Dempwolf died in 1926.[4]

Selected works

• 1876 Saint Johns Lutheran Church York, Pennsylvania <historical records First Saint Johns Church>
• 1886: York Collegiate Institute, York, Pennsylvania, demolished in 1969.
• 1888: York Central Market, York, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[5]
• 1889–1890: Stevens School, York, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[5]
• 1893–1896: The Nook, Spring Garden Township, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[5]
• 1893–1912: Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[5]
• Sinking Springs Farms, Manchester Township, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.[5]
• 1900: Diamond Silk Mill, Springettsbury Township, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.[5]

Contributing buildings to the following

• Fairmount Historic District, York, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.[5]
• Hanover Historic District, Hanover, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[5]
• Springdale Historic District, York, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.[5]
• York Historic District, York, Pennsylvania, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, 2008.[5] Including the Bon-Ton Building, Colonial Hotel, Fluhrer Building, Hahn Home, Rosenmiller Building, Union Lutheran Church, York County Courthouse, and York National Bank.[2]

The York County Heritage Trust has the largest collection of the Dempwolf firm's architectural drawings.

References

1. "City on the Hill: John Dempwolf". Thomas Industries. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
2. Butcher, Scott D. "Virtual York: An Architectural Experience: The Dempwolf Contribution to York's Streetscape". Virtual York. Archived from the original on December 8, 2007.
3. "Dempwolf building designs were shown to members of Society". Gettysburg Times (on Google News). April 15, 1988. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
4. John A. Dempwolf at archINFORM
5. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.