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James Oscar Betelle (1879-1954) was a Newark, NJ based civic architect. Public schools were his speciality—if you grew up in the New York Tri-State area, there's a good chance you went to one.
Betelle drifted in obscurity for sixty years, until the day I paused to wonder, "who designed my school?" More…
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Tag Archives: Newark
Two Streets and a School
Newark wears its history in plain sight. An astoundingly diverse collection of buildings, evocative street names and a rich narrative dating back over 300 years lay the city bare to those who even casually glance. James Betelle spent his 20 … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Diary
Tagged civic, New Jersey, Newark, school, tour, weequahic
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The Home of Mr. Ernest F. Guilbert
In my entry regarding the Franklin Murphy house, I ruminated that it was the only known residential structure designed by Guilbert & Betelle. As it turns out, I was wrong. I’ve recently had the privilege of corresponding with members of … Continue reading
Posted in Architecture, Articles, Biographical
Tagged Guilbert, magazine, Newark, residential
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More Newark, More Schools
Last week I headed down to Newark to learn more about James Betelle’s tragically short-lived partner, Ernest F. Guilbert. I scored quickly by finding Guilbert’s obituary at the library, which painted a pretty good portrait of his life and career. … Continue reading
The Robert Treat Hotel
Newark in the 1910s was a city one would hardly recognize today. Driven by an influx of money and opportunity, it was a thriving commercial and industrial port. A city on the rise needs grand structures, and certainly nothing makes … Continue reading
Essex County Hall of Records
Guilbert & Betelle designed the 1927 Essex County Hall of Records, in Newark, as a complement to the existing 1902 Court House by Cass Gilbert (to which they did the massive remodeling described in this article). Interestingly, James Betelle worked … Continue reading