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Characters Portrayed By Wes William Yeatman, Lighthouse Keeper
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Robert Mills, Architect Examples of Mill's work remain today as outstanding expressions of that American ideal. In Philadelphia he built churches, residences and supervised the reconstruction of Independence Hall, but it was in Baltimore that he received a commission that changed his life…the monument to George Washington. Completed in 1817, it is still a focal point of life in the city. Appointed to head the board of public works in his native state, Mills carried on a private practice while overseeing needed state improvements. His State Hospital for the Insane is remarkable for the age in being a hospital, not a prison! Of his churches, Monumental Church, in Richmond, Virginia, remains much as he designed it - a gemlike temple very much at home in its modern setting. Robert Mills returned to Washington, D.C. in 1830 and began an association with public architecture that would set the style for all future improvements in the nation's capital. His major works there included the Treasury Building, The Post Office and the Patent Office (now the National Portrait Gallery.) In 1836 a competition was held which secured for Mills the commission for which he would forever be known - the monument in the federal city to honor the nation's first president - the Washington Monument. |
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Known as a man who easily adapted his designs to the desires and needs of his employer, Mills was often badly treated by those who used his talents. Never very far from the edge of bankruptcy, Mills was never able to make his living solely as a private citizen. He combined his private work with civil service posts and was thus able to provide for his family…usually! How odd to think that the "founding father of American architecture" never saw a profit from his designs! Based on biographical material, letters and 19th century accounts, Robert Mills - America's First Architect, allows audiences to come to know the fascinating man whose work continues to inspire and amaze us. |