Corneil G. Curtis, Architect
Corneil G. Curtis was born October 8, 1890 in Dallas, Texas. He began his architectural training in Dallas around 1910. He apprenticed with the firm of Lang and Witchell, which was widely known for progressive designs at the forefront of contemporary architectural trends. Lang and Witchell was one of the earliest practitioners of the Prairie Style and Chicago School architecture in Texas, and Curtis may have participated in the design of two notable examples of that style, Dallas's Sanger Brothers Building and Sears and Roebuck Wholesale Store. He would also have worked with Charles E. Barglebaugh, the firm's main Prairie School designer, who had come to the firm after working with Frank Lloyd Wright. Curtis was thus exposed to America's earliest steps
towards architectural modernism.
Around 1912 Curtis moved to Paris, Texas to oversee a commission for Lang and Witchell. He married Mary L. Means there, and soon established his own
practice in Paris as Curtis, Broad, and Lightfoot (later Curtis and Lightfoot). Curtis assisted Sanguinet and Staats in the design of the 1920 Lamar County Courthouse in Paris.
By 1926, Curtis and his family had left Paris and moved to Houston, beginning what would be the height of his career. He received two courthouse
commissions, the first for the Rusk County Courthouse in Henderson and the second for the Liberty County building. (Curtis was partnered with Albert
Thomas of Dallas at the time the Liberty courthouse was constructed, and the firm name, Curtis and Thomas, appears on the cornerstone. Curtis, however,
handled all the design and construction supervision from his Houston office. In 1936 he designed a third courthouse, a much plainer version of his earlier
Modern Classic designs, for Chambers County.
In 1934 Curtis moved to Austin, where he and his wife Mary were very active in the lobbying effort to require registration and certification forTexas architects. Their home was the base of operations for Lester Flynt, a Dallas architect and good friend of Curtis's from his days in Paris, who led the
legislative effort. In 1937 the Texas Legislature created the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, and Curtis received license number 14.
By the early 1950s, however, Curtis was architect-in-charge at the Texas Highway Department, designing and building resident engineer offices and maintenance complexes throughout the agency's 25 districts. As the leader of the design team, he brought a modern aesthetic to the agency, as reflected in the International-influenced district offices that still grace many Texas counties. Curtis retired from the agency in 1962 and died in Austin at the age of 72 on
July 1, 1963.
From the National Register narrative for the Liberty County courthouse
towards architectural modernism.
Around 1912 Curtis moved to Paris, Texas to oversee a commission for Lang and Witchell. He married Mary L. Means there, and soon established his own
practice in Paris as Curtis, Broad, and Lightfoot (later Curtis and Lightfoot). Curtis assisted Sanguinet and Staats in the design of the 1920 Lamar County Courthouse in Paris.
By 1926, Curtis and his family had left Paris and moved to Houston, beginning what would be the height of his career. He received two courthouse
commissions, the first for the Rusk County Courthouse in Henderson and the second for the Liberty County building. (Curtis was partnered with Albert
Thomas of Dallas at the time the Liberty courthouse was constructed, and the firm name, Curtis and Thomas, appears on the cornerstone. Curtis, however,
handled all the design and construction supervision from his Houston office. In 1936 he designed a third courthouse, a much plainer version of his earlier
Modern Classic designs, for Chambers County.
In 1934 Curtis moved to Austin, where he and his wife Mary were very active in the lobbying effort to require registration and certification forTexas architects. Their home was the base of operations for Lester Flynt, a Dallas architect and good friend of Curtis's from his days in Paris, who led the
legislative effort. In 1937 the Texas Legislature created the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, and Curtis received license number 14.
By the early 1950s, however, Curtis was architect-in-charge at the Texas Highway Department, designing and building resident engineer offices and maintenance complexes throughout the agency's 25 districts. As the leader of the design team, he brought a modern aesthetic to the agency, as reflected in the International-influenced district offices that still grace many Texas counties. Curtis retired from the agency in 1962 and died in Austin at the age of 72 on
July 1, 1963.
From the National Register narrative for the Liberty County courthouse
Chambers County courthouse
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Liberty County courthouse
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Rusk County courthouse
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