Claire Allen


Claire Allen was an American architect prominent in southern Michigan in the early twentieth century, and best known for designing several county courthouses. He was considered a "master regional architect".
Allen moved to Jackson as a young man, and practiced architecture there for 52 years. He established the architectural firm of Claire Allen & Sons. Some 100 structures are attributed to him. His firm designed numerous examples of American neoclassical architecture and colonial revival buildings in Michigan and Iowa, but had a range that encompassed Beaux-Arts Classical and Jacobean Revival style as well.

Works

Some buildings designed by Allen include:
WorkImagePlaceYearHistoricMapNotes
Jackson, Michigan1932Now Consumers Energy's headquarters -
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan1911
Clock Tower BuildingChelsea, Michigan1907
Glazier, George P., Memorial BuildingChelsea, Michigan1901-1902Constructed to house the Chelsea Savings Bank
Methodist Episcopal ChurchChelsea, Michigan1899First United Methodist Church -
Welfare BuildingChelsea, Michigan1906
Corunna, Michigan1903Now called the Surbeck Building
Hudson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan1929
Jackson, Michigan1908
Jackson, Michigan1908City of Jackson RegisteredCurrently being renovated for the Jackson School of the Arts -
The Ida Stiles Memorial ChurchJackson, Michigan1895
Rochester, Michigan1889
Hillsdale County, Michigan1898-1899
Gratiot County, Michigan1902
Ionia County, Michigan1885Claire Allen was the contractor on this building
Jackson County, Michigan1927-1928City of Jackson Registered
Shiawassee County, Michigan1903-1906
Van Buren County CourthouseVan Buren County, Michigan1901
Paw Paw, Michigan1920
St. Joseph County, Michigan1905
Jackson, Michigan1904
Ionia County, Michigan1889Also known as Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railway Depot
Kalamazoo, Michigan1907-1908
Lee County Savings BankFort Madison, IowaFort Madison Downtown Commercial Historic District
Clinton County CourthouseClinton, Iowa1892-1897

Maps

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