In the early 1890s Tyler Alan Purdy and Lightner Henderson started their engineering office in Chicago, IL, by the name of Purdy and Henderson, Engineers. In 1896 they transferred their headquarters to New York City. They eventually had branch offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; and Havana, Cuba at 32 Calle Empedrado. Purdy and Henderson were a patron of the Seattle Architectural Club in 1910. Lightner Henderson died prematurely in 1916, but the firm continued to operate under the name of Purdy and Henderson well after his death. Purdy and Henderson, Engineers, collaborated with architect H. Craig Severance on the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, which, for one month, was the tallest building in the world. The firm most likely closed at about the time of Corydon Purdy's death in 1944. They worked on the Agen, John B., Warehouse, Downtown, Seattle, WA. in 1910 and the Royal Insurance Company, Limited, Headquarters Building #2, Financial District, San Francisco, CA, among others. Purdy and Henderson designed several buildings in New York City including New York Times Building at Times Square, Macy's Building on thirty four street, and the Flatiron Building at twenty third street and fifth avenue, among others.
Corydon Tyler Purdy
Professional History
Purdy had been a draftsman and surveyor’s assistant in Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul and in Chicago, IL, in the early 1880s. Purdy specialized in bridge design and applied these skills to skyscrapers. He worked as a structural engineer on the thirteen story steel frame of the Tacoma Building, Chicago, IL,. Purdy and Henderson opened a New York City office in 1894 and moved its operations there by 1896. The New York City office designed the structure for the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, NY.. In 1899, Purdy supervised the start-up of a New York office for his friend, George A. Fuller. By 1900, Purdy and Henderson had obtained consulting work in Havana, Cuba and produced important buildings there including El Capitolio and the Hotel Nacional. By 1910, the office had in addition to its New York office, four branches including Havana, Cuba, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, and Seattle, WA. During the Depression, Purdy and Henderson were involved in a race to build the world’s tallest building, an American structure taller than the Eiffel Tower. The Purdy and Henderson closed after Purdy's death. Purdy was a member, American Society of Civil Engineers; Member, Institute of Civil Engineers of Great Britain; Member, Western Society of Engineers; Member, Engineers' Club of New York; Member, University of Wisconsin Alumni Club of New York; Member, Arctic Club, Seattle, WA; He won the Telford Premium Medal, Institute of Civil Engineers, London, 1909.
Writings
Purdy was a writer and spoke at national events for professional groups like the Boston Society of Engineers. He gave keynote speeches and educational lectures at his alma mater, Cornell University, and other schools of engineering study. Said Purdy: Representative of Purdy’s published writings are the following:
Henderson worked in 1890 for an engineering firm in Cleveland, OH. Purdy and Henderson incorporated in 1901. After incorporation, Henderson became the President of the corporation from 1901-1915. Purdy and Henderson worked on several buildings on the Eastern US, and on projects in San Francisco, CA, and Seattle, WA. In about 1900, Purdy and Henderson had offices in New York City, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Havana, Cuba and Seattle, WA. Henderson was a member of Western Society of Engineers, 1891-1916.
Education
Henderson attended the State Normal School in Millersville, PA. He obtained his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, in 1889. An obituary by Corydon Purdy stated of Henderson:
