Jeremiah O'Rourke

Jeremiah O'Rourke

February 6, 1833

Dublin, Ireland

April 25, 1915

Architect

Jeremiah O'Rourke was an architect who was known for ecclesiastical design, in particular for designing many Roman Catholic churches in New York and New Jersey as well as several Federal Post Offices. Among his most well-known works are Sacred Heart Cathedral (Newark, NJ), St. John's Church (Orange, NJ), and the Church of St. Paul the Apostle ( Manhattan, NY). Born in 1833 in Dublin, Ireland, he graduated from the Government School of Design (Queens College, Cork) in 1850, and after that immigrated to the United States. He started an architectural firm of Jeremiah O'Rourke (1850's - 1880's) in Newark, NJ and became a member of AIA in 1886. In 1893 O'Rourke was appointed to the office of United States Supervising Architect in Washington, D.C. During that time he designed several federal buildings, implementing historical architecture and elements into his designs. In 1894 he left the office and founded Jeremiah O'Rourke & Sons in Newark, New Jersey and New York City, deciding to go to private practice with his sons William, Joseph, and Louis. In that period of time, his masterpiece, Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark, was designed. Once completed, it was referred to as one of the greatest Gothic structures and purest example of classical French Gothic architecture of Western Hemisphere. One of his concluding creations was The Church of St. Paul the Apostle, named as the official New York City Landmark. He was referred to as the Dean of architectural profession in Newark after his death.

Withey, Henry F., and Elsie Rathburn Withey. Biographical Dictionary of American Architects (Deceased). Los Angeles, CA: Hennessey & Ingalls, Inc., 1970, p. 449.
Lee, Antoinette, J. Architects to the Nation: The Rise and Decline of the Supervising Architect's Office.Oxford University Press, 2000