Today in Wheeling History: August 1 — Frederick F. Faris, “dean of Wheeling architects” and designer of the city’s tallest and longest buildings, is born in St. Clairsville, Ohio (1870).
Frederick Fisher Faris (1870–1927) was one of Wheeling’s most prolific and influential architects, shaping the city’s skyline and civic identity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in St. Clairsville, Ohio, Faris moved to Wheeling at age two and was educated in its public schools. Though he had no formal architectural training, he studied art in Chicago and New York and apprenticed under local architect Edgar W. Wells. Faris began his career with the firm Leiner & Faris in 1892, later partnering with Edward B. Franzheim and Millard Giesey before establishing his own practice in 1911.
Faris designed over 200 buildings, including the Schmulbach Building (1907), then the tallest in West Virginia, and the Market Auditorium, the longest. His work spanned schools (Madison School, Triadelphia High), churches (Vance Memorial Presbyterian), civic buildings (Scottish Rite Cathedral, YMCA), and residences (Formosa Apartments, Otto Schenk House). He also contributed to the West Virginia Pavilion at the 1904 World’s Fair. Faris served in the West Virginia House of Delegates (1913) and was active in Masonic and civic organizations. He died of strep throat on June 20, 1927, and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling. His legacy lives on in the enduring beauty and utility of Wheeling’s built environment.
To learn more: Wheeling Hall of Fame profile – Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/2s47ea29); Frederick F. Faris biography – Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2ep2xuj7), Faris & Giesey architectural legacy – Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/ys5hukep), Faris, Faris & Stephens architectural records – WVU Archives (https://tinyurl.com/mt8jt8xs)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps, Friends of Wheeling, St. Louis Public Library Digital Collections
Frederick Fisher Faris (1870–1927) was one of Wheeling’s most prolific and influential architects, shaping the city’s skyline and civic identity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in St. Clairsville, Ohio, Faris moved to Wheeling at age two and was educated in its public schools. Though he had no formal architectural training, he studied art in Chicago and New York and apprenticed under local architect Edgar W. Wells. Faris began his career with the firm Leiner & Faris in 1892, later partnering with Edward B. Franzheim and Millard Giesey before establishing his own practice in 1911.
Faris designed over 200 buildings, including the Schmulbach Building (1907), then the tallest in West Virginia, and the Market Auditorium, the longest. His work spanned schools (Madison School, Triadelphia High), churches (Vance Memorial Presbyterian), civic buildings (Scottish Rite Cathedral, YMCA), and residences (Formosa Apartments, Otto Schenk House). He also contributed to the West Virginia Pavilion at the 1904 World’s Fair. Faris served in the West Virginia House of Delegates (1913) and was active in Masonic and civic organizations. He died of strep throat on June 20, 1927, and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling. His legacy lives on in the enduring beauty and utility of Wheeling’s built environment.
To learn more: Wheeling Hall of Fame profile – Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/2s47ea29); Frederick F. Faris biography – Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2ep2xuj7), Faris & Giesey architectural legacy – Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/ys5hukep), Faris, Faris & Stephens architectural records – WVU Archives (https://tinyurl.com/mt8jt8xs)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps, Friends of Wheeling, St. Louis Public Library Digital Collections
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