John W. Donohue, AIA (1869–1941) was an American architect who was active in Western Massachusetts during the first half of the 20th century.
Life and career John William Donohue was born May 30, 1868, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Florence J. Donohue and Mary (Walsh) Donohue."J. W. Donohue Dies, Church Architect," Springfield Republican, March 6, 1941. His father was a master mason for the Boston and Albany Railroad, and built the headquarters of the railroad in Springfield.Francis W. Kervick, Architects in America of Catholic Tradition (Rutland: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1962): pages 43-44. Donohue was educated in the Springfield public schools. After graduating from high school in 1887 he entered the civil engineering office of the Boston and Albany before becoming associated with local architect Francis R. Richmond. After seven years with Richmond he opened his own office. Though he was an architect with a general practice, he was appointed architect of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts, and in that role was architect for over twenty Catholic churches in the Springfield diocese, which then also included the territory of the Worcester diocese, in addition to many schools, hospitals and other buildings.
Donohue was associated with architect Burton E. Geckler from 1905 until his retirement in the 1930s. Geckler joined Donohue as a draftsman and later practiced in the same office as an architect. They mostly worked on their projects independently, but collaborated on some projects."B. E. Geckler, Architect for 50 Years, Dies," Springfield Union, May 31, 1961.
Donohue joined the American Institute of Architects in 1908 and remained a member until his death."John William Donohue." aiahistoricaldirectory.atlassian.net. AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, n. d. Accessed August 12, 2021.
Personal life Donohue lived at 32 Plainfield Street in Springfield, which has been demolished. He was a parishioner of the R. C. Church of the Sacred Heart in Springfield.
Donohue died March 4, 1941, at home at the age of 72.
Architectural works Churches St. Casimir, Worcester, Massachusetts (1903–16)"WOR.1257." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Our Lady Immaculate, Athol, Massachusetts (1904–05)"ATH.M." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Our Lady of Czestochowa, Worcester, Massachusetts (1904–06)"WOR.2063." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Vincent de Paul, Lenox Dale, Massachusetts (1904)"LEN.327." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Thomas, West Springfield, Massachusetts (1906)"WSG.307." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Holy Trinity, Westfield, Massachusetts (1909)A Century of Catholicism in Western Massachusetts, ed. Michael S. Shea (Springfield: Mirror Press, 1931) Immaculate Heart of Mary, Winchendon, Massachusetts (1909)"WIN.101." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Easthampton, Massachusetts (1909)"EAH.368." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Springfield, Massachusetts (1910–11)"SPR.190." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. John Cantius, Northampton, Massachusetts (1911–13)"NTH.2069." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. All Souls, Springfield, Massachusetts (1912–13)"SPR.2560." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Immaculate Conception, West Springfield, Massachusetts (1912–13)"WSG.72." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Joseph, Gardner, Massachusetts (1912–13)"GAR.71." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Joseph, Webster, Massachusetts (1913–14)"WEB.196." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Peter, Northbridge, Massachusetts (1913) St. Anne, Chicopee, Massachusetts (1915) Sacred Heart, Northampton, Massachusetts (1916)"NTH.643." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Stephen, Worcester, Massachusetts (1916) St. Bernard, Worcester, Massachusetts (1918) Blessed Sacrament, Springfield, Massachusetts (1920)"SPR.3626." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Luke the Evangelist, Westborough, Massachusetts (1920–21) Blessed Sacrament, Worcester, Massachusetts (1922–26) Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1922) St. Brigid, Amherst, Massachusetts (1923–24)"AMH.238." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Ann, West Springfield, Massachusetts (1924, demolished 2012) St. Mary, Uxbridge, Massachusetts (1924–26) St. Joseph, Charlton, Massachusetts (1924–25, demolished)"CRT.180." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Corpus Christi, Housatonic, Massachusetts (1910–11)"GBR.452." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Holy Cross, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1925–27)"HLY.505." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Our Lady of Hope, Springfield, Massachusetts (1925–38)"SPR.4181." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Our Lady of Vilna, Worcester, Massachusetts (1925–26)"WOR.2134." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Our Lady of the Rosary, Russell, Massachusetts (1926)"RUS.23." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Sacred Heart, Southbridge, Massachusetts (1926) St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus, Agawam, Massachusetts (1927) Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Springfield, Massachusetts (1929–30)"SPR.3399." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Mark, Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1931–32)"PIT.216." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Mary, Longmeadow, Massachusetts (1931)"LON.1122." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Jerome (reconstruction), Holyoke, Massachusetts (1934)"HLY.123." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Mary, Pittsfield, Massachusetts (completed 1942)
Other parish buildings Parochial school, St. Mary of the Assumption, Northampton, Massachusetts (1908–09)"NTH.694." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school and rectory, Holy Name, Springfield, Massachusetts (1909–10)"SPR.BV." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school and chapel, Our Lady of the Rosary, Clinton, Massachusetts (1910–11)"CLI.Z." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. Paul, Worcester, Massachusetts (1911) Parochial school, Our Lady of Hope, Springfield, Massachusetts (1917, demolished)"SPR.4187." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, Our Lady of the Rosary, Springfield, Massachusetts (1919)"SPR.4201." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. John, Clinton, Massachusetts (1919)"CLI.185." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. Peter, Worcester, Massachusetts (1919 and 1924)"WOR.2390." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. Aloysius, Indian Orchard, Springfield, Massachusetts (1922–24)"SPR.3234." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. Casimir, Worcester, Massachusetts (1922–24)"WOR.2161." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. Mary of the Assumption, Milford, Massachusetts (1923) Parochial school and convent, St. Stephen, Worcester, Massachusetts (1923) Parochial school annex, Holy Name, Springfield, Massachusetts (1924–26) Parochial school, Our Lady of Jasna Gora, Clinton, Massachusetts (1925) Parochial school, Our Lady of the Annunciation, Florence, Massachusetts (1925)"NTH.2225." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, Sacred Heart, Springfield, Massachusetts (1925, demolished)"SPR.4380." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, St. Leo, Leominster, Massachusetts (1925)"LEO.113." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial high school, St. Bernard, Fitchburg, Massachusetts (1926–27) Parochial school, St. Joan of Arc, Chicopee, Massachusetts (1926–27) Parochial school, St. Paul, Blackstone, Massachusetts (1927) Rectory, All Souls, Springfield, Massachusetts (1928–29)"SPR.2559." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Parochial school, Holy Trinity, Greenfield, Massachusetts (1929–30, demolished 2015) Rectory, Our Lady of Vilna, Worcester, Massachusetts (1929) Convent, St. Leo, Leominster, Massachusetts (1930)"LEO.112." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021.
Institutions Various buildings, Mercy Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts (1898-99 et seq.)"SPR.CC." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Luke's Home, Springfield, Massachusetts (1915 and 1926)"SPR.AA." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Nurses' Home, Saint Vincent Hospital (former campus), Worcester, Massachusetts (1923)"WOR.2378." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. St. Luke's Hospital (former), Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1923–26, NRHP 1987)"PIT.396." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. O'Leary Hall, College of Our Lady of the Elms, Chicopee, Massachusetts (1924)"CHI.466." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Main Building, La Salle Academy, Providence, Rhode Island (1925)William McKenzie Woodward and Edward F. Sanderson, Providence: A Citywide Survey of Historic Resources, ed. David Chase (Providence: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1986) Berchmans Hall, College of Our Lady of the Elms, Chicopee, Massachusetts (1929–32)"CHI.468." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Sisters of Providence Motherhouse, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1931)
Secular Indian Orchard Branch Library, Indian Orchard, Springfield, Massachusetts (1908–09, NRHP 1999)"SPR.3165." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021. Lenox High School (former), Lenox, Massachusetts (1908–09, NRHP 2004)"LEN.331." mhc-macris.net. Massachusetts Historical Commission, n. d. Accessed September 1, 2021.
Gallery of architectural works
References