Charles W. Bates

Charles Winning Bates
Office of Charles W. Bates, 1909.
BornDecember 27, 1878
Died1929
Wheeling, West Virginia
NationalityAmerican
OccupationArchitect
BuildingsEdemar, Capitol Theatre, National Bank of West Virginia

Charles W. Bates (1878–1929) was an American architect who practiced primarily in Wheeling, West Virginia, and was one of the region's most successful architects. He mostly specialized in commercial and school buildings in the north Ohio River valley.

Born December 27, 1878, in Wheeling, Bates first attended the local public schools, then completed his education at the Linsly Military Institute.[1] He studied architecture and engineering at the Armour Institute of Technology, in Chicago. In Chicago, he worked for D. H. Burnham & Company and Horatio R. Wilson. He then went to Pittsburgh, where he worked for several more architects before taking a job in the architectural department of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Bates then went abroad, returning in 1907. Upon his return, he established the firm of Rudolph & Bates with A. W. Rudolph in Altoona, central Pennsylvania.[2] This firm was dissolved a year later and Bates returned to Wheeling, where he remained for the rest of his life and career.[1]

Bates was one of the region's leading architects, with his chief local competitor being the older Frederick F. Faris. He designed many of the area's largest buildings, including four 10-story structures and the public library in Wheeling, and the high schools in a number of towns. Overviews of his work were published in 1909 and 1912.[3]

  1. ^ a b Quinn, Kate. "The Men Who Built Wheeling" Archived 2019-10-31 at the Wayback Machine. 2009.
  2. ^ "The Work of Charles W. Bates". Ohio Architect, Engineer, and Builder Sept. 1909: 19.
  3. ^ "Mr. Charles W. Bates". Ohio Architect, Engineer, and Builder Nov. 1912: 19.