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Architecture
| Courthouses
The Fabulous
Ruffini Brothers
Frederick Ernst
Ruffini
and Brother Oscar
by Johnny Stucco
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| When
looking at Texas
Architecture, the name Ruffini is found incribed on more than
a few cornerstones around the state. Together these two designed many
of Texas' notable 19th Century buildings. If you see a mansard roof
on a surviving courthouse or jail, the chances are good that it was
touched by a Ruffini. The boys were born to Ernst Frederick Ruffini
and Adelaide Riehme, a couple who had immigrated from Europe in 1848.
After a brief stay in Chicago, they then moved to Cleveland where
F.E. was born in 1851 and Oscar in 1858. As soon as the boys had acquired
a basic education, they were apprenticed to local Ohian architects.
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Frederick Ernst
Ruffini
1851 - 1885
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After leaving
Ohio, F. E. worked in Indianapolis, New York, Boston, and Chicago
before finally arriving in Austin
in 1877. He entered into a two-year partnership with Jasper N. Preston.
A fruit of this partnership was the Bastrop
County Courthouse - a building that's still standing, albeit without
its clock tower. After his split with Preston, Frederick started designing
his own courthouses, jails, and commercial buildings. (An incomplete
list of buildings follows.)
Some of these buildings include: the former
Blanco County Courthouse (recently restored) in Blanco,
the restored Collin
County "Prison" in downtown McKinney
and the former Millett
Opera House in Austin.
His best known works in Austin included the Hancock Building and the
Old Main Building at the University of Texas - both now gone. The
Hancock Building, where Ruffini once had his office, burned in 1883,
was was restored, changed into an opera house and finally demolished.
Ruffini's wife died in October of 1885 when the UT building was still
under construction. Frederick died the following month - leaving behind
three children. |
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The F. E. Ruffini
House in Austin
Photo courtesy Texas State Library & Archives |
Rockdale City
Hall Front (South) Elevation
Architect - F. E. Ruffini
Courtesy Texas State Library & Archives |
| Notable Buildings
- Standing |
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Oscar, after
his apprenticeship, worked in Ohio from 1875 and also came
to Austin in 1877 to work
for Frederick as a draftsman. From 1878 to 1880 he went abroad; returning
to Austin in 1883. He then
spent a few months working for Elijah E. Myers, the architect who
would soon design the Texas
State Capitol. After that short stint, Oscar returned to work
in his brother's office. He helped supervise completion of the UT
administration building after his brother's death.
In 1884 Oscar's doctor suggested that he move to San
Angelo for his health. The advice was sound, for he led an unusually
long and productive life in Tom
Green County. His first project was supervising construction of
the Tom Green County courthouse. The city benefited greatly from having
such a talented resident and many of his commercial and public buildings,
residences, and churches are still standing. Oscar never married (which
may also have been a factor in his longevity) and walked everywhere
he went. He was still working well into his 90s and died in 1957 as
one of San
Angelo's most beloved citizens. |
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| Notable Buildings
- Standing |
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