Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain

Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain, later Frost & Chamberlain and Frost, Chamberlain & Edwards, was an early 20th century architectural firm out of Worcester, Massachusetts.

History
Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain was established in 1899 as the partnership of architects Howard Frost, Lucius W. Briggs and C. Leslie Chamberlain. It soon rose to be the city's most prominent firm of architects. In 1912 the initial partnership was dissolved when Briggs left to form his own firm, the L. W. Briggs Company. Frost and Chamberlain continued as the firm of Frost & Chamberlain. After eleven years, Lester B. Edwards was admitted to the partnership in 1923. He had been with the firm since about 1920. When exactly the firm was dissolved is unknown, but it was active as late as 1939.

On his own, Briggs eventually became the city's most prominent architect, taking with him much of the prestige of Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain. Frost & Chamberlain and Frost, Chamberlain & Edwards continued to do significant work in Worcester, but rarely on the same level.

The noted American architect Wallace K. Harrison, a native of Worcester, was employed by Frost & Chamberlain between 1913 and 1916.

Howard Frost
Howard Frost was born in 1859. His early education is unknown, but he entered Harvard University in 1878. In 1879, at the close of his freshman year, he dropped out, taking a job with Fuller & Delano in Worcester. He made partner in 1895, the firm being renamed Fuller, Delano & Frost. This partnership continued until 1899, when he formed Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain with Lucius W. Briggs and C. Leslie Chamberlain.

Frost remained associated with this firm and its successors until his death, which occurred on January 9, 1946, in Worcester.

Lucius W. Briggs
Lucius Wallace Briggs was born August 26, 1866, in Worcester. After attending the public schools and completing a special course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he worked for architects Barker & Nourse and Fuller & Delano and contractors Norcross Brothers. In 1896 he opened his own office, associating with Frost and Chamberlain in 1899. After the partnership was dissolved in 1912, Briggs organized his own firm, the L. W. Briggs Company.

Briggs died in Worcester, September 10, 1940.

C. Leslie Chamberlain
Nothing is known of the background of C. Leslie Chamberlain.

Lester B. Edwards
Little is known about Lester B. Edwards. Before joining Frost & Chamberlain, he was employed as a draftsman by the L. W. Briggs Company and then as the chief draftsman of the Central Building Company, a contracting firm. He had joined Frost & Chamberlain by 1920, making partner in 1923.

Frost, Briggs & Chamberlain, 1899-1912

 * 1899 - South High School, 14 Richards St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1900 - Grafton High School, 17 Worcester St, Grafton, Massachusetts
 * Demolished
 * 1901 - Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St, Westminster, Massachusetts
 * 1902 - Clubhouse, Tatnuck Country Club, 1222 Pleasant St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1902 - University Library, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * Presently the Jefferson Academic Center
 * 1904 - Dexter Memorial Town Hall (Former), 40 Main St, Charlton, Massachusetts
 * 1904 - Leominster High School (Old), 261 West St, Leominster, Massachusetts
 * 1905 - Chandler Bullock House, 41 Sever St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1905 - Carnegie Hall, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York
 * 1907 - Slater Building, 390 Main St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1908 - Walter E. Hassam House, 2 Beeching St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1909 - Gardner Savings Bank Building, 29 Parker St, Gardner, Massachusetts
 * 1909 - Worcester Technical High School (Old), 34 Grove St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1910 - Fritz H. Small House, 38 Berwick St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1912 - Beaman Memorial Public Library, 8 Newton St, West Boylston, Massachusetts

Frost & Chamberlain, 1912-1923

 * 1913 - Leominister Municipal Building, 25 West St, Leominster, Massachusetts
 * 1914 - Worcester Boys' Club (Old), 2 Ionic Ave, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1918 - David Hale Fanning Trade School for Girls (Former), 24 Chatham St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1922 - Massachusetts Protective Association Building, 18 Chestnut St, Worcester, Massachusetts

Frost, Chamberlain & Edwards, from 1923

 * 1925 - Worcester Chamber of Commerce Building, 32 Franklin St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1926 - Duncan & Goodell Realty Building, 34 Mechanic St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1928 - M. E. Tuller Showroom, 6 Park Ave, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1928 - Worcester Boys' Club (Former), 2 Grove St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1929 - William H. Dolan House, 53 Highland Ave, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
 * 1930 - Administration Building, Worcester State Teachers College, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1931 - Worcester County Hospital, Hospital Dr, Boylston, Massachusetts
 * Demolished in 2006
 * 1932 - Heard Street School, 200 Heard St, Worcester, Massachusetts
 * 1933 - Butterick School, 1 Park St, Sterling, Massachusetts