Herman L. Rowe

Herman L. Rowe (born Rau; 1839 – 9 January 1913) was a German-American architect active in Lexington, Kentucky. He immigrated to the United States as a child from Germany. A couple of his works are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

After completing his degree in Stuttgart, he made his way to Chicago, anglicizing his name to “Rowe” and meeting his wife, Nellie.

Rowe was invited to supervise the building of “Old Main” at what is now the University of Kentucky and quickly made Lexington his home. Rowe partnered with fellow architect Arthur Giannini before opening his own practice. Rowe proved prolific, building residences, offices, schools, & more in a variety of the styles popular in the day including Eastlake, Richardsonian, Queen Anne, & High Victorian.

Works include:
 * Addition (1881) to Luigart & Harting Complex, Lexington, Kentucky, one of Rowe's earliest works in Lexington
 * Lexington Opera House (1886) designed by Oscar Cobb, for which Rowe was supervising architect during construction
 * Fayette Safety Vault and Trust Company Building (1890), Lexington, Kentucky, NRHP-listed
 * Lexington Public Library (1905), a Carnegie library in Gratz Park, Lexington, Kentucky (now the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning)
 * Lexington Dry Goods Company Building (1907), 249-251 E. Main St., Lexington, Kentucky, NRHP-listed

Rowe’s two most famed buildings demonstrate the breadth of his talent, the unique, Eclectic Lexington Opera House and the restrained, Grecian Carnegie Library. Rowe developed a large portion of West Second, including three houses for the Scully family at 474, 478, and 480, alongside 432 and 106 for others.

Other notable buildings by Rowe include the Northern Bank building on Short Street, the “Argyle Hall” dorm for Campbell-Hagerman College (a women’s school) at 431 West Second Street, and the Loughridge Building at 129-131 Cheapside.

When Herman Rowe died unexpectedly of heart disease in 1913, his significant estate presented an unusual case. The Rowes were childless and Rowe’s German siblings challenged Mrs. Rowe for what they believed was their rightful portion of the estate. Mrs. Rowe made the novel claim that the start of World War I made his German relatives “enemy aliens” that could not inherit.

Herman & Nellie Rowe now rest at the Lexington Cemetery beneath simple carved stones, giving no suggestion of the grand buildings he left behind.