User:JPRiley/Durrant

Joseph G. Durrant (June 8, 1907 – October 19, 1985) was an American architect. In 1933 Durrant established an independent practice in Boscobel, Wisconsin, and moved it to Dubuque, Iowa in 1948. Durrant retired in 1975 and his practice incorporated as The Durrant Group Inc. in 1977. It grew to become one of the largest in the region before a decline which ended in its dissolution in 2012.

Life and career
Joseph George Durrant was born June 8, 1907, in Chicago to Joseph H. Durrant and Johanna Durrant, née Schmidt. He was educated in the public schools of Maywood, Illinois and at the Armour Institute, now the Illinois Institute of Technology.

He worked for architects in Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin before opening his own office in Boscobel, Wisconsin in 1933.

Durrant closed his office for the duration of World War II. He did not serve in the military but worked for Albert Kahn Associates, superintending the construction of ammunition plants in Delaware and Wisconsin. In 1945 Durrant reestablished his practice in Boscobel in partnership with Raymond G. Bergquist. In 1948 the partners relocated the firm to Dubuque, Iowa, while maintaining a second office in Boscobel, where Durrant continued to live.

In 1959 the partnership was expanded to include George E. Denninger, Jerold W. Dommer, Donovan D. Kramer and Donald P. McGinn. McGinn withdrew in 1961 and was replaced by Gene P. Gordon. Bergquist died April 12, 1963, and the firm initially continued without outward change. A third office in Watertown, Wisconsin was established at the start of 1964, and at the end of the year the firm was renamed Durrant-Deininger-Dommer-Kramer & Gordon to reflect all of its partners.

In 1964 a third office was established in Watertown, Wisconsin under the management of Jerold W. Dommer.

Durrant & Bergquist, 1945–1964

 * 1965 – Cowley Hall, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin