Henry L. Taylor was a modest man who left an impressive legacy on the skyline of St. Petersburg, but very little is known about the architect of the Vinoy Hotel, Jungle Hotel, Jungle Prada and other magnificent buildings.
A BLURRY IMAGE
One would think that someone who designed so many splendid buildings here in St. Pete would have taken some pictures of himself standing next to his magnificent creations, but not Henry L. Taylor. The only profile picture to be found is attached to his obituary and it's out of focus. 
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| Henry L. Taylor |
Little has been written about the architect of the Vinoy Hotel, Jungle Hotel, Jungle Prada, Walter Fuller's Jungle residence, the Power and Light building, the Times building, Southside Junior High School, the addition to the Yacht Club, St. Joseph's Church, St. Mary's Church, the Florida Theater, Comfort Station No. 1, the colored school at Thirty-Second street and many other buildings and homes.
It would be more accurate to say, as documented below, that Taylor and Wakeling were the architects of the Jungle Hotel and Jungle Prado. Taylor was the architect of the Walter Fuller residence. The Jungle Hotel is now Admiral Farragut Academy, the Jungle Prada building is JP Tavern and apartments, the Walter P. Fuller residence is no longer standing, however some portion of it may have been incorporated in a new home built on the site.
EARLY CAREER AND THE MOVE TO ST. PETE
He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, on December 10, 1884, and was of English and Irish descent. He completed high school and attended Harvard University (I think that suggests he did not graduate), then began working for an architectural firm ‒ Ritchie and Jonesburg ‒ in the Boston area. He was married in Boston on June 22, 1911, to Miss Gladys Spinney.
Frank L. Jonesburg was having some health issues. He moved to St. Petersburg in 1919 hoping the subtropical climate would improve his condition. He set up a field office in St. Pete. Upon his retirement in 1921, the firm was renamed Ritchie, Parsons and Taylor. Henry L. Taylor took over management of the St. Pete office in March, 1921.
That was not really the best time to move to St. Petersburg ‒ a destructive hurricane struck in October, 1921. But soon a crazy building boom began that wouldn't stop until 1926.
MYSTERY EXPLAINED
In 1925, Taylor began separating himself from the firm, striking out on his own. He built his own office building at the Vinoy Hotel site. In 1926, the St. Petersburg Times announced that Ritchie and Wakeling was opening a St. Pete office.
This explains a mystery concerning the Jungle Hotel and Walter Fuller residence. A newspaper article reported that Ritchie and Wakeling was involved in the planning and design of these buildings ‒ there was no mention of Taylor. Later, Henry L. Taylor was credited as the architect. I suppose both statements could be true, if Taylor designed the hotel and residence while working for the Ritchie firm. I would imagine that the other partners were not too happy about Taylor's departure. He used the company's good name to attract new clients ‒ then he stole those clients and started his own company.
The above photo appeared in the St. Petersburg Times, October 24, 1926.
Henry L. Taylor, This is Your Life
EARLY CAREER AND THE MOVE TO ST. PETE
He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, on December 10, 1884, and was of English and Irish descent. He completed high school and attended Harvard University (I think that suggests he did not graduate), then began working for an architectural firm ‒ Ritchie and Jonesburg ‒ in the Boston area. He was married in Boston on June 22, 1911, to Miss Gladys Spinney.
Frank L. Jonesburg was having some health issues. He moved to St. Petersburg in 1919 hoping the subtropical climate would improve his condition. He set up a field office in St. Pete. Upon his retirement in 1921, the firm was renamed Ritchie, Parsons and Taylor. Henry L. Taylor took over management of the St. Pete office in March, 1921.
That was not really the best time to move to St. Petersburg ‒ a destructive hurricane struck in October, 1921. But soon a crazy building boom began that wouldn't stop until 1926.
MYSTERY EXPLAINED
In 1925, Taylor began separating himself from the firm, striking out on his own. He built his own office building at the Vinoy Hotel site. In 1926, the St. Petersburg Times announced that Ritchie and Wakeling was opening a St. Pete office.
This explains a mystery concerning the Jungle Hotel and Walter Fuller residence. A newspaper article reported that Ritchie and Wakeling was involved in the planning and design of these buildings ‒ there was no mention of Taylor. Later, Henry L. Taylor was credited as the architect. I suppose both statements could be true, if Taylor designed the hotel and residence while working for the Ritchie firm. I would imagine that the other partners were not too happy about Taylor's departure. He used the company's good name to attract new clients ‒ then he stole those clients and started his own company.
Wakeling, by the way, came down from Boston with the Ritchie firm in 1921 and managed the Clearwater office. He was architect for many notable buildings in Clearwater. Along with Henry L. Taylor, Wakeling was one of the architects involved in the Jungle Prado, Jungle Hotel, and Fuller residence projects.
MEDITERRANEAN REVIVAL
MEDITERRANEAN REVIVAL
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| The Vinoy |
Most of Taylor's buildings were designed in the Mediterranean Revival style. The Jungle Prada building has many Moorish characteristics, the Jungle Hotel and Walter Fuller residence have mostly Spanish elements. Of the Vinoy, Raymond Arsenault writes: "The architectural embodiment of the Florida boom, the Vinoy Park had everything: Moorish arches and tile-lined cupolas, elegant Georgian-style ballrooms with leaded glass windows and carved beam ceilings, scores of crystal chandeliers and ornamental urns, and 367 lavishly appointed rooms." (Raymond Arsenault, St. Petersburg and the Florida Dream, 1888-1950).
GOLF AND THE JUNGLE COUNTRY CLUB
Taylor's friends knew him as Harry. This quote is from Walter P. Fuller's memoirs.
"As soon as I could arrange my affairs, I had Harry Taylor and Roy Wakeling ... make plans for a hotel to eventually consist of 300 rooms."
‒ Walter P. Fuller, This Was Florida's Boom. St. Petersburg Times, Dec 20, 1953.
An even blurrier photo of Taylor swinging a golf club on the Jungle course:
Quotes from that same article:
"Harry Taylor, prominent St. Petersburg architect, is an ardent golfer, but so far has failed to place his name on any silver trophies."
LATER YEARS
"Golf has been the outstanding diversion for St. Petersburg men during the past summer with more players than ever before taking part in the game. The score of devotees shown above are but a handful of the hundreds that journey around the course of the Jungle Country Club every week."
"Harry Taylor, prominent St. Petersburg architect, is an ardent golfer, but so far has failed to place his name on any silver trophies."
LATER YEARS
According to W.L. Straub's 1929 History of Pinellas County Florida, "Mr. Taylor is a member of the American Institute of Architects, is a director of the Florida Association of Architects, a member of the Country Club, the University Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Catholic church, and is an Elk."
After the building boom ended, Taylor was involved with several projects for the Public Works Administration. In 1940, he moved from St. Petersburg to work for the Bureau of Public Buildings in Washington, D.C.
He died in Arlington, Virginia at age 74, survived by his wife Gladys. Funeral services were held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in St. Petersburg ‒ a building that he designed. He was buried at Royal Palm Cemetery in St. Pete.
He died in Arlington, Virginia at age 74, survived by his wife Gladys. Funeral services were held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in St. Petersburg ‒ a building that he designed. He was buried at Royal Palm Cemetery in St. Pete.
HENRY L. TAYLOR, ARCHITECT
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St. Joseph's Church, St. Mary's Church, Comfort Station No. 1 at the St. Pete Pier.
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| Henry L. Taylor was the architect of the Fuller residence. The Miami Herald Jun 14, 1925 |
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| Wakeling and Taylor were the architects of Jungle Prado St. Petersburg Times, Dec 7, 1924 |
COMFORT STATION NO. 1
For more information about Comfort Station No. 1, visit the Haunted Librarian blog: https://thehauntedlibrarian.com/tag/henry-l-taylor/Publisher's note: A Henry L. Taylor biography is, to my knowledge, not to be found anywhere in books or published articles nor on the internet except here on this humble blog. In books and published articles, his name is listed as the architect of many remarkable St. Petersburg buildings. There are pictures of the buildings he designed, but there is no further biographical information about who he was or where he came from.
