Who is Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue

Anyone who has seen a headline in the The New York Times or bought anything from L.L. Bean has seen a design from this American architect.

Born in Connecticut on April 28, 1869, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue designed the Cheltenham typeface, used for headlines by newspapers like the NYT at the turn of the twentieth century. Even Leon Leonwood Bean set his own name in this typeface when he founded the 1912 mail order business. Goodhue is remembered most, however, for the variety of architecture built during his short lifetime.

Goodhue's architecture can be found from coast to coast in the United States—from the Gothic Cadet Chapel at West Point Military Academy in New York to the fanciful Spanish Churrigueresque buildings in San Diego, California. Goodhue used a New York City-type art deco skyscraper model to win the design competition for the Nebraska State Capitol, all while exploring Egyptian-inspired motifs for the Los Angeles Public Library.

So today we say "Happy Birthday!" to the amazing Mr. Goodhue. He's helped us "face" the future.

^{Photo: Capitol building in Lincoln, Nebraska, designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue. LC-DIG-highsm-04814}