Ralph Adams Cram (December 16, 1863 – September 22, 1942) was a prominent American architect best known for his influential role in reviving and advancing the Gothic Revival style in the United States. Born in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, he trained in Boston and co-founded the architectural firm Cram and Wentworth in 1889, which later became Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson with the addition of Bertram Goodhue and Frank Ferguson. Cram gained national attention for his design of ecclesiastical buildings, including St. Thomas Church in New York City and the Cadet Chapel at West Point. In 1911, he was appointed supervising architect of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, a role that solidified his reputation as one of the leading Gothic Revival architects of his time.
In addition to churches, Cram had a major impact on the design of American academic institutions. He served as consulting architect to Princeton University and the United States Military Academy, and his Collegiate Gothic style came to define the architectural character of campuses like Princeton, West Point, and Rice University. Cram was also an author and intellectual, writing extensively on architecture, religion, and culture, and advocating for a return to medieval values in art and society. He taught architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received numerous honors during his lifetime. Cram’s work reflects a deep commitment to spirituality, tradition, and craftsmanship, and his legacy remains visible in many of the most iconic religious and academic buildings in the United States.
Select Projects:
All Saints’ Church Massachusetts
Standish Mansion, Michigan
Christ Church, Hyde Park Massachusetts
Richmond Court, Massachusetts
Emmanuel Church, Newport Rhode Island
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Dayton Ohio
Calvary Episcopal Church, Pittsburg Pennsylvania
First Unitarian Society, Newton Massachusetts
St. Philip’s Church, Durham North Carolina
Park Avenue Christian Church, NYC
St James Episcopal Church, NYC
Cathedral St John The Divine, NYC
First Presbyterian Church, Lincoln Nebraska
Public Library Fall River, Massachusetts
Sweet Briar College, Virginia
University of Richmond, Virginia
Princeton University, New Jersey
More Reading:
Ralph Adams Cram High Priest Of Gothic Revival Architecture
Learning From Ralph Adams Cram