Francis Joseph McCarthy (1910-1965)

Name

McCarthy, Francis Joseph

Variant Names

McCarthy, F. Joseph
McCarthy, Joe

Personal Information

Birth/Death:    b. 12 October 1910 – d. 20 August 1965
Occupation:    American architect
Location:    San Francisco, CA

AIA Affiliation

Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 1945-decease
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) 1957

Biographical Sources

American Architects Directories:
Biographical listing in 1956 American Architects Directory alphabetized as if it were Mac
Biographical listing in 1962 American Architects Directory alphabetized as if it were Mac

Biographical information:
Contributed by the Environmental Design Archives, University of California, Berkeley:
Francis Joseph McCarthy was born in 1910 in Sydney, Australia. He received his education in California, Nevada, and Arizona, and attended Stanford University from 1928-1929. He later studied briefly at the California School of Fine Arts, but the bulk of his professional training came from working in a number of architectural offices, including the firm of William Wilson Wurster. He earned his certificate as a registered architect in 1941.
McCarthy opened his own practice in San Francisco in 1938. His work encompassed numerous residential, municipal, and commercial commissions throughout California, including a hospital and health center for the County of Inyo, alterations to the Palace Hotel (San Francisco), and the Electronic Engineering Associates Building (San Carlos). In addition, McCarthy specialized in library buildings, designing the Stanford University Library, Santa Rosa Public Library, and Inyo County Public Library, among others.
Also active in professional associations, McCarthy was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1957. He served as Art Commissioner of the City of San Francisco from 1949-1951 and lectured in architecture at Stanford University in the late 1950s. McCarthy was also a founding member of Telesis, an organization formed in 1939 by design professionals of varying disciplines who were interested in invigorating city and regional planning in the Bay Area.

Related Records

Archival Holdings

The American Institute of Architects Archives
      Membership file contains membership application, Fellowship nomination, photograph, Baldwin Memorial biographical form. Letters in support of Fellowship have been scanned as a separate file.

Environmental Design Archives, University of California, Berkeley

Collection Number: 1985-1. Extent: 5 vertical file drawers, 1 flat box, 3 tubes. The Francis Joseph McCarthy collection consists mainly of architectural drawings and specifications for numerous projects. The records are organized into two series: Office Records and Project Records. Office records are minimal, but include drawings created for Telesis and contracts for a variety of projects. The projects range in extent from residential projects for private clients and planned communities, to religious institutions, businesses, and particularly library buildings. Some projects of distinction within the Bay Area include Stanford University's Library, St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Berkeley), and the public libraries for Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, San Leandro, and Stockton. The collection also consists of drawings and designs for interior spaces for the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Link to online finding aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf838nb3h4

Publications