Additional Information About Pelham Heights Architect, Engineer, and Map Maker John Fletcher

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John Fletcher Fairchild lived in Pelham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Trained as an architect and engineer, he worked as a civil engineer with offices in Mount Vernon.  He served as Town Engineer for the Town of Pelham for a portion of his career.  He also served as engineer of the Pelham Heights Company and was principally responsible for the layout and civil engineering aspects of that lovely neighborhood.  In addition, he prepared and published two local Atlases that are considered today rare examples of the art of such local atlases at the time.  He published the Atlas of the City of Mount Vernon and the Town of Pelham in 1899. He also updated and revised the Atlas in a second edition published in 1908.

John F. Fairchild designed and built the lovely home that still stands at 334 Pelhamdale Avenue.  An image of the home, including its famous carriage stone with a large "F" carved into it, appears immediately below.

The John F. Fairchild Home Located at 334 Pelhamdale

Avenue with its Carriage Stone in the Foreground.  Source:

Google Maps, 2016.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

I have written about John F. Fairchild, who was a brother of Pelham Heights founder and United States Congressman Benjamin L. Fairchild, on numerous occasions.  See, e.g.:

Thu., Dec. 6, 2007:  Biography of John F. Fairchild, Engineer of the Pelham Heights Company During the 1890s.

Thu., Feb. 26, 2009:  Photograph of John F. Fairchild Published in 1905.

Thu., Jun. 11, 2015:  Two Pelham Brothers Lost Their Only Sons in Eerily-Similar Early Aviation Incidents.

Mon., Dec. 19, 2016:  Biography of Famed Pelham Heights Resident John Fletcher Fairchild.

John Fletcher Fairchild of Pelham Heights in 1905.

Today's Historic Pelham Blog article transcribes the text of a brief article with biographical information about John F. Fairchild published in a local newspaper in 1892.  Though Fairchild was a young man about 25 years of age at the time, he already had a notable local reputation as a civil engineer.  The article is followed by a citation and link to its source.

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"JUNIOR OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. 
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John Fletcher Fairchild of Mt. Vernon, N. Y. -- An Expert in the Profession. 

In 1867 Mr. Fairchild's birth took place in Washington, D. C. He received his education in the public schools of that city and at Columbia University. With Mr. Henry H. Law he studied architecture, and civil engineering with Mr. Herman K. Viele. Two years ago he came to Mt. Vernon principally to take charge of the improvements at Pelham Heights. His residence is at that place but he has his office at Mt. Vernon, in the Mt. Vernon Bank building. Since coming to the place he has built up a large outside business and keeps a force of assistants constantly at work in his offices. He is engineer of the drainage commission at Elmsford and of several parks at Kennico and also of the Mt. Vernon Suburban Land Company. Mr. Fairchild has an intelligent apprehension of all matters pertaining, not only to his profession but also to kindred topics and as he possess an extremely gentlemanly manner of doing business he is rapidly rising in social circles as well as in a professional way. Mr. Fairchild is a member of the Methodist church and is the editor of the Epworth League paper published at that place. 

He is a Junior of the American Society of Civil Engineers and keeps well posted on topics pertaining to the advancement of the profession." 

Source: JUNIOR OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS -- John Fletcher Fairchild of Mt. Vernon, N. Y. -- An Expert in the Profession, Elmira Daily Gazette and Free Press [Elmira, NY], May 10, 1892, p. 6, col. 4 (Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link). 

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