Purcell & Elmslie (P&E), as it was most widely known, was a progressive American architectural practice. P&E was the second most commissioned firm of the Prairie School, after Frank Lloyd Wright.
The firms consisted of three partnerships: Purcell and Feick (1907–10); Purcell, Feick, and Elmslie (1910–12), and Purcell and Elmslie (1913–21). The architects were commissioned for work in twenty-two states, participated in the competition for the National Parliament Buildings in Canberra, Australia, and prepared plans for a large institutional church, or Y.M.C.A., in Hunan, China.
The two principals of the firm, William Gray Purcell (1880–1965) and George Grant Elmslie (1869–1952) both eventually received Fellowships in the College of the American Institute of Architects. George Feick, Jr. who was son of George Feick, an Ohio contractor, was the original partner with Purcell. Purcell and Feick had been students together at Cornell University. They rejoined to tour in Europe together during 1906-1907 and then came to Minneapolis to open their partnership. The firm had offices in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. A number of works by each of the partnerships are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Steven House (1909), Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Dr. Ward Beebe House (1912), Saint Paul, Minnesota
Josephine Crane Bradley summer residence (Bradley Bungalow) (1912) Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Edison Shop (1912) Chicago, Illinois
Merchants National Bank (1912), Winona, Minnesota
Edna S. Purcell House (1913), Minneapolis, Minnesota
Woodbury County Courthouse (1918), Sioux City, Iowa William L. Steele, Architect, Purcell & Elmslie, Associated Architects (George Grant Elmslie, designing architect)
Works include (with attribution):
Feick Building, built 1909, at 158-160 E. Market St. Sandusky, OH (Purcell & Feick), NRHP-listed
Steven House, built 1909, at 606 Second Ave. Eau Claire, WI (Purcell & Feick), NRHP-listed
Stewart Memorial Presbyterian Church, built 1910, at 116 E. 32nd St. Minneapolis, MN (Purcell & Feick), NRHP-listed
A. B. C. Dodd House, built 1910, at 310 3rd Ave. Charles City, IA (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Two or three works in the NRHP-listed Bismarck Cathedral Area Historic District, roughly bounded by Hannifan and N 1st Sts., Aves. C and A West Bismarck, ND (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed, specifically the Prairie School residences at 120 Avenue A West, at 610 Raymond Street, and at 402 Avenue B West. The Patrick E. Byrne House (120 Avenue A West) was built in 1912; the Timothy R. Atkinson House (402 Avenue B West) was built c.1910.
Merchants National Bank, built in 1912, at 102 E. 3rd St. Winona, MN (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Dr. Oscar Owre House, built 1912, at 2625 Newton Ave., S., Minneapolis, MN (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Merton S. Goodnow House, built 1913, at 446 S. Main St. Hutchinson, MN (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Charles and Grace Parker House, built 1913, at 4829 Colfax Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Dr. John H. Adair House, built 1913, at 322 E. Vine St. Owatonna, MN (Purcell,Feick & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
One or more works in College Hills Historic District, roughly bounded by Colombia Rd., Amherst Dr., Bowdoin Rd., Corporate Limit, University Bay, and Harvard Dr. Shorewood Hills, WI (Purcell and Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Community House, First Congregational Church, 310 Broadway Eau Claire, WI (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Exchange State Bank, NW corner of Main and 1st Sts. Grand Meadow, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
First National Bank (Rhinelander, Wisconsin), 8 W. Davenport St. Rhinelander, WI (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
First National Bank of Adams, 322 Main St. Adams, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
First State Bank of LeRoy, Main St. and Broadway LeRoy, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Dr. J. W. S. Gallagher House, 451 W. Broadway St. Winona, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Jump River Town Hall, S of WI 73 Jump River, WI (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Kasson Municipal Building, 12 W. Main Kasson, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Mrs. Richard Polson House, N of Spooner Spooner, WI (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
William Gray Purcell House, 2328 Lake Pl. Minneapolis, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Windego Park Auditorium/Open Air Theater, between S. Ferry St. and Rum River Anoka, MN (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
Woodbury County Courthouse, 7th and Douglas Sts. Sioux City, IA (Purcell & Elmslie), NRHP-listed
