Frederick H. Trimble

Frederick Homer Trimble was born on June 2, 1878, and died August 13, 1934. His parents were Andrew Hill Trimble and Cynthia Ann Wright.[1] Fred was one of their thirteen children: ten boys and three girls.[2][3]

Frederick Homer Trimble graduated from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, and was appointed by the Methodist Church to serve as the first industrial missionary to Fuzhou, China in 1905, putting to use his schooling in architecture and civil engineering.[4] While on furlough, he married Rena Nellie Bowker, who then also went to China as a missionary in 1906. While in China Trimble served as superintendent of construction of Hwa Nan College, the Woman's College of South China.[5][6][7]

Vero Theatre

Trimble began his architectural career in the United States in Fellsmere, Florida.[8] Trimble was noted for his design of school buildings starting with the Fellsmere School (1915). He designed more than 50 schools in Florida. In 1918-1919, Trimble employed Ida Annah Ryan as a designing architect.[9]

Trimble's was one of only ten architectural firms listed in the Orlando phone directory in 1926, the others being: Frank L. Bodine, Fred E. Field, David Hyer, Murry S. King, George E. Krug, Howard M. Reynolds, Ryan and Roberts (Ida Annah Ryan and Isabel Roberts) and Percy P. Turner. This group of architects was quite intentional about creating a style of architecture in Central Florida suited to the region. Here is how they described it in an article from The Florida Circle of May 1924:

"Just as architects of old created styles to harmonize with their environment, so have the architects of Florida been creating, from native motifs, a style that is carefully adapted to the climatic conditions and surroundings of the state. This style has an individuality all its own and should have a fitting name to express its origins . . . The Florida Association of Architects will give a prize of $25.00 for the name selected."[10]

This contest was to conclude in November 1924 and the winning name announced thereafter.

In 1921, Trimble created a master plan for the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, based upon Thomas Jefferson's campus plan for the University of Virginia.[11] Frank Lloyd Wright’s later design for the campus was influenced by Trimble’s concepts, especially the domed central feature which Wright translated into a water dome, finally made operational in 2008.