George F. Loring

George Fullington Loring was born March 26, 1851, in Boston to George and Harriet Abba (Stoodley) Loring.[1] He was educated in the public schools, with supplementary classes in the free drawing school of the Lowell Institute under the direction of George Hollingsworth.[2] From 1868 to 1882 he was employed in the city surveyor's office of Boston. From 1882 to 1884 he was employed in the office of architect George A. Clough.[3] In the latter year Loring established his own architecture practice.[4] In 1889 he formed a partnership with Sanford Phipps, formerly employed in the Boston office of Worcester architect Stephen C. Earle.[3] The firm of Loring & Phipps became notable, in particular, for their designs for large school buildings throughout the northeast United States.[4]

This partnership continued until Loring's death in 1918. Phipps continued to practice until his own death in 1921.

Loring was a descendant of Thomas Loring of Hingham.[1]

Loring married in 1873 to Sarah Frances Johnson of Somerville, a descendant of Edward Johnson of Woburn. The couple lived in Somerville, from 1895 occupying a large family home built from Loring's design. They had four children.[1] Both of their sons followed their father into the business. His eldest son, Ernest Johnson Loring (1874-1926), attended the architectural school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1895. He worked for his father's firm from them until 1901, and for Earle & Fisher until 1902, before changing careers.[5] Their third child, Ralph Stoodley Loring (1879-1948), also attended MIT and would go on to be an architect of some note in Idaho and California.[6]

Loring was prominent in Masonic circles, and was architect of the Masonic Temple in Boston and the Masonic Apartments in Somerville. He was also a founding member of the Somerville Historical Society, now the Somerville Museum, in 1898. Mrs. Loring was also a member of the society.

Loring died February 1, 1918, in Somerville at the age of 66.[6] He was a distant relative of fellow Boston architect Charles G. Loring, partner of Joseph D. Leland in the firm of Loring & Leland.[1]

A number of buildings designed by Loring, alone and in association with Sanford Phipps, have been listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places.[7] Others contribute to listed historic districts.

• Somerville Public Library (former), Somerville, Massachusetts (1884, demolished)[3]
• Odd Fellows Building, Somerville, Massachusetts (1885, demolished)[3]
• Stickney Building and Masonic Apartments, Somerville, Massachusetts (1888, demolished)[8]
• Flint Public Library, Middleton, Massachusetts (1890–91, NRHP 2002)[9]
• Miner Hall and Paige Hall, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts (1891–92)[10]
• Athol High School (former), Athol, Massachusetts (1892, demolished)[11]
• Edward Devotion School, Brookline, Massachusetts (1892–93 and 1898–99, demolished 1953 and 1974)[12]
• Everett High School (former), Everett, Massachusetts (1892–93 and 1905)[13]
• Havemeyer School (former), Greenwich, Connecticut (1892)[14]
• Montclair High School (former), Montclair, New Jersey (1892, demolished)[15]
• Ware High School (former), Ware, Massachusetts (1893)[16]
• George W. Durell School (former), Somerville, Massachusetts (1894)[17]
• Glenfield School, Montclair, New Jersey (1895–96)[18]
• Gilbert School (former),[lower-alpha 1] Winsted, Connecticut (1895)[19]
• Hopkinton Public Library, Hopkinton, Massachusetts (1895)[20]
• House for George F. Loring, Somerville, Massachusetts (1895, NRHP 1989)[21]
• Masonic Temple, Boston, Massachusetts (1897–99)[22]
• Weymouth High School, Weymouth, Massachusetts (1898, burned and demolished 1971)[23]
• Stoneham High School (former),[lower-alpha 2] Stoneham, Massachusetts (1900–01)[24]
• Athens School (former), Weymouth, Massachusetts (1901–02)[25]
• Hyde Park High School (former),[lower-alpha 3] Hyde Park, Boston, Massachusetts (1902)[26]
• Westerly High School (former), Westerly, Rhode Island (1902–03, demolished)[27]
• Stoneham Public Library, Stoneham, Massachusetts (1904, NRHP 1984)[28]
• Clubhouse, Brae Burn Country Club, West Newton, Massachusetts (1905)[29]
• Harvard School, Harvard, Massachusetts (1905, demolished)[30]
• Walpole High School, Walpole, Massachusetts (1907)[31]
• Everett Central Fire Station, Everett, Massachusetts (1908)[32]
• Masonic Building, Everett, Massachusetts (1910)[33]
• Chapel, Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett, Massachusetts (1911)[34]
• William H. McElwain School, Bridgewater, Massachusetts (1912, NRHP 2013)[35]
• Burlington Town Hall (former), Burlington, Massachusetts (1915, demolished)[36]