Lambert & Bunnell
| Company type | Architectural firm |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture |
| Founded | 1860 |
| Founder | Edward R. Lambert, Rufus W. Bunnell |
| Defunct | 1901 |
| Headquarters | Bridgeport, Connecticut , United States |
Area served | Connecticut, New Jersey |
Key people | Edward R. Lambert, Rufus W. Bunnell |
Lambert & Bunnell was a distinguished architectural firm in the United States, headquartered in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and active from 1860 until 1901. Established by Edward R. Lambert (1834–1904) and Rufus W. Bunnell (1835–1909), the company became a significant force in the region's architectural scene.
Founders and history
Edward Richard Lambert, born on February 10, 1834, in Milford, Connecticut, received his architectural training under Bridgeport-based architect Albert C. Nash. He began his independent practice around 1856. In 1858, Rufus W. Bunnell, who had previously collaborated with both Lambert and Nash, briefly joined Lambert before pursuing other opportunities. By 1860, Bunnell returned, and together they officially formed Lambert & Bunnell, which soon emerged as Bridgeport’s foremost architectural firm.
Rufus William Bunnell, born February 11, 1835, in Bridgeport, amassed a wide range of experience working with architects nationwide. His career included stints with Chauncey Graham in New Jersey, Frank J. Scott in Toledo, Ohio—where he briefly entered into partnership—and Woollett & Ogden in Albany, New York. In 1859, he relocated southward to assist contractor James F. Post in Wilmington, North Carolina, notably contributing to the facade design of the Bellamy Mansion. Due to escalating tensions preceding the Civil War, he permanently returned north in 1860 to join forces with Lambert.
Although Bunnell temporarily paused his architectural work during his Union Army service from 1862 to 1863, the partnership endured until Lambert retired on account of illness in 1901. Afterward, Bunnell maintained a limited practice out of Stratford until his passing in 1909. The firm’s lengthy operation underscores its effective leadership and enduring prominence within the local architectural market.
Legacy
Lambert & Bunnell concentrated their design efforts primarily within Bridgeport, Connecticut, while also undertaking commissions throughout the state and into New Jersey. Their body of work prominently features popular nineteenth-century architectural styles such as Italianate, Second Empire, and later Queen Anne. Numerous structures created by the firm are recognized on the United States National Register of Historic Places and contribute to historic districts; however, some have since been demolished.
Architectural works
- 1861 - Residence for Moses Bulkley at 176 Main St, Southport, Connecticut (included within Southport Historic District, NRHP-listed)
- 1864 - Peter L. Perry House located at 512 E Washington Ave, Bridgeport, Connecticut (part of East Bridgeport Historic District, NRHP-listed)
- 1866 - Bethesda Mission situated at 540 E Washington Ave, Bridgeport, Connecticut
- 1868 - Home of Mrs. Benjamin Pomeroy at 658 Pequot Rd, Southport, Connecticut
- 1870 - Fairfield County Jail, positioned at 1106 North Ave, Bridgeport, Connecticut (NRHP-listed; demolished in 1997)
- 1871 - Residence for Mrs. Zalmon Wakeman at 418 Harbor Rd, Southport, Connecticut
- 1874 - Southport Congregational Church located at 524 Pequot Rd, Southport, Connecticut
- 1883 - Bridgeport Hospital at 267 Grant St, Bridgeport, Connecticut (razed circa 1959)
- 1884 - Christ Episcopal Church found at Post & Burr Rds, Westport, Connecticut (demolished)
- 1887 - Daniel Robert House at 25 West End Avenue, Somerville, New Jersey (NRHP-listed)
- 1891 - D. M. Hunt Library situated at 63 Main St, Falls Village, Connecticut (within Falls Village District, NRHP-listed)